Iconic Australian TV home from Mother and Son demolished

A little piece of Australian television history has been erased, with the iconic brick house from the TV show, Mother and Son, knocked down to make way for two new homes.

The ABC sitcom, which told the story of a long-suffering 40-year-old man caring for his mother, who was in the early stages of a dementia-like illness, was a TV staple for Australian households in the 1980s and ’90s.

While most  of the indoor scenes were shot at the ABC studios, the facade and streetscape at 16 Rickard Street, Rodd Point in Sydney’s inner west, were often featured in the show.

Built by John Cockerill in 1927, the property was put on the market in 2012 – the first time in 85 years – but failed to sell. It was later listed with Fiona Hellams of Ray White Drummoyne, and sold in 2014 for $1.95 million. 

Hellams said  it was an “amazing auction – off the Richter scale with well and truly over 100 people, at least” attending. More than a dozen groups had registered,  and the winning bidders offered more than $40,000  above the previous bid.

Despite Hellams referencing the home’s connection to the sitcom, there was “not much interest from the show”. Instead inquiries came from many younger buyers, probably unfamiliar with the program, who were instead interested in the location, the high side of a street popular with families.

A development application was lodged in 2014 to demolish the building and build a dual-occupancy dwelling with an underground garage and swimming pool.

According to the City of Canada Bay, no objections were received, the application was amended and it was approved in June 2015. Construction is under way.

Mother and Son had six seasons running from 1984 to 1994, and starred Ruth Cracknell and  Garry McDonald. They both won Logies for their performances in the show. 

Australian Screen notes that “the problems of ageing would seem like an unlikely subject for television comedy”, but the show became an instant success,  going on to be “one of Australia’s best-loved television shows.”