Selling Cintra: One of Brisbane's oldest surviving homes hits the market

The word “unique” is thrown around rather liberally when it comes to real estate, but Cintra House, a c1860s estate on the fringe of Brisbane’s CBD, can lay claim to the title in every sense of the word.

One of Brisbane’s oldest surviving houses, it stands as a beautiful and extremely rare example of Georgian architecture that experts agree can only be compared with the very best of Brisbane’s landmark buildings.

Built entirely of stone, the original two-level floor plan is still largely intact, save for a couple of additions that were made in the late 1800s – an impressive bay projection and deep, full-height verandahs with ornate balustrades.

Today it stands as a majestic six-bedroom, three-bathroom family home on 3050 square metres of private hilltop land.

It features marble fireplaces, 3.6-metre-high ornate ceilings, a full-size championship tennis court and a swimming pool, all only 2.5 kilometres from Brisbane’s CBD.

DS Architecture principal Dion Seminara specialises in renovating historic Queenslander homes but says he has never laid eyes on anything as unique as Cintra House.

“From an architectural point of view, its significance cannot be understated,” says Seminara.

“It’s not the usual timber and tin we normally get here in Brisbane; it’s a full stone construction, it’s robust and it’s full of materials and workmanship that you just can’t source any more,” he says.

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“There is absolutely nothing else to compare it to unless you’re talking about Government House or the Old Government House at QUT.”

The property has been home to residents of note. Originally designed by architect Benjamin Backhouse, former Queensland premier Boyd Dunlop Morehead lived there with his wife and eight children for a number of years.

In the 1970s it was owned by prominent Brisbane builder Noel Kratzman, who carried out a number of contemporary renovations.

Jane Alexander, spokesperson for the National Trust Queensland, says the home holds as much appeal in 2017 as it did in 1863.

“It is as special now as it was back then because it’s such an unusual property for Brisbane. That beautiful architecture and incredible land holding is as rare now as it was in the 1800s,” she says.

The property is protected by the Queensland Heritage Register and the National Trust, but Alexander says this shouldn’t put buyers off.

“This is one of Brisbane’s incomparable gems. It is such an important piece of our history – to be custodian of this would be such a privilege.”

Marketing agent Josh Brown of ​Ray White New Farm says there is “no question” about the singularity of Cintra House.

“It is a very rare and unique opportunity for a family to set down their roots in one of Brisbane’s few marquee homes.”  

This house was built in a completely different time, but 154 years later it still works as a family home. It’s as beautiful – and practical – as it was back then.

Cintra House is for sale by expressions of interest now for around $8.5 million-$9.5 million.

See more of the property here or download the Domain app for more unique Queensland properties