Gungahlin Homestead

Canberra’s  Hidden Treasure

Gungahlin Homestead is an impressive example of Colonial architecture in Canberra, Australia's national capital. Crace Holdings plans to revitalise the elegant stone structure and its expansive parklands to create a living community hub – the centrepiece of an inspiring regenerative lifestyle community.
pioneering beginings

Gazetted in the 1830s
with the Georgian north wing built by William Davis in 1865

The crace Family

Extended by the
Crace family in 1883 in the Victorian style

PUBLIC ASSET

Resumed by the Commonwealth Government in 1915

RESEARCH STATION

Used by the CSIRO  since 1953 and closed to the public

COMMUNITY PRECINCT AND BUSINESS PARK

Opening its doors to the community in 2025

HISTORY IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Protecting a national asset

Above: Gungahlin Homestead circa 1885 - Hall School Museum and Heritage Centre Gillespie Collection
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‍Built in the 1860s, extended by the Crace family in the 1880s, and home to Australia's national science agency for more than 70 years, Gungahlin Homestead is a national asset that ranks in heritage significance alongside the Governor-General’s residence at Yarralumla and the Royal Military College at Duntroon.

Pre-dating the founding of Canberra, the Homestead is listed on the Commonwealth Heritage Register. It is a rare example of the rural estates that characterised the earliest days of Colonial Australia before Federation.

Today, Canberra has grown up around the Georgian-Victorian manor which is only minutes from the centre of the city. The estate's extensive parklands sit within traditional Ngunnawal Country, and are part of a rare cultural landscape. As one of the only privately owned heritage assets of this significance, Crace Holdings is committed to rejuvenating the stunning Colonial landmark, making it available to the community, and ensuring that the resources are in place to protect it for future generations.

HERITAGE CONSERVATION

Celebrating a bygone era

Gungahlin Homestead sits on 36-hectares of parklands, featuring a central carriageway lined with majestic trees, outbuildings and original dam. Future development is being carefully planned to protect the estate's natural and heritage assets and will be guided by a robust Conservation Management Plan.
SUSTAINABLE CONSERVATION

Designing for the future

Preserving the Homestead, like most heritage assets, is an expensive process. The new retirement community we are proposing will guarantee resources are available to protect the Gungahlin Homestead for future generations of Canberrans to appreciate and enjoy. Although the building façades have been well maintained, the interiors have been extensively changed and will need significant restoration to bring them back to their former glory.
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal People as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Gungahlin Homestead stands and we pay our respects to Elders past and present.
2025, All Rights Reserved

Crace Holdings Pty Ltd is a registered company in Australia, operating under Australian Company Number (ACN 123 456 789). The company operates in accordance with Australian property development and investment regulations under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). Crace Holdings is committed to ethical development practices, heritage conservation, and sustainable community design in compliance with ACT Territory Plan requirements and Commonwealth heritage legislation.