Palm Beach home has antique collector flair
IT WAS the early-1960s and the idyllic southern suburb of Palm Beach had become popular for its affordable blocks of land by the sea.
But while most landowners knocked up fibro shacks to spend their weekends, Laurie and Margaret Fletcher built a solid brick home where they raised their three sons Keith, Michael and Jeff.
The three-bedroom house at Third Ave has been held by the family in immaculate original condition since and will go under the hammer on March 1 after being listed for the first time.
Occupying a 506sq m corner block in one of the Gold Coast’s most soughtafter locations, the doublestorey property is marketed by Dan and Essie Moloney, of Harcourts Coastal.
Its interiors showcase Margaret’s eclectic style through a unique array of vintage furnishings, including vibrant wallpaper, velvet curtains and crystal chandeliers. But soon, it will be only memories that remain, with the family making the regretful decision to sell as Margaret moves into an aged-care facility.
“My dad was in national service when he met Mum in Liverpool, England, and they got married and travelled around before settling back here,” youngest son Keith Fletcher, 54, said.
“Dad’s mother lived in Fingal in northern NSW and Dad knew that Palm Beach always got the tail end of the cyclones – it never flooded and the weather was calmer.
“He wanted to be close to the ocean and they stayed there all their lives.”
The late Laurie Fletcher repaired refrigerators and washing machines from his workshop below the house, while Margaret’s passion for collecting and restoring antiques grew over the years.
“My mother was always very English and she did have an eye for expensive things. The crystal chandeliers and a lot of the antique furniture she found and had imported,” Mr Fletcher said.
Mr Moloney said the character-filled home was of sturdy construction, offering options for a buyer, including to hold or renovate the property, rent it out, or explore a multi-dwelling redevelopment.
The block is
550m from the beach in a medium-density zoned area with a height limit of 9m.
An extension was added to the house in the late-1970s, with three bedrooms and a bathroom, as well as a large living room area, separate dining area and kitchen located on the upper level, while downstairs is the double garage along with another bathroom and a family room.
There’s a generous back yard, complete with a classic Hills Hoist.
“We’d prefer to see it go to a family because it is a beautiful old house and it was such a great place to grow up,” Mr Fletcher said.