16 Mears Ave, Randwick NSW 2031, Australia

One of Randwick’s finest, this double-fronted Victorian Italianate residence was built c1886 as part of the landmark Hastings Terrace row and stands as a fine example of period craftsmanship with an impressive 10m frontage. Tastefully appointed interiors are graced with a wealth of ornate features including 3.3m high ceilings, marble fireplaces, elegant French doors and iron lacework balconies while a family friendly layout features four bedrooms on the upper level and a choice of living spaces downstairs. Originally built for William Mears as a ‘gentleman’s residence’, the two-storey home is full of soul and substance and opens out to a north-facing flagstone courtyard garden that’s perfect for entertaining alfresco. Evoking the grandeur of a distinguished Knightsbridge villa, the home is both warm and welcoming with an elegant corbelled arch hallway making a lasting first impression. In one of Randwick’s most desirable pockets, 500m to The Spot’s dining hub and 300m to Royal Randwick Shopping Centre, this historic beauty is just 200m to the High Street light rail and a few hundred metres to Brigidine College and Marcellin Catholic College.

* Historic treasure in a dress-circle setting

* Tree-lined avenue, little through-traffic

* Lovingly held by one family for 45 years

* Stately facade, corbelled arch entry hall

* Grand proportions, soaring 3.3m ceilings

* 4 bedrooms all open out to a balcony

* 3 king-sized bedrooms with fireplaces

* Master with an ensuite and wide balcony

* Elegant traditional living and dining rooms

* Marble fireplaces, original bi-fold doors

* Large family room with a marble fireplace

* Family dining room with a potbelly fireplace

* Streamlined contemporary gas kitchen

* Stone benchtops and travertine flooring

* Shaker cabinetry, European appliances

* Tranquil north-facing flagstone courtyard

* 2 bathrooms, internal laundry/powder room

* Wide avenue, ample parking for residents

* 250m to OLSH Catholic Primary School

* 500m to Brigidine College and Claremont College, 600m to Marcellin

* 500m to The Spot and Ritz Cinema complex

* Walk to the hospital precinct and UNSW

* 1.5km to Coogee Beach, 200m to the light rail