• Buying a property
  • Sell your property
  • Find your local agent

    Opportunity knocks

    Here for your property journey

    News and market insights

    Property experts since 1902

    Browse

    Terms

    We bring market insights, news and lifestyle updates direct to your inbox.

    Sign up to our newsletters

    See the properties 
    defining luxury in the 
    Luxury Homes magazine

    SIGN UP

    A rare sight in Brisbane, whose historic homes mostly consist of humble Queenslanders., the stone home was built in 1855 when the Grigor family emigrated from Scotland.

    Located at 19 Gloucester Street, the property is for sale through Ray White Collective’s Karla Lynch and Michael Reilly on behalf of the seller, Carol Marsh.

    Ms Marsh said when she bought the home in 1996, it was in poor condition.

    “I'm passionate about stone buildings and this one is made from Brisbane Tuff. It's a very pretty stone with hints of green, pink and purple,” she said.

    “It's the same stone that the St John’s Cathedral and a few other Brisbane buildings are built from.

    “When I saw this home there was a little cardboard sign hanging over the front verandah that just said ‘for sale’ and had a landline number to call.

    “When I bought it it was in derelict condition and squatters had been living there. The woman selling it, Jean, was a direct descendant of the Grigors, so it had been in her family ever since it was built.”

    With a bit of TLC and 18 months of renovations, Ms Marsh was about to turn the home into the modern masterpiece seen today, while keeping much of the home's heritage charm.

    “I think the lovely stone that is exposed is a highlight for me. I also love the courtyard which has lovely city views,” Ms Marsh said.

    “We put in a new staircase, and a lot of the floorboards had to be replaced.

    “The kitchen also used to be separate, but we built a beautiful conservatory with wonderful skylights to join the main house to the kitchen.”

    Ms Marsh has since bought the home next door, a similar stone cottage which was owned by the Lowe family.

    She said the Grigor family and the Lowe family were business partners in timber getting and would harvest cedar.

    “Both of the houses have beautiful cedar finishes such as window frames,” Ms Marsh said.

    “I think these houses are unique, I really can't think of any other stone cottages like them in Brisbane.”

    Ms Lynch said the home was nestled within one of the city’s most historic ridgelines.

    “This rare inner-city cottage has been lovingly maintained, offering an extraordinary opportunity to own a piece of local history just moments from the CBD,” she said.

    “Every detail of this home speaks to craftsmanship: the sandstone-and-brick chimney, the attic's timber rails (believed to have supported a lifting device), decorative gutter cresting, and the intact hipped roofs that frame both cottage and wing.

    “As one half of a semi-detached pair, the property contributes richly to the established late-19th-century streetscape for which Spring Hill is renowned.”

    Up next

    Ray White sets new benchmark in real estate training excellence
    View article
    Back to top