Century-old owner bids farewell to Fawkner home after six decades

The property at 148 Lorne Street, Fawkner was meticulously constructed by the parents and grandparents of the current owners to ensure a future for their family, and became the center of a spirited auction featuring four active bidders.

Ray White Coburg sales agent Laksh Jassal said: “The landmark sale marks the conclusion of a 65-year legacy for the Smith family, as their 101-year-old matriarch transitions from the home she saw built from the ground up”.

The three-bedroom, one-bathroom home is on a 727sqm block and is a short walk to Charles Mutton Reserve and Fawkner Station.

Theresa Smith said her mum, now aged 101 years old, has lived at the property for about 65 years.

“The house was built by my parents and grandparents to make it affordable for both parties. I was about four when we came to live here and started school around the corner at St Marks,” Ms Smith said.

The home stands as a remarkable testament to Fawkner’s evolution from "farmlets" and empty blocks to a thriving northern suburb.

Ms Smith said much of the home’s interior remained a charming preservation of the past.

The pink bathroom and laundry-toilet area remain in their original state, and the first bedroom still features carpet brought over from England by the family in 1959.

“There was a farmlet down Lorne Street when we moved in and I think some empty blocks,” she said.

“We took Sunday walks to Mahoney’s Lane. It ended at what was Pipeworks clay/brick making business.

“Our heating was a kerosene heater for many years.

“A bungalow was brought into the backyard when I was a teenager so I could study in there.

“The steel garage was added to house our trunks we brought from overseas.”