From houso to wowzer: Ex-govt housing transformed

My sister had to pass up a chance to buy government-owned housing she was a tenant in, and now it’s worth millions.

This home at 168 Hawthorne Rd, Hawthorne, was once a government housing property. Picture: realestate.com.au

The government housing home where I used to party is now a million-dollar listing and I’m a little shook.

Back in 2009, sometime in March, I was sitting on the deck of my sister’s government housing property in Brisbane’s Hawthorne, celebrating my nephew’s third birthday. We talked a big game of “if this house was mine” and “if I had the time and money, what I’d do to this place”.

More than 15 years on and it looks like someone more than talked about it. Yesterday, I stumbled upon the home for sale on realestate.com.au – but the only thing I recognised was the address.

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The home at 168 Hawthorne Rd, Hawthorne, before renovations. Picture: realestate.com.au

My sister and nephew at the Hawthorne home in 2009. Picture: Supplied

In 2009, the balustrades were painted white, the hand rails heritage green and paper streamers were wrapped around the beams supporting a corrugated iron roof. Family and friends spread out on a second-hand couch and mismatched chairs, snacking on cubed cheese, pickled onions and kabana, while my nephew blew out a candle on a homemade cake.

The house itself was an ‘interesting’ design with the front wall forming part of the front fence.

The kitchen was outdated, the front porch needed repairing and the paint was flaking in most rooms. But it had high ceilings, timber floors, VJ walls and a private backyard.

It was also in a beautiful community close to the river, the city and just down the road from eateries, boutiques, a cinema, good schools and a ferry terminal.

Property records show 168 Hawthorne Rd, Hawthorne, was built around 1940.

It was sold by the State of Queensland in 2012 for $470,000 and changed hands again in 2020 for $730,000.

Some time after that, the property experienced an epic glow up.

A photo of inside the home from a 2020 real estate listing. Picture: realestate.com.au

Inside the home today. Picture: realestate.com.au

Its footprint more than doubled, it gained another level and the place actually had street presence.

For sale through Charmaine McDonald and Sarah Hackett of Place New Farm, the home is being marketed as a coastal-inspired Queenslander with dual-living option.

Incredibly, there is a now a double garage, a white picket fence and french doors on the upper level opening to a balcony.

Original floorboards feature upstairs and the character is now of the charming rather than rundown variety.

Out the back, the once-sloped block has a pool, landscaped yard and granny flat.

On the ground floor there is a main bedroom with walk-in robe and ensuite, and an open plan kitchen, living and dining area, with combined butler’s pantry and laundry off the kitchen.

The area flows out to a deck with outdoor kitchen, which overlooks the pool.

Upstairs, there are four more bedrooms, two bathrooms, a study nook and a living area.

Across the pool, the ‘studio’ has a bathroom, kitchenette and living/sleeping space.

My sister and I celebrating her birthday at 168 Hawthorne Rd, Hawthorne. Picture: Supplied

The outdoor area at 168 Hawthorne Rd, Hawthorne, looks a little different these days. Picture: realestate.com.au

I sent my sister the link to the listing and she was as blown away as me.

“I’ll take it back now,” she joked.

“I can’t believe there’s a pool where my deck used to be.

“I’ve got so many photos of parties we had out there.”

One treasured pic is with a good friend she lost to cancer – they had big grins on their faces and drinks in their hands.

Others featured my two oldest nephews – now young men – and a ‘slightly’ younger version of myself.

Now it looks like new memories will soon overlay the old, with offers on the home closing July 10.

I wonder if they’ll still be serving cheese and kabana at their parties?

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Originally published as From houso to wowzer: Ex-govt housing transformed