Home fit for a PM

A FORMER Australian Prime Minister's mansion, complete with ten bedrooms, is for sale.

Bruce Manor

A FORMER Australian Prime Minister's mansion, complete with ten bedrooms, is for sale.

Stanley Bruce built the Melbourne home in 1926, about the same time as The Lodge - the Canberra home of sitting Prime Ministers - which borrowed heavily from the Melbourne home's architecture and design.

During his tenure as PM, Lord Bruce occupied both the Frankston house and The Lodge.

The heritage-listed Mediterranean-style home is a glamorous throw-back to the 1920s and '30s, with many of its original features intact, including  stunning wood-panelled interiors and Spanish-style rendering.

Over the years the home has been a wedding reception venue and a nursing home.

Harcourts real estate agent Aaron Frolling says work is needed to bring the house back to its former glory but says it could fetch around the million-dollar mark.

“We have a general lack of 10-bedroom houses in Frankston,'' Mr Frolling said.

“The open for inspections have almost been a free trip to a museum.''

Mr Frolling can see it being converted to a B&B or returning to life as a family home.

“There's no permit, but you would imagine it wouldn't be too difficult to get a permit to do something like that with it again,'' he said.

“It would be by far the biggest home of its age in Frankston.''

Bruce Manor

A number of buildings also on the title, including a manager’s cottage, could either be removed or refurbished.

Heritage Victoria's account of the property provides a little more distinction, noting Lord Bruce's war-hero status as a Military Cross recipient from his time with the Royal Fusiliers at Gallipoli where he was twice wounded.

“Bruce Manor is historically significant as the residence of Viscount Stanley Melbourne Bruce, Prime Minister of Australia from 1923 to 1929,'' a listing on the property reveals.

“Bruce Manor was designed for Stanley Melbourne (later Viscount) Bruce by the Sydney firm of architects Prevost Synnot and Rewald, in association with Robert Bell Hamilton, in 1926.

“It is a Mediterranean-inspired residence with paved courtyards, Cordova patterned roof tiles, a Juliet balcony and timber panelled interiors.''

Bruce Manor

FIT FOR A PRIME MINISTER
- 10 bedrooms
- Five bathrooms
- Two carparks
- Gallery
- Retreat
- Plaza with dual water features
- Library/study
- Two upstairs balconies and a terrace
- Family room
- Formal lounge
- Sitting room