‘Tropical wonderland’ with huge shed, pool, stables hits Darwin market

A sprawling tropical residence on the outskirts of Darwin has hit the market after proving itself as a perfect Top End family home and a popular Airbnb stay.

Courtney Snowden

3 min read

February 24, 2024 - 6:00AM

News Corp Australia Network

The home at 10 McGill Rd, Girraween. Picture: Supplied

‘Karinya’, a sprawling tropical residence on the outskirts of Darwin, has hit the market after proving itself as a perfect Top End family home and a popular Airbnb stay.

The house, at 10 McGill Rd, Girraween, was built by the current owner and modelled off his family’s previous home.

“We actually had a house in Gunn that was similar,” he said.

“It was the same layout but smaller – it just flowed and worked really for us.”

So when he and his wife decided it was time to find somewhere with more space for their three growing sons, they took what they loved about their Gunn house and expanded it.

“Being in Darwin we spent most of our time outdoors, so we wanted a big outdoor living area,” the owner said.

“You’ve also gotta have a shed – or a couple of sheds – and the pool for the kids”

The tropical home sits on a fenced 1.07ha block in Girraween. Picture: Supplied

The living areas open to the outdoor spaces. Picture: Supplied

The result was a 1.07ha property with a tropical resort meets easy Top End living vibe.

There is pavilion style housing, big sheds, a granny flat, stables, a pool and established gardens.

Plus plenty of space.

“The boys could jump on their motorbikes and take off almost all the way to Gunn Point,” the owner said.

“And my wife had plenty of room for her horses.”

The main home is spread across two dwellings with a swimming pool and outdoor living between.

Louvres, bifolds and sliding doors help blur the boundaries between the indoors and out, while high ceilings, shaded outdoor spaces and greenery keep the living areas cool.

“People love the entertaining areas and the pool,” the owner said.

“We dug away the edge of the veranda and lifted the pool so we didn’t need fencing along that whole side.”

The open plan kitchen and dining area has high ceilings. Picture: Supplied

The living area has timber accents. Picture: Supplied

In the first section of the home there is an open plan kitchen and dining area, opening to the tiled veranda, and a living area with timber floors, opening to a deck.

A games room is separated from the house by the veranda and there is also a fire pit area and a poolside deck.

“That games room was great for teenage kids,” the owner said.

“It was positioned away from the bedrooms so we could go to bed and they could make a racket and play their games.

“There were plenty of sleepovers there.”

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The second section of the home has a main bedroom with a walk-in robe and an ensuite with separate toilet and louvres looking out to gardens.

The three remaining bedrooms have built-in robes and there is a family bathroom and laundry.

There is also a granny flat with bathroom and kitchenette, plus two double carports, with covered access to the home.

The ensuite in the main bedroom looks out to the gardens. Picture: Supplied

The games room has easy access to the veranda and pool. Picture: Supplied

Away from the main house there is a big shed with hoist, store area, tack room, veranda and stable, and a four-car carport to one side.

“I restore old cars so the shed has been really good,” the owner said.

The property comes with irrigated gardens and lawns, a paddock for horses, remote gate entry and secure fencing.

The owner said the grounds were designed to be low maintenance.

“I do landscaping for a living so I didn’t really want to come to home and look after stuff,” he said.

“A lot of people think the gardens and lawns will be a lot of work but it’s easy to look after.

“You just need to do a little pruning once a year.”

More recently, ‘Karinya’ has transitioned into a popular Airbnb.

One guest review called the property an “inspired tropical wonderland” that had “all the luxury of a resort with the comfort and privacy of your own home”.