‘Three into one’ treatment for former nurses’ quarters

Perth commercial developer Matthew Telling never planned to live in a huge home, despite his family’s billionaire heritage, but the one-time nurses’ quarters of historic Duncraig House has evolved.

56 Duncraig Rd, Applecross in Western Australia.

It was never Matthew James Maxwell Telling’s intention to have such a big home.

The Perth commercial developer and investor, and member of Britain’s multibillionaire Vestey family, was perfectly happy with an apartment – one of three – that made up the historic Duncraig House when he bought it in 2005.

Built in 1927 as nurses’ quarters, 56 Duncraig Rd, Applecross originally housed 36 nurses who worked at the neighbouring hospital. In the 1990s, the property was sold off to fund the hospital’s renovation and transformation into a community centre, and the house was divided into three grand apartments.

As each of his neighbours sold their units, Telling purchased them, eventually amalgamating the three titles and undertaking a major renovation in 2016.

“This has been a passion project for me. I knew it would be a risk, but I wanted to return it to even better than its original condition,” says Telling, whose family was once one of Australia’s richest cattle barons.

Matthew Telling at his home and former nurses’ quarters.

“It was a full undertaking, and it would have been a lot easier to knock it down and rebuild exactly the same structure but brand new.”

Working with Western Australia’s Heritage Council and award-winning heritage specialists Hocking Heritage + Architecture, Telling sought out specialist tradespeople from as far as Sydney and New Zealand for the replumbing, installation of electrics and home automation, new footings for the foundations, a new roof, rebuilding of internal walls, and restoration of original arches.

“One of the challenging things was getting hold of the timbers to match in with the timber’s exact same size and colour. It was a matter of understanding what was ­allowed under the heritage laws and what I had been thinking about for years,” he says.

“I wanted to make it homely with contemporary finishes while keeping that old world charm.

Inside the historic Duncraig House.

The old and the new had to work in with each other and be visually beautifully at the same time because it’s still a home and you have to be able to live here.”

Gameface HQ and Leah Paige Designs managed the interior transformation, seamlessly blending heritage and contemporary styles. Each of the four guest bedrooms has been decorated in a unique theme, and there is a dedicated space for watching the sunset, which has become Telling’s favourite spot.

An underground carpark holds 25 cars, a workshop, gym, sauna and a lounge with bar and DJ station, wellness lounge, steam room and shower lined with Bisazza mosaic tiles.

A gazebo overlooks the inground pool.

An outdoor kitchen, mosaic-tiled pool and gazebo was also a sensitively designed modern addition, built using beams from an old railway bridge and bedded in with Paul Bangay-designed gardens of Australian natives, fruit trees and garden seating recycled from some of the original timbers.

Telling says maintaining the continuity of Duncraig House’s story has always been of utmost importance. “A lot of the timber we had to take out we repurposed with dining room tables and seats in the garden, so things have a story,” he says. “It’s something to talk about and shows the level of passion of love and thought that’s gone into this place.”

After almost two decades of ownership, including 4½ years renovating, Telling is reluctantly downsizing, listing Duncraig House with Ray White Dalkeith | Claremont agent Thomas Jefferson Wedge with a price guide of $32m-$35m.

“I love this property and so much of my life has been dedicated to living here,” he says. “It’s not just a house, it’s a home that’s been worth going above and beyond for so long it’s going to be a tough day when I walk out that front door for the last time.”