A grand harbourside estate that watched Hobart's port transform a colony has been voted our most iconic listing on realestate.com.au.
If there's one thing a new build can never fake, it's the soul of a home that's stood the test of time.
Historic properties don't just offer a place to live; they offer a story to step into.
When we ran our latest realestate.com.au 'iconic listing' poll asking audiences to vote for their favourite historic home, we knew it would strike a chord.
The home is nearly 200 years old. Picture: realestate.com.au
The winner was extraordinary — one of Hobart's oldest homes, and a genuine slice of Tasmania's maritime past.
The grand estate at 25-27 Castray Esplanade, Battery Point was built in 1829 as the official residence of Hobart's Harbour Master, the man who oversaw a port at the very moment Hobart Town was transforming from a penal outpost to a maritime hub.
Nearly 200 years later, it remains one of the state's most commanding homes and a fine example of early colonial architecture.
The current family has owned it for around 25 years, during which time they've upgraded and modernised it. And now, reluctantly, they're selling it.
Still with all the mod-cons. Picture: realestate.com.au
"It's an emotional sale. In a perfect world, they wouldn't sell it, but the time's right for them to let it go," said agent Matthew Chugg at Elders Real Estate Hobart.
Set on 1,419sqm, the two-storey home is grand without being cold, he said.
"It's got vast proportions, but it also feels cosy and homely. You feel the history around you as soon as you walk in the door — the big sandstone walls, high ceilings and chandeliers. It has some serious kerbside presence."
Inside, formal and informal living and dining rooms offer a tempting choice of spaces, alongside a conservatory that opens to vast private gardens with mature trees and a water fountain. Four bedrooms sit on the upper level, some opening to an ornate wraparound verandah, with a possible guest suite below.
Iconic views out to Battery Point and the Derwent River. Picture: realestate.com.au
The home has been on the market for around four months with a guide price of $7m. Interest has come from across Australia and overseas, though the right offer is yet to materialise — something Mr Chugg hopes our 'iconic listing' poll may help change.
"There's no doubt it's generated some fresh interest, which has been good," he said.
"The location's fantastic too; it's right on the cusp of Salamanca, with beautiful water views, surrounded by parks and big green trees. You're in the heart of Hobart, but you'd never know it."
Heritage at the heart strings
The runners-up in our poll prove the point just as well: heritage homes wear their history in every hand-crafted detail and one-of-a-kind finish.
The revered five-bedroom homestead 'Rodway' at 2 South Street, Rangeville was built in 1904 and has performed many roles — including a farmhouse and a 1930s boarding house.
It sits on 6,601sqm with captivating views of Toowoomba Range.
This Toowoomba beauty sits perched high above, with breathtaking views. Picture: realestate.com.au
Built just a few years earlier in 1890, 'Hills View' at 849-851 Heidelberg Road, Alphington is a stunning Italianate villa built for Barnet Glass — the man who brought rubberised clothing to colonial Melbourne before selling his company to Dunlop.
Lovingly restored over two decades, it's now on the market for $2.8m–$2.98m.
'Hillsview' in Melbourne's east gives off Saltburn vibes. Picture: realestate.com.au
Meanwhile Ewenton House at 1 Blake Street, Balmain — a Georgian, Victorian and Italianate sandstone mansion on 2,206sqm of Sydney Harbour waterfront — was listed in October 2025 with a $27.5m guide.
Blake Street in Balmain has a nice ring to it. Picture: realestate.com.au
But it's yet to find a buyer.
This month, viewers are voting on Australia's 'most iconic' warehouse conversions.
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