“Birralee” is an ancient indigenous name meaning ”children”. It is also the house name of a commodious, family-friendly Federation-period home on tree-lined 89 Wentworth Street, Randwick.

It is currently for sale through Rod Angus, Richardson and Wrench.

It is in a style common to the Federation of Australia period from the 1^st January 1901, when the Australian colonies collectively became the Commonwealth of Australia.

Appropriate to its name, 89 Wentworth Street features three bedrooms and three outdoor childrens’ play areas.

Federation homes were once considered unfashionable prior the 1960’s but their popularity has grown enormously as an appreciation of their environmentally-friendly design, character and features have been more readily understood.

Such homes incorporate high ceilings for ventilation and enjoy stained glass to add colour to rooms, front verandahs for an outdoor relaxing area with trellises, and wooden internal architraves.

Federation style surfed a wave of new nationalism in the early 1900’s and featured Australian popular flora and fauna, especially the Waratah, the NSW official floral emblem. Homes were constructed of earth-red brickwork with garden paths, internal vents with Waratah motifs, brightly-coloured glazed tiling around hearths with floral designs, gas lamps, mottled glass, internal hall fretwork, picture rails, tessellated garden path tiles and front wire metal gates – the more original the better.

Number 89 incorporates all these features, including its original reflective gold house name plate and a rare remnant gas lamp fitting, all now cherished and enjoyed by home owners.

Even the original “Waratah” brand iron combustion kitchen stove made by J. Stone and Co. (Glebe) has been retained elsewhere on site.

By Andrew Woodhouse, Director, Heritage Solutions