No. 142 Bowning Rd in Bowning is for sale.
For years Tony Ryan would drive past the former Cobb & Co Coach Station Inn in Bowning, regaling grand plans of one day owning the historical homestead and restoring it to its former glory.
“We lived around the corner in Bowning,” said his wife Renata Ryan. “And for 25 years Tony would say: ‘One day I’m going to buy that house, one day I’m going to buy it’.”
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Full of character.
Colourful.
The opportunity to fulfill the dream came in 2000 when the property at 142 Bowning Road was listed for sale, but the decrepit 1840s-built property was in desperate need of attention.
“When they put it up for sale, I said to him: ‘You’re not serious are you?’ and he said: ‘I am, I love it’. People told us it should have been knocked down and rebuilt, but Tony was adamant he wanted it,” Mrs Ryan said.
“It was a total wreck. It was a house on a whole heap of land with sheep coming up to the back door. A lady had lived in there for 86 years before we bought it and it had been in her family for a long time.
“We’ve spent a lot of money fixing it up, but we’ve kept all the charm and character. There’s a lot of history in the place. We’ve tried to keep it as original as it was.”
Originally used as a country inn, the Cobb & Co Station Inn, the residence was converted into a private home in 1876.
Well restored.
Wow.
Mrs Ryan and her late husband dedicated themselves to restoring the main home, adding a kitchen (because the original kitchen was outside) and building a separate studio and a café, now known as the Rollonin Cafe.
The additional buildings have been designed to replicate local buildings from the 1800s, with Tony toiling as the owner builder and other locals lending a hand.
They pulled down sheds and an old house to source tin to give the café a rustic looking roof, and more than 4500 bricks, used for the two verandas, were gathered from local paddocks where old buildings once stood.
“We’ve still got the slab hut. We’re not sure whether it’s where they kept the carriages because the place was originally a Cobb & Co Inn. And there’s handmade nails that we’ve pulled out. It’s got convict bricks, handmade on the property out of clay,” Mrs Ryan said.
The homestead has retained hallmarks of its vintage, including rose ceiling medallions, timber flooring, open fireplaces, high ceilings and a clawfoot tub.
Plenty of history.
Today it has three bedrooms, one of which is in a separate studio, two separate living spaces and a large kitchen and family area with a wood stove.
Mrs Ryan said the property held a special place in her life but now was the right time to seek out a new custodian.
“I want someone who loves it as much as we did. There’s so much history in this place. It’s important that it’s honoured and preserved,” she said.
The kitchen.
The café was halfway to completion when Mr Ryan was diagnosed with stage four melanoma. Determined, he continued with the project despite his illness, completing it in 2008. He passed away in 2012 and the property has continued to host fundraising events for cancer and melanoma-related support services.
The landholding comprises of eight acres, including five at the front with the house and café and another three at the back with potential for a five-block subdivision.
Selling agent Graham Bush, from Independent – Inner North & City, is seeking offers from $1.6 million.
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