Five quirky properties up for grabs in TNQ


Living in a normal house not doing it for you? Does the thought of owning your own pub wet your whistle? Or perhaps you’d like to scoop up your own slice of TNQ history?

TropicNow has rounded up five of the most unusual properties on the local market today. Word of warning: this list may lead to hours of unproductive daydreaming…


BARRIER REEF HOTEL

Who wouldn’t want their very own pub?

Built in 1926, this Heritage-listed Wharf Street watering hole has history – not to mention plenty of cold beer – on tap. As a fixture on the Cairns waterfront – colourfully known as the Barbary Coast – the pub once played host to wharfies, seafarers, cane workers and fisherfolk; word has it the Barrier Reef would stay open 24 hours a day to make sure every bloke – from officeworker to night-slogger – got his beer.

Check it out here.


FLORIANA GUESTHOUSE

On the market for the first time in 30 years, the instantly-recognisable Floriana Guesthouse offers old-school charm beyond compare.

Cairns’ only Heritage-listed guesthouse has been a fixture on the esplanade since it was built in the late 1930s. With eye-popping whites and blues, blend of Maltese and Australian tropical architecture and a colourful art-deco interior – complete with swirling staircase – the fabulous Floriana is a Cairns icon.

Read all about it here.


CONVERTED CHURCH, TULLY

This glorious former church would make a heavenly investment.

With stained glass windows, cathedral ceilings, timber staircases and gorgeous grounds beside a babbling brook, this divine 1935 property was once St Rita’s Roman Catholic Church.

All this for $335,000? Praise be!

Get a sneak peek here.

 


CONVERTED CHURCH, EDMONTON

Another erstwhile holy house? Can we get an amen?

This one was built in 1923 and was used as a house of worship for the local Anglican community; today, it’s a hip, breezy home where modern touches complement restored reminders – bell tower, altar, cathedral ceilings – of its days as a sacred space.

The lush tropical gardens are aptly paradisiacal; the price - $359,000 – however, is sinfully cheap.

Feast your eyes here.


CAIRNS MASONIC CENTRE

This is the first time this lofty landmark has gone on the market in its 82-year history.

Purpose-built by the Freemasons in 1935, the colourful, unusual Heritage-listed building has long caught the eyes – and curiosity – of passer-bys.

Ever wondered what it’s like in there? Wonder no more: the ceilings on both floors soar to five metres, and the floor area comprises a whopping 1500 square metres of huge open spaces and mezzanines.

Have a closer look here.