What would you build on this historic WA waterside farm?

Mandurah’s historic Sutton Farm has been listed for sale after years of development wrangling with council and heritage authorities.

The former dairy and cattle farm is ripe for the picking after recently receiving approval for a raft of developments options, including tourism, short-stay accommodation and entertainment venues.

Set on 1.47ha with a 90m canal frontage, the site is home to three heritage-listed buildings, including the original homestead built in 1881 and a barn and single living quarters dating back to 1870.

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Selling agent Adam Lenegan, from Mack Hall Real Estate, says 15 Apollo Place, Halls Head is a “unique offering” with a plethora of opportunities.

The site was originally a working farm and, prior to construction of the local town hall, the homestead’s dining room was used for dances and other social gatherings.

Set on 1.47ha, Sutton Farm offers lots of opportunity to create something commercial or residential – or a mix of both.

Sutton Farm is connected to some of the earliest pioneering European families in the district and the State Heritage Office has deemed it of “high historical significance”.

State Heritage Office documents state: “The farm’s outbuildings, including single men’s quarters, stables and shed, are basically intact and provide valuable insight into farming life and practices, as well as building methods and materials used in Mandurah in the 19th century”.

Lenegan says the property is ready for development.

“Obviously, over the years, the farm has been sold off and the canals have been created. This is the undeveloped land at the end,” he says.

“The heritage buildings need to be retained, but there’s almost 1.5ha of land that has been approved for a multitude of uses – tourism, commercial uses and also residential, so it’s a pretty unique offering.”

Lenegan says the site could be considered as bed and breakfast accommodation, a wine bar, a microbrewery or an art gallery/cafe.

Water views surrounding the property provide plenty of scope to create something special.

“Because it’s so open-ended, what can be done, it’s about finding the right person and how they want to develop it.”

The property was last sold in June 2013 for $1.6 million.

Sutton Farm was included in the City of Mandurah’s municipal heritage inventory in 1991 and was listed in the State Register of Heritage Places in 2000.

The farm’s Norfolk pines and olive trees are included on the council’s significant tree register. One of the Norfolk pines adjacent to the homestead is believed to have been planted around 1890 and is believed to be one of the oldest introduced trees in the district.

The Sutton family graveyard, which is now separated from the farm after a part sale of the original property, is also considered to be of high historical and cultural significance.