Historic Gungahlin Homestead

Historic Gungahlin Homestead Gungahlin Homestead is one of the ACT's oldest heritage properties. Gungahlin Homestead is a remarkable heritage pastoral estate in Canberra.

The estate is owned by Canberra company Crace Holdings and is being rejuvenated as the community hub for an inspiring future retirement precinct built on regenerative design principles. Gazetted in the 1830s, the estate pre-dates the founding of Australia’s national capital. The Homestead's original north wing was built in 1865 by William Davis and the building was significantly extended by Edward

Kendall Crace in 1883. Listed on the Commonwealth Heritage Register, Gungahlin Homestead is a rare example of the rural estates that characterised the earliest days of Colonial Australia before Federation, ranking in significance alongside the Governor-General’s residence at Yarralumla and the Royal Military College at Duntroon. For more than 70 years, the property served as a wildlife research centre for CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, and was closed to the public. Today, Canberra has grown up around the Georgian-Victorian manor which is only minutes from the civic centre. Since taking possession of the 36-hectare site in July 2025, Canberra development company Crace Holdings has made the contemporary campus outbuildings available to the public as Crace Business Park, Canberra’s newest commercial address. Today, Crace Holdings is progressing plans to protect and revitalise Gungahlin Homestead and reimagine it as the centrepiece of a vibrant new retirement lifestyle and community. The Company’s vision will secure the future of one of the ACT's most valuable heritage assets, address the growing shortage of retirement lifestyle options, and provide an iconic destination for the whole of Canberra to enjoy.

09/09/2026

Most people in Canberra have driven past Gungahlin Homestead without knowing it was there.

Two hundred years of pastoral history sitting quietly behind the trees, a pre-Federation homestead, and ninety per cent of the original canopy still standing.

The elms along the driveway are coming back into leaf.It happens quickly once it starts. A fortnight ago you could see t...
07/09/2026

The elms along the driveway are coming back into leaf.

It happens quickly once it starts. A fortnight ago you could see the shape of every branch, and now the light coming through the canopy is going green again.

Spring on the estate.

We acknowledge the Ngunnawal People as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Gungahlin Homestead Estate sits, and pay our respects to Elders past and present.

For older Australians, a home that feels alive, connected with nature and community, is a home that supports healthier, ...
05/09/2026

For older Australians, a home that feels alive, connected with nature and community, is a home that supports healthier, happier ageing.

Orlando Harrison, urban designer with UrbanFold, reflects on the opportunity ahead at Gungahlin Homestead Estate and why regenerative design is so well suited to creating homes and a continuum of care for the second half of our lives.

Read the full interview: https://www.craceholdings.com.au/stories/orlando-harrison-regenerative-design-interview

Orlando is an urban designer with UrbanFold, the boutique design and master planning practice working on the Gungahlin Homestead Estate. The firm came to Canberra because of what is happening here around custodianship of land. For Orlando, regenerative design is not a technique applied at the end of...

17/08/2026

A smoko shed with a difference. One of Canberra’s iconic mid-century bus shelters is getting a facelift, thanks to our Director and heritage buff Ian Oliver.

First installed in 1975, the orange and cream concrete shelters are one of the city's most recognisable sights. This month, the ACT Heritage Council added the whole collection, more than 460 shelters, to the ACT Heritage Register.

Ian saved this shelter from the scrap heap and he's been bringing it back to life.

Heritage isn’t just about the big landmarks. It’s also about the little things that make a place unique.

18/06/2026

This week at the PIA National Retirement Living Summit, the industry is asking how we deliver better outcomes for older Australians.

We asked Crace Holdings Director Ian Oliver the same question. For him, it started with a personal experience and a passionate belief that Canberrans deserve a better offering.

See the interview here https://www.craceholdings.com.au/stories/hidden-gem-director-interview

The best conversations happen when you slow down.This is community by design.
14/06/2026

The best conversations happen when you slow down.

This is community by design.

07/06/2026

Let's go! Join us for part five of our guided tour of Gungahlin Homestead with ACT National Trust President Linda Roberts as we explore the Crace family's impressive 1890s sandstone extension and some of the colourful stories of the time. Enjoy!

07/06/2026

Imagine if your lunchtime walk took you past century-old trees.

World Environment Day is another busy day for Andy and the clinic team at HOTH Paediatric OT in Crace Business Park. Join them for a refreshing lunchtime walk down the Homestead carriageway.

Gungahlin Homestead Estate's masterplan retains 90 per cent of the existing tree canopy. What a fabulous canvas for a truly revitalising community where all species can thrive.

Address

80 Bellenden Street, Crace
Canberra, ACT

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Historic Gungahlin Homestead posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category