14 Orley Ave, Stirling. Pic: realestate.com.au

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Heritage property enthusiast Martin Hamilton-Smith is the first to admit that he is not someone to shy away from a challenge.

After all, he spent years in the cut and thrust of the elite military, before turning to South Australian state politics, where he served as the leader of the Liberal opposition and later as the Minister for Investment and Trade, Defence Industries and Veterans’ Affairs as an independent.

So when the chance arose to restore a 170-year-old sandstone villa at 14 Orley Ave, Stirling, Mr Hamilton-Smith – alongside his wife Stavroula Raptis – didn’t hesitate to preserve one of the region’s oldest assets for generations to come.

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“It had good bones when we bought it but needed a lot of love as it had been run down a bit over time and needed to be renovated appropriately,” Mr Hamilton-Smith said.

“So over the years, we’ve pretty much done everything to it and turned it into a modern and comfortable home for a family to live in.

“Sometimes character homes are renovated out of character but we tried to keep it very much in character and two things that now really stand out is the ceiling in our bedroom (pictured as the study), which took two craftsmen four to five weeks to create. It’s quite exquisite.

“Another interesting period feature that we incorporated is the kitchen isle, which features 18th century hand carvings at each end.”

14 Orley Ave, Stirling. Pic: realestate.com.au

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14 Orley Ave, Stirling. Pic: realestate.com.au

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14 Orley Ave, Stirling. Pic: realestate.com.au

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14 Orley Ave, Stirling. Pic: realestate.com.au

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Now almost 10 years on, the sprawling 4611sq m estate, known as St Ann’s, has again returned to the market, with the property expected to fetch offers in the vicinity of $4.8m to $7m, likely setting a new residential sales record for the popular Hills town.

Built on land from an original grant made in 1854 by the South Australian Lieutenant Governor, St Ann’s started life as a simple shepherd’s cottage, before growing into a lavish 14 room two-storey Victorian stone mansion in the late 1890’s.

In the early 20th century, the home formed part of a private school, before making a return into private ownership, counting a number of prominent Hills identities in business and medicine among its custodians.

Today, the home boasts five bedrooms, four bathrooms, multiple living spaces, 10 working fireplaces and parking for at least eight cars.

It also comes with carefully crafted English gardens, home to several of Stirling’s oldest established European trees.

14 Orley Ave, Stirling. Pic: realestate.com.au

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14 Orley Ave, Stirling. Pic: realestate.com.au

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14 Orley Ave, Stirling. Pic: realestate.com.au

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14 Orley Ave, Stirling. Pic: realestate.com.au

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“My wife is the gardener and she reinvented it all, to the point that we have public open (gardens) there and charity events,” Mr Hamilton-Smith said.

“It’s one of the most exquisite gardens in Stirling and wraps around the whole property.

“The way it’s been set up, it’s pretty easy to manage but it does look divine and is a true gardener’s delight.”

Selling agent Chris Raptis, of Raptis Real Estate Unley Park, said early interest in the property had been encouraging.

“We’ve already had a few people come through the home as it’s certainly a phenomenal property, the kind that doesn’t come up often,” he said.

“It’s a testament to the owners and their taste in renovation, because I think they did a wonderful job in keeping the character of the home.”

Expression of Interest closes May 13 at 5pm.