Grand Designs Australia

S01E03 Southport Heritage House

When Jan and Ed Gillman purchased a dilapidated weatherboard home in Southport, their initial plan was to tear it down. However, discovering that it was the historic summer residence of Sir Augustus Gregory from the 1880s changed their course. Instead, they opted to restore the house and decided to lift it, moving it two meters forward on the lot. The restoration journey proved to be challenging, as Jan and Ed had no official heritage guidelines to follow. They were left with a tough decision: invest the effort to bring the house back to its former splendor or take an easier route that would erase its rich history.