4 Harper Street, Northcote VIC 3070

What we love about this home:

This house has been a wonderful home to raise our family from when we lived in it as a young(-er!) couple and have raised our children in it, now 10 and 8. It has a lovely, warm and inviting feel, has plenty of light and we love the views into the landscaped garden, with incredible borrowed vistas of mature trees behind providing greenery and many birds which has been our little oasis throughout lockdowns.

We love the heritage features of the house with the stained-glass windows, high ornate plasterwork ceilings, original Baltic pine floorboards and lace ironwork verandas. Also, the gorgeous brickwork out the back absorbs and reflects sunsets turning a stunning pink which when the wisteria festoon is in bloom is a sight to behold.

We also love that Harper St has so much character with virtually intact and well-preserved 19th century homes, and being a cul-de-sac is quiet and family friendly, with amazing neighbours. There’s also a great little café just over the train line at the end of the street.

What we love about this suburb:

• Just 400m away to the highly sought after Westgarth shops on High St, home to the heritage Westgarth theatre, Terre Madre organic fruit and vegetable shop, both of which people travel from far and wide to visit, not to mention every other essential shop you could hope for on your doorstep including multiple excellent bakeries, a friendly chemist, a diverse array of quality restaurants and cafes, and only another couple of hundred metres up the hill to the just as popular Northcote High St shopping strip.
• Also, within a 5-minute drive, bike ride or walk are Queens Parade Clifton Hill and the Station St Fairfield shopping strips.
• Proximity features - couldn’t be better - literally just 100m across the road on Westgarth St to the landscaped Oldis Gardens, featuring a popular playground and half basketball court and adjoining the Bill Lawry Oval, home to the Northcote Football and Cricket Club which links to the extensive parklands following the Yarra River of Fairfield and Studley Park to the south while to the east and north just across High St are the walking and bike tracks following the Merri Creek through parklands to CERES environment park and beyond.
• 250m to the picturesque heritage Westgarth train station (but not close enough to hear the bells of the crossing), only 6 stops to Jolimont Station and the MCG; and 7 stations or a 16-minute trip to Flinders St. High St trams and Westgarth St bus stop also just 150m away - absolutely couldn’t have better public transport options. You miss one you have 2 other options! The trains run frequently and reliably on the Hurstbridge and Eltham lines.
• An array of beautiful on and off-road bike paths into the city can get you there in just 20 mins, making riding a bike even quicker than the train to get to the city if that’s your preference. Or if you want to get away from the city the other direction is well catered for too!
• Schools - superb situation for families for both primary and high schools, within walking distance of Spensely St Clifton Hill, and Westgarth Primary, and zoned to the coveted Northcote High School and also very close to Fitzroy High and Santa Maria. Numerous excellent childcare centres and kindergartens within walking distance also including one just one block away.
• Notably also due to re-open in 2 years after a complete rebuild is the renowned Northcote Aquatic and Recreation Centre, featuring one of Melbourne’s most popular outdoor swimming pools which is being entirely rebuilt with 3 pools
• Also, just a stone’s throw across the river literally 350m away is the George Knott Athletics Track, home to the popular Collingwood Little Athletics Centre, and the Collingwood Leisure Centre only 1km away featuring indoor pool and gym.

Why we are selling:

Need for a larger home as the kids now needing their own bedrooms and we’re too lazy to renovate! But with the house being free standing there’s plenty of room to go out and up and take advantage of the back neighbours’ established garden providing privacy and greenery, and a great vantage point to watch the fruit bats on their nightly migration from the Yarra.