One of Toowoomba’s most historical and mobile homesteads is on the market. 

The century-old gable home that now resides at 31 Reis Road Highfields has a very unique past, having had two other addresses in its lifetime including being a ‘home away from home’ for thousands of girls. The original house and address, 30 Taylor Street, was purchased by St Ursula’s College 60 years ago in 1956 before they relocated it to 16 Rome Street in 1957 where it became the college’s first boarding house. In keeping with the school’s tradition of naming buildings after destinations in Italy, which is where the school was founded in the 1500s, the Ursuline nuns entitled the new boarding house Desenzano, after a small town on the southern shore of Lake Garda in Italy. To this day, the name remains emblazoned on the picket fence in front of the property. 

The house has been renovated to reinstall all the character and charm you would expect of a 1902 colonial home. The current owners, Rob Murphy and Dell Murphy-Brice were attracted to the property eight years ago when they were struck by its warm character. "When we first saw Desenzano, we knew it was the home for us to raise our family in," Mrs Murphy-Brice said. "This home just envelopes you in the rich cultural heritage of Toowoomba and is truly representative of the Edwardian era with the timber construction and heritage features such as the original pressed metal ceilings. It really has an old world charm about it that you know is solid and secure."

31 Reis Road features four bedrooms, three living areas, two bathrooms, a country-style kitchen, double street access, double garage, more than 40,000 litres of rain water storage plus more.

It will be auctioned on April 17 at 1pm.