Andy Lee and his fiancee Rebecca Harding are restoring a 150-year-old abandoned riverside mansion in Hawthorn, Melbourne.
The couple recently began work on a planned $5 million renovation of the home they purchased in 2021.
Images uploaded to social media by Andy, 42, and Rebecca show the huge two-story property is in an advanced state of disrepair.
Damage includes deterioration from leaks, shattered ceilings, cracked plaster and stripped walls inside the large, old structure.
In a series of recent Instagram videos, the couple shared a look inside their renovation project, giving a preview of what’s to come.
Andy Lee and his fiancee Rebecca Harding are restoring a 150-year-old abandoned riverside mansion in Hawthorn, Melbourne. Both in the photo
The couple has recently begun work on a planned $5 million renovation of the home they purchased in 2021.
Andy showed off the top floor of the property, revealing plans to demolish the old staircase, which currently blocks the entrance.
Moving into another room, he pointed to a wall that was planned to be demolished to create a larger open space.
He also mentioned that pigeons will need to be evicted in the process and that algae was discovered on the roof, an insulation method used 100 years ago.
Meanwhile, Bec’s tour of the ground floor highlighted a gaping hole in the ceiling, which has caused water damage, and showed off a number of plants that have grown through the mansion’s walls.
Despite the problems, he noted that they plan to preserve the green walls and detailed arches.
The local council gave the couple the green light to begin the lavish renovation of the abandoned Melbourne mansion last June.
Images uploaded to Andy and Bec’s social media show the huge two-story property is in an advanced state of disrepair.
Damage includes deterioration from leaks, shattered ceilings, cracked plaster and stripped walls inside the grand old structure.
In a series of recent Instagram videos, the couple shared a look inside their renovation project.
Andy mentioned that pigeons will need to be evicted in the process and that algae was discovered on the roof, an insulation method used 100 years ago.
Bec’s tour of the ground floor highlighted a gaping hole in the ceiling, which has caused water damage, and showed off a number of plants that have grown through the walls of the mansion.
Andy showed off the top floor of the property, revealing plans to demolish the old staircase, which currently blocks the entrance.
Plans for the site include adding a second building that will be connected by a tunnel to the original Italian mansion, which was built around 1876.
Other highlights planned for the 1,950-square-meter building include a home theater, a gym, a swimming pool and a “mega bedroom.”
The dilapidated Italianate manor property, built around 1876, sits on a 2,000 square meter princely estate and overlooks the Yarra River.
Historically, the front of the property faces the river, as it was the original arrival point for residents.
Bec and Andy revealed that the house was last occupied in 1992.
The previous owners left the property in a horrible state for over a decade after their own renovations ceased for unknown reasons.
The dilapidated Italianate manor property, built around 1876, sits on a 2,000 square meter princely estate and overlooks the Yarra River.
