When the owners 136a Shepherd Street Darlington first viewed the home in 2009, they recall the public inspection being of great local community interest. “The place was heaving. The whole neighbourhood had turned out to peek in.  The facade doesn’t give much away and people were curious to see inside,” they tell BresicWhitney.

“We met a friend at the open home. He was never afraid of a dramatic flourish and he was standing in the living room under the steel girder, and he whispered to us ‘This is a magical space.’ He was right,” they share.

 

“Dempsey Warehouse” as it was known, had been owned by acclaimed conceptual artist Paul Worstead, and utilised as his home and studio, when it was offered for sale in 2009. “There were so many people in attendance at the auction that it had to be held on the street. There was a real desire among the crowd to own a property this special.”

Worstead’s chapter in the home was just one of cultural significance in its colourful past. In the 1930’s, it had operated as a soap factory. In the 1970’s, it had been the home of a commune, understood to have comprised of a group of local university staff, students and friends intent on realising ‘unconventional’ shared living in the city. That group included Worstead, who eventually went on to purchase the home as commune numbers dwindled.

 

 

The home as it stands today offers an almost 10-metre long, open-plan living, dining and kitchen space that shows its scale and outdoor connections. Separate quarters are present on the second floor in the form of an oversized master bedroom, complete with ensuite and deck. A loft and additional storage are nestled on the third floor, and there’s DA plans for further value-add, including a green roof.

“We had many happy times there. It was amazing for a party with a live band and friends spilling out onto the street.  It was also great for just the two of us with the door closed; a green and private sanctuary in the bustling neighbourhood,” say the owners.

 

They also feel lucky to have had a front row seat to the evolution of Darlington over the years.  “The walk into town now is full of shops and activated spaces, like the old Carlton Brewery site and the Goods Line. The neighbourhood is lovely. It’s a special spot… We will miss it.”

A home of preserved industrialism, with just the right amount of mystery, and magic.

 

 

View the listing here: 136a Shepherd Street, Darlington