It was a week a Donnybrook real estate licensee will never forget after making a “once-in-a-lifetime” sale.
The 107-year-old deconsecrated St Thomas Anglican Church – which lies 11km east of Donnybrook – sold to a private buyer for an undisclosed fee last week.
Angela Murphy, of Summit Realty Donnybrook, said the deal was unconditional and was proceeding to settlement.
The Brookhampton property was sold soon after it was placed on the market and garnered plenty of interest from prospective buyers.
She advertised the property – on Thomson Brook Road – as a chance to “purchase a slice of Donnybrook’s history”.
It was listed with a $219,000 price tag.
“I have not come across such a rare listing to market.
“For me, it has been a privilege to be marketing a property that has an enormous history behind it,” she said.
The church was decommissioned on June 11 by Bishop of Bunbury Allan Ewing after a drop in attendances and its struggle to keep up with maintenance.
This is an absolute one-off for any realtor to market. Any community like Donnybrook has its special spots, and this is one of them.
- Angela Murphy
It was sold empty, the pews could accommodate about 60 people.
“It just retains the memories of bygone years. I think for me the most special thing is the tranquillity.”
The church is located on half an acre of land and is listed on the Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup’s heritage inventory.