City of Sydney buys former Redfern Post Office

The City of Sydney council has spent $5.3 million to buy the 1882-built former Redfern Post Office at 119 Redfern Street, Redfern.

The former Redfern post office has been sold on a 4 per cent yield, but was offered vacant possession with the owner set to relocate in 2019.

Fairfax Media noted it was to be converted into an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural hub.

The two storey, Victorian Italianate building at 119 Redfern Street was sold by international architecture firm DKO, who paid $2.6 million for the property in 2014 when it was sold by Linc Energy founder Peter Bond.

He had paid $2,125,000 three years earlier when buying from celebrity publicist Max Markson.

Since the 2014 trade, the building has undergone a brand new refurbishment from DKO.

It was tipped to sell for around $5 million.

Built in 1882 by colonial architect James Barnet, the four and a half storey corner clock tower and post office included a telegraph office, parlour, drawing room, three bedrooms, kitchen, a servant's room, bathroom, scullery, washhouse, fuel shed and two stall stables. 

In 1880, £3000 was provided for the erection of the Redfern post office, and then the Public Works added a clock tower for an estimated extra £700.

The building has 480 square metres of internal space on its 330 square metre Redfern Street block. 

When it sold in 2014, there were some who were looking at possibly turning the landmark building into a home.

The building was sold by Australia Post in 2000 for $600,000.