Keyton restores 19th century homestead for today’s community needs

The historic Gold Creek Homestead has officially reopened, marking an important milestone for residents of Keyton’s The Grove Ngunnawal retirement village.

The restored property and outbuildings was opened by Keyton CEO Nathan Cockerill, following the completion of restoration and adaptive reuse works that return the 19th century buildings to active community use.

The project built by Monarch Building Solutions forms part of the broader expansion of The Grove Ngunnawal, an established retirement village in Canberra’s north. The Homestead has been transformed into a multipurpose community and function space integrated into the existing village.

The overall extension project also includes 45 additional independent living homes.

The restoration was shaped through community consultation undertaken in partnership with the ACT Government’s Suburban Land Agency (SLA), ensuring the future use of the homestead reflected community expectations and commitments made during the planning process.

Works on the site also recognised the cultural significance of the area, with Indigenous artefacts uncovered during construction carefully managed in line with regulatory requirements, reinforcing respect for the site’s connection to Ngunnawal Country.

Nathan said the opening was a moment worth celebrating for residents and the broader community.

“This is about more than restoring a building,” he said. “It’s about creating a place where history, community and retirement living come together in a meaningful way.”