First published 10 Oct 2026, 5:00am
The home at 18 Temira Cres, Larrakeyah. Picture: realestate.com.au
A Larrakeyah home known for its musical Christmas lights show is going under the hammer this month.
The two-storey red brick entertainer at 18 Temira Cres, Larrakeyah, has modern interiors flowing out to outdoor living front and back and beautiful tropical gardens.
The bedrooms are on the ground floor, a huge open plan living space sits upstairs, and the eye-catching front facade with sweeping staircase is ideal for displaying Christmas lights.
The husband-and-wife owners bought the property 23 years ago and completely overhauled it in 2017.
“My husband and I raised our three children here,” the wife said.
“We loved the size, the location and that it was solid brick.
“All the internal walls were solid brick as well, so it was nice and quiet even while the kids were playing music in their bedrooms.”
The home has plenty of outdoor entertaining areas. Picture: realestate.com.au
The upstairs deck looks out over the pool and gardens. Picture: realestate.com.au
In 2011, the couple renovated the pool and added new decking and a veranda.
The wife said they then “basically rebuilt the home” in 2017.
“We gutted it and renovated it totally – new electrical, new plumbing, new ceilings,” she said.
“It was built in the late 60s, and we tried to be true to that era while making it modern.
“We installed small mosaics in both the bathrooms as feature tiles, but we put them on the wall, whereas back in the 60s the mosaics would have been on the floor.”
They created a new laundry where the master ensuite was and created a new ensuite with a two-way toilet that could be locked off from the bedroom and accessed from the ground floor entertaining area.
“I love every part of the property, especially the big living areas and the balcony,” the wife said.
“And I’m really going to miss the butler’s pantry.”
The upstairs living area features banks of louvres. Picture: realestate.com.au
The new kitchen has a hidden butler’s pantry. Picture: realestate.com.au
On the ground floor there is a front veranda, sitting room, laundry and new family bathroom with tub and shower.
The main bedroom has a walk-in robe and an ensuite with dual basins, double shower, sideways laundry chute and a separate toilet.
The three remaining bedrooms have built-in robes and access to the back veranda, which overlooks the pool and back deck.
Internal and external stairs lead up to the sprawling indoor-outdoor living space that takes up the second level.
There is a massive open plan living, dining and kitchen area, which flows out through French doors to the front and rear verandas.
The modern kitchen has sleek cabinetry, stone benchtops and a hidden butler’s pantry with sink, fridge space and ample storage.
There is also a study and powder room on this level.
The covered deck looks out over the pool and has plenty of space for the barbecue and outdoor furniture.
Downstairs, there is the in-ground pool and surrounding deck with plenty of room to host parties.
The upstairs living area opens to the front veranda. Picture: realestate.com.au
The pool sits surrounded by stunning tropical gardens. Picture: realestate.com.au
“We had lots of family Christmases here and we were also involved with the Darwin Choral choir, so quite often after-show parties were here and we’d have a hundred people on the deck,” the owner said.
The property also has a double carport, fenced yard and established tropical gardens.
“My husband is responsible for the beautiful gardens,” the owner said.
“That’s his passion, since we retired, he really got into it.
“We left the old laundry (on the back veranda) to use for gardening.”
And speaking of passions, the couple’s son made use of the home to explore his passion for Christmas lights.
“It started in 2020,” the owner said.
“We came home one day and (our son) was measuring up our house for a Christmas lights display.
“He’s seen these light displays and decided he’d do it at mum and dad’s because our house was ideal for it.
“Originally, it was just front fence and house, and it grew to the nature strip, carport and open driveway.”
The home in all its Christmas lights glory. Picture: Facebook
The sets for the incredible display were built by hand and synched to music, creating a show that attracted viewers from as far out as the rural area.
“We had one family who would travel in from Girraween or Herbert each Friday night,” the owner said.
“They’d bring a blanket and food and watch it for hours.”
With the house now on the market, the show won’t go on this year.
That is unless a buyer makes an offer for both the home and lights display.
“The lights will be for sale, so a buyer is welcome to make a deal,” the owner said.
She said the Christmas lights were one of the things she’d miss most about the home.
“All the neighbours would come and watch them, and we’d have a chat,” she said.
“We also used to sing Christmas carols with a group, and we’d invite the neighbours, who’d sit out the front to listen.”
Address: 18 Temira Cres, Larrakeyah
Agents: Andrew Harding, 0408 108 698, Evie Radonich, 0439 497 199, Ray White Darwin
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