ONE Wingham property that draws a lot of attention and sighs of envy from locals and visitors alike is the stunning Zeal Cottage in Queen Street.

Zeal Cottage was erected in 1902 on a large parcel of land on what was then the outskirts of the town.

The house was built for Mrs Adelaide Hills, the widow of George Snell Hill of Bungay. Adelaide owned not only the building known as Zeal Cottage, but land in Primrose Street adjoining the home she lived in, and an extensive number of lots along Bungay Road.

Mrs Hill died in 1922 at the age of 89. Her effects went to auction on July 22, 1922 with Mr J. Skinner acting as salesman.

Time has certainly changed the appearance of the surrounding countryside as the town has grown to engulf the lands around the cottage.

Today Zeal Cottage is surrounded by a range of homes built between 1910 and 1940.

The home still has its formal staircase which leads from the gate up to a wide verandah. This was a popular feature of homes built at the turn of the century as were the high ceilings. All of these techniques were introduced to counter the extreme heat of an Australian summer.

The house follows the traditional pattern for the period with a long central hallway providing access to all living spaces.

The kitchen/dining area has been extensively remodelled with the loss of the traditional wood fired stove and individual cabinets. The original windows have now been replaced by modern sliding aluminium panels.

The bedrooms display the traditional high ceilings traditional to Federation buildings. While the window embrasure remains the original timber frames have been replaced by aluminium.

The bedroom ceilings retain their original hard wood lining, and they all display marble fireplaces. Two open on to the verandah with French doors.

Additions were made to the building during the past twenty years by Jenny and Mark Zetz with the establishment of an outdoor entertainment area, a modern bathroom and spa bath.