El Arish, Stanthorpe

El Arish is a single-story house with chamfered boards, verandahs, and a corrugated iron roof located at 94 Greenup Street. The surrounding property includes both formal and informal garden sections with fruit trees such as a Williams pear and heritage grape vines.

Major Allan and Isabella Chauvel established the property in the 1920s and named it after a location in the Sinai Peninsula where Allan had served during World War I. From 1957 to 1975, the house functioned as the town's first kindergarten.

The garden reflects Arts and Crafts design principles visible in its terraced sections and dry stone walls that create distinct spaces. These elements show how early 20th-century owners shaped the land using local building techniques and natural materials.

The garden is best viewed from the street level, where the terraced sections and stone walls are visible from different angles. The adjacent Soldier's Memorial reserve provides a natural stopping point for a combined visit to both sites.

The garden still contains an original Williams pear tree and Isabella grape vines from when the property served as a commercial market garden. These heritage plants are living reminders of Stanthorpe's agricultural past.

Location: Queensland

GPS coordinates: -28.65580,151.93960

Latest update: December 14, 2025 16:47