Where legends found their rhythm: The remarkable story of 195 Hawthorn Road
Some houses are celebrated for their architecture. Others for the stories they’ve witnessed. Then there are the special few that become part of our cultural story. The striking Art Deco residence at 195 Hawthorn Road, Caulfield North, is one of the latter. Long before it came to market, this house helped provide the soundtrack to a generation. Now up for sale, it’s ready to inspire someone new – and give them the chance to walk the halls of music history.
A house with a hidden soundtrack
At first glance, 195 Hawthorn Road simply looks like an impeccably preserved Art Deco property. But dig a little deeper, and another story begins to emerge.
Just a few decades ago, in the early 1990s, some of Australasia's most celebrated musicians gathered here to collaborate and create. Away from tour schedules and recording-industry fanfare, melodies were tested and songs gradually pieced together – all within the walls of this Caulfield home.
The artist at the centre of it all? Tim Finn.
The acclaimed New Zealand singer-songwriter, founding member of Split Enz and longtime collaborator with brother Neil Finn and Crowded House, lived here during one of the most creatively significant periods of his career.
Fresh off a successful run as a solo artist, Tim had begun writing songs with his brother for a side project the pair called the Finn Brothers. But the sessions took on a life of their own, and it wasn't long before those songs found a different home – on one of Crowded House’s most acclaimed albums.
Today, the property offers a rare opportunity to live within the walls where that creativity unfolded.
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Built for the music
It’s not hard to imagine the house in those days: musicians arriving, instruments in hand, half-finished lyrics scrawled on scraps of paper and fragments of new songs drifting from one room to another.
At the heart of the home was Periscope Studio – an industry-standard recording space designed by celebrated recording engineer Paul Kosky.
It was here that Tim Finn, Neil Finn and other members of Crowded House wrote and recorded much of the material that became their landmark 1991 album Woodface.
Widely praised as a melodic pop-rock masterpiece, the album was one of Crowded House's most successful, reaching platinum status in Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
Reflecting on the creation 30 years later, Neil Finn recalled:
‘We worked for a year, firstly at A&M studios in LA, then at [my] brother Tim’s brand-new home studio in Melbourne, then back to LA to finish. It was an epic saga with no small amount of struggle, but eventually led to one of our most beloved albums. During the recording, Tim joined the band, and the songs that he and I wrote together became some of the key tracks on the record.’
These included iconic hits like Weather with You and It’s Only Natural. And before those songs found audiences around the world, they found their first home here.
A story that still lives on
While the recording equipment may be gone, reminders of this extraordinary history remain.
The current owners purchased the property from a family believed to have bought it directly from Tim Finn after he returned to New Zealand in 1999. Along with the keys came stories and hidden pieces of the home's musical legacy.
Photographs that appear to show Tim and Neil Finn in the property’s original kitchen have been carefully preserved, while professional-grade recording cables still run through the roof cavity.
And a distinctive circular window, long associated with Periscope Studio, still hints at the home's former life.
Together, these surviving details – and the stories passed down from one owner to the next – paint a vivid picture of the home's remarkable musical past.
Timeless by design
History may set 195 Hawthorn Road apart, but its timeless architecture and thoughtful design are every bit as compelling.
Beautifully preserved and sensitively updated, the home pairs graceful Art Deco curves and original period details with light-filled spaces tailored to contemporary living.
Step inside and the sense of space is immediate. Three large bedrooms branch from a wide central hallway, while a separate lounge, dining and open plan kitchen provide room to gather and entertain.
Throughout the home, the Art Deco pedigree has been carefully preserved. Elegant, curved windows bathe the interiors in natural light and the period’s signature geometry appears at every turn – from the sculptural fireplace in the lounge to the beautifully preserved bathroom. Here, original tiling and period fittings celebrate the craftsmanship of the era.
Outside, the home's distinctive façade, complete with a pillared doorway and elevated front porch, remains every bit as striking as the day it was built.
Where the new chapter begins
For its next owner, 195 Hawthorn Road offers something special: a home with history that’s set up for modern living – in a location that still feels like it's part of the story.
There’s ample space to work from home. Dinners with family or friends can spill outside on warm evenings. Children have space to play on the lawn. And lazy Sundays can start with a coffee and the crossword on the patio.
Beyond the front gate, leafy residential streets open into the greenery of Caulfield Park, and the cafes, shops and eateries of Glen Huntly Road are only a short stroll away.
For the right buyer, there's even the chance to continue the home's creative legacy – whether that's with an artist’s studio, a writing nook or a music room of your own.
A new chapter is waiting to be written.
