The Squatters Arms Inn offers a glimpse into 1900s Cooma

It is not often that you stumble across a property that has as much history as 945 Monaro Highway in Cooma. From an inn, restaurant, antique store, pottery house, café, bed & breakfast, and now a private residence, there isn’t much this property hasn’t seen.

Built in 1841, the property was formerly known as John Cullen’s Hotel and served as a staging inn with a blacksmith workshop and prisoner's cell out the back.

Known today as the Squatters Arms Hotel, it is famous for having been raided by the Clarke Gang in 1866. The Clarke Gang were bushrangers from Braidwood who raided the former inn for money, food, and alcohol.

Today, this immaculately renovated home offers a modern family lifestyle but with many remnants of its past intact, including stone feature walls, high ceilings, fireplaces, an underground cellar, large stone stables out the back and a hardwood front veranda.

But the most poignant feature of the property is an etching of the name ‘John Byrne’ found on the glass of a front window. According to a post made on the current owners’ Instagram account, John Byrne was a young fiancé, whose suitor had scratched his name into the glass to prove that the ring was in fact a diamond.

The six-bedroom residence has a $1 million price guide and is currently under offer. It is being sold through Kelly Bertossi and Michael Henley of Henly Property Cooma.

The current owners are a family who bought the property three years ago and have successfully renovated it to its former glory.

“We’ve loved our time here and are proud of the work we’ve done to bring this lady back to life,” they said on Instagram.

“But a change in circumstances means sadly it’s time to pass of this grand old lady to another set of hands”.

On entry to the front of the home through a white picket fence, lavender garden, and timber front veranda is a warm and inviting living room with a grande fireplace. It is likely that this space would have originally been the inn’s tap room.

To the left is the dining room, kitchen with a five-burner gas stove, and bathroom with its very own fireplace. The inn’s original kitchen is located out the back and has been impressively restored as a separate guest house with the original cast iron woodfire that was once used to bake bread still intact. While currently advertised on Airbnb, this interior-designed guest house has a new kitchenette and a private courtyard. It really is the perfect spot for family and friends to stay.

Back in the main residence and upstairs are two spacious living areas, two bedrooms, an office and a rumpus room. One of the bedrooms has the benefit of a small ensuite. The master bedroom is located on the ground floor and has a fireplace and ensuite.

There is also a significantly large attic which could be used as another lounge room or a space for storage.

Ms Bertossi said the property has a nice aura about it.

“It has been beautifully restored and has maintained its historic feeling,” she said.

"The property is quite spacious and it does flow from one room to the next."

A spokesperson from the Snow Manaro Council noted the significant renovations.

“The place used to be very rundown and it’s beautiful what they’ve done to the place”.

The property has a total of five fireplaces, two offices and multiple living rooms. There is also a large full-height cellar underneath with external access to the property’s six acres.

Amongst the established gardens and vegetable beds sits a fire pit and the large stone stables. Also outside are two flag poles with the Australian and Scottish flags.

According to the owners’ Instagram account, the Scottish flag is “in recognition of Dr David Reid, original settler of Bunyan”.

Check out the historic 945 Monara Highway and all other listings on Zango.