This Giralang home has a mini GIO Stadium in the backyard and we can’t deal

Forget spa baths, pools and giant pergolas, the newest trend in real estate is actually building a mini football stadium in your backyard.

The four-bedroom home at 5 Nakala Place, Giralang, has been drawing huge interest on Zango and it’s easy to see why: the owners have, quite literally, built a mini GIO Stadium in the backyard.

And just like at GIO, fans can watch from one of two main areas. There’s the Mal Meninga Stand – the outdoor deck with BBQ area – and the Gregan-Larkham Stand, a smaller cabana-style viewing area tucked into the corner of the backyard.

The mini stadium was built by the owners of 5 Nakala Place for their soccer-mad son Austin, who plays for Belconnen United Under 23s.

"We initially saw this house we loved it for the potential, including the size of the sloping backyard," homeowner Alan says.

"So we bought the property and then a new pick and wheelbarrow and levelled the backyard, then built our stadium around it."

Alan says the pitch gets kids "off their screens and out and about".

"The best thing has been it's a great time to chat to them while they have no other distractions going on," he says.

"And it's not bad as parents for our fitness to play with the kids and imagine we are in the EPL or a World Cup with them.”

LJ Hooker Kaleen sales agent Maxwell Jensen says the pitch has been a huge hit with kids and parents alike.

“People have just been loving it, it’s such a highlight,” Maxwell says.

“We’ve been leaving a couple of soccer balls on the pitch during open homes and that’s kept the kids busy while their parents spend time in the home.

“With the large kitchen windows you can see the kids playing soccer while preparing dinner.”

In fact, the mini GIO Stadium has been so popular, Maxwell jokes that it could be the kind of feature – like a pool – that adds significant value to a home.

“Soccer’s such a big sport in Australia and the country’s still on a high after the Matildas campaign,” he says.

“It’s perfect timing, it’s a growing sport, and you can’t really fit a set of AFL posts in the backyard.”

But it’s not just about soccer on Nakala Place. The mini stadium out the back comes with a beautiful, modern, four-bedroom home. Originally built in 1975, there’s not a patch of chocolate brown or wood veneer left, thanks to a breathtaking renovation around 18 months ago.

Modern features include a huge kitchen with Westinghouse appliances, plumbed-in fridge, raised island bench and huge amounts of storage, built-in wardrobes and ceiling fans in every bedroom and ducted gas heating and evaporative cooling.

Out the back is the deck, BBQ area, the astroturf soccer pitch, a firepit area and a hydroponic greenhouse.

Maxwell describes the property as “the perfect blend of space, style, and functionality”, and if you need some breathing space from your little soccer players, you can retire to the master suite.

“It's tucked away on the opposite side of the house for maximum privacy,” he says.

“Complete with a beautifully renovated ensuite bathroom and a walk-in robe, it's a haven of peace where you can get a bit of time away from the little ones.”

Nakala Place is just around the corner from Giralang's soon-to-be shopping precinct, offering easy access to cafes, restaurants, grocery shops, and retail. Kaleen shops are also just a stone's throw away.

5 Nakala Place, Giralang, goes to auction at 11am on Saturday 7 October 2023.

View the full listing.