The Marino brothers are selling the Forest Hill home their parents Sebastiano and Angela bought in 1977, bringing nearly 50 years of Italian family life to a close.
For nearly half a century, pasta simmered five nights a week in this Forest Hill kitchen.
Now the three-bedroom weatherboard at 438 Canterbury Rd is being sold for the first time since 1977, with the Marino brothers, Alberto and Delfino, closing a chapter their late father built by hand.
Set on 836sq m, the home went to auction with $1.09m-$1.17m price hopes but was passed in after two expected bidders were unable to finalise finance, negotiations are continuing.
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The house was bought in 1977 by Sebastiano and Angela Marino.
Sebastiano, a builder by trade, renovated the property himself shortly after purchase, reshaping the layout, upgrading finishes considered forward thinking at the time and constructing the brick barbecue that would later anchor decades of family gatherings.
He died in 1999, but his workmanship remains visible throughout the home.
Alberto and his brother Delfino are selling on behalf of their mother Angela, who has moved into care.
The hallway reflects the original footprint reshaped by builder Sebastiano Marino shortly after the family purchased the home in 1977.
One of three bedrooms inside the weatherboard home that has remained in the Marino family for 49 years.
“This was our family home,” Alberto said.
“Dad built it to last.”
In the backyard, fruit trees planted decades ago still produce mandarins, lemons, figs, pears and nectarines.
“I remember when the mandarin tree was just a twig,” he said.
“Now it’s this huge tree we can’t keep up with.”
The backyard features fruit trees planted decades ago and a brick barbecue built by Sebastiano, where Italian family gatherings were once held.
The bathroom retains original features from the late 1970s renovation, including a bidet rarely seen in Australian homes at the time.
Inside, Angela anchored the household in the kitchen.
“If you’re asking about pasta, five nights a week for nearly 50 years,” Alberto said.
“Mum made the best sauce.”
Forest Hill was historically orchard country and the garden still reflects that heritage.
The decision to sell, Alberto said, was about responsibility.
The kitchen, where Angela Marino cooked pasta five nights a week, was the heart of the family home.
The lounge connects directly to the kitchen, reflecting a layout that encouraged long meals and family conversation.
“We want to make sure Mum is comfortable in her next chapter.”
Asked to describe the home in a single line Albert said: “Our family began with an honest piece of Italy, with an Australian accent.”
The listing has generated more than 42,000 online exposures and over 1100 listing views.
The Agency Victoria’s Jim Christou said the pass in reflected finance timing rather than a lack of demand.
The garden remains thick with mandarins, lemons and figs, echoing Forest Hill’s orchard past and the Marino family’s Italian heritage.
“It wasn’t a lack of interest,” Mr Christou said.
“It was purely finance timing. We still have strong buyers circling.”
Mr Christou said the block size and flexibility to move in, renovate or explore redevelopment later had underpinned buyer interest.
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