Own The House Where Great Southern Land Was Written

Icehouse head-honcho Iva Davies has put his inner-western-Sydney house on the market, giving anyone and everyone a chance at owning a piece of Australian rock history. It was in the house, situated in the suburb of Lilyfield, that Davies wrote a large number of his iconic songs from the Primitive Man, Razorback and Sidewalk albums.

Most notable is the Australian classic Great Southern Land, which Davies penned in the house over 30 years ago.

We spoke at length about the song with Iva Davies himself on the 30th anniversary of its release.

In our chat, Davies says that Great Southern Land was the first song he wrote in the house.

“I came back from the first international tour with a couple of pieces of technology, enough to be able to set up in a bedroom in a house I had just moved into and the very first thing that I did with all that new equipment was the demo of Great Southern Land, which was quite odd really, that it was the beginning of the whole process.”

Maybe someone else will write an iconic Australian hit when after place goes under the hammer on Saturday 29 June with a predicted price of around $900,000?

Given we're music journalists, we're not anticipating being in a position to ever be able to buy a house so we can't tell you if that's a good deal or not. Davies has plenty to recommend about the place, which he has owned for 32 years, though.

If the house sells, it will cap off a very nice month for Davies, who was awarded with an Order of Australia over the just passed Queens Birthday weekend. In response to that great honour, he issued the following statement.

“Over the past weekend Australia has done me a great honour in my award as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).

“Whatever contribution I have made in the past, that has led my fellow countrymen and women to grant me this award, is more than matched by all the opportunities that this country, and their fellow citizens, have given me.

“I am a proud Australian and hope to continue to live up to the ideals that this Great Southern Land represents”.

More info about the house can be seen here.