The mystery of Colyton's infamous Green House

If you live in or frequent the Colyton area - or anywhere close to the Great Western Highway - there’s a chance you’ve heard about (if not seen) the iconic green house located on Bennett Road.

Built in 1970, the large but relatively nondescript eight-bedroom, three-bathroom house was a fairly innocuous family home until the decision was made to paint the entire house - the roof, down to the walls, window frames and even the driveway - an unmissable shade of bright green.

That elevated the property to cult-like status in the local area, dividing opinions as either a unique addition to the community or a nauseating eyesore. It also fuelled a number of wild rumours among locals, speculating why the house was painted such an eye-catching colour - a spiteful divorce tactic, religious conversion, an occupant consumed by grief following the death of a loved one, even drugs and other nefarious things - fuelled by the relative anonymity of the residents.

Even in conversations on social media this week, multiple theories that people had heard long ago were given. According to the estate agent who ultimately sold the residence, the resident had become increasingly affected by mental health issues and "started seeing everything a bit strange” - but no other details have been forthcoming.

While the reason was never officially confirmed, even by media who would occasionally report on the location, the house became well-known throughout the area and even through greater Sydney as the mystery lingered.

The residence returned to public focus when Police were called in 2012, with neighbours raising concerns for the welfare of the now-sole occupant after he hadn’t been seen in weeks. Upon entering the property Police were concerned by a number of electrical components around the house, believing it may have contained explosive materials. Nearby blocks were evacuated before everything was ultimately deemed safe.

The resident - one of the brothers who built the house - had grown increasingly reclusive, reportedly due to harassment from local youths, throwing rocks at windows which would ultimately become heavily barricaded.

Following his passing, the iconic green was gradually stripped away as the house prepared to go on the market, replaced by a dour but far more regular shade of grey.

It was sold in 2016 for approximately 700k, despite claims the real estate were asking for at least 800. But the listing provided a unique opportunity to glimpse inside the house, which contained a number of interesting design choices including psychedelic floor-to-ceiling tiles and dark-blue painted bathrooms, high-quality timber finishes and massive common living spaces on each floor among other things.

Still standing, the house now looks like any other in the neighbourhood - but for the driveway, which retains a washed out hue of the colour few locals will ever forget.