A Mitcham home in a country-like setting offers an enviable lifestyle and has been a fantastic place to raise a family for these vendors of more than 40 years.
Tom and Marg Wilkinson bought the 4143sqm 27 Carrick Hill Drive property in 1983, attracted by its size, history and scope for a grand renovation.
“It was built in 1840 and was one of the first houses in Mitcham and it’s on an acre, and when I first saw it I thought it was pretty special and I just loved it from the moment I saw it,” Mr Wilkinson says.
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“It’s like living in the country because it’s surrounded by huge trees, and it’s really quiet despite the fact that we’re 12 minutes from the city.
“We bought it from the man that owned John Martin’s, Sir Edward Hayward, and he’d put a 1950s addition on it, which was good but we wanted to modernise it.
“We employed the services of Pauline Hurren and she copied elements of the Governor’s residence in the Belair National Park and framed the whole place, opened it up and really enhanced it and made it really liveable.”
The stunning facade of the 1840-built 27 Carrick Hill Dr, Mitcham. Supplied
The open-plan kitchen, dining and living area. Supplied
A light-filled hallway. Supplied
The home has up to five bedrooms, a library, a spacious living room, an open-plan kitchen and dining room, a cellar and a large veranda. What’s outside is equally impressive, Mr Wilkinson says.
“The front yard had an English garden, and my wife’s a really keen gardener – we’ve participated in Open Gardens South Australia – so we changed that to a Mediterranean garden to better suit the climate,” he says.
The home’s character kitchen with timber bench tops. Supplied
A cosy little study area. Supplied
Some of the home’s Mediterranean-style gardens. Supplied
“I then put the tennis court in and the pool in, so it has changed a lot, and it was a fantastic place for our three kids. They all grew up there, went to school from there, had their 16ths, 18ths and 21sts there and got married there, so it has always been a bit of a party house.
“The tennis court is down in the valley and, playing there, you’ve got these beautiful gumtrees over top and you’d have koalas looking down at you as you play tennis – it’s really special.
“People find it hard to believe it’s just an acre because it blends so well into its surroundings, because we’re right opposite Carrick Hill which is 150 acres of bushland.”
One of the property’s majestic trees. Supplied
Fancy a dip, anyone? Supplied
Tennis time will bring out the local koalas. Supplied
With the couple getting older and not needing a property of its size, Mr Wilkinson says the time has come to downsize.
“When we moved in our daughter was eight, our son was five, and our youngest daughter was three, and our kids just loved that place, and I would love to see that happen all over again and next family stay here for another 41 years and have all of their birthdays and weddings here – that would be lovely,” he says.
The home is on the market through Michael and Angela Stentiford of Williams Real Estate.
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