Ballantrae, a gothic revival homestead built in 1857, is set on five acres just outside the rural township of Buninyong, near Ballarat.
Despite its nearly two-century-long age, the 7208 Midland Highway home has only ever had four owners.
“The family that built the house went bankrupt building the house, and so they only owned the house for two years.
“The next family owned the house for 140 years, then the family we bought it off, owned the house for about 40 years,” the vendor says.
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The homestead was originally built in 1857, but has been updated since.
The property is set on more than 2ha and surrounded by mature trees.
Ballantrae is just outside the rural township of Buninyong, near Ballarat.
The vendors stumbled across the home by accident when viewing a vacant lot next door.
“We were going to build a new house on that lot, but it had flooding issues, so the owner invited me to his house to have a discussion, and on arrival, we got talking about his house, which he thought maybe I should buy that instead,” the vendor says.
“On seeing it for the first time without even going inside, I agreed to buy the house. It has so much character and hasn’t been touched for nearly 40 years.”
The vendor says his experience as a builder not only allowed him to see the potential, but it also assisted during the renovation process, which included painting, retiling, and rewiring.
“In principle, we left the bones of the house and made it more modern with our style, but certainly kept the history and heritage of the house,” the vendor says.
These renovations created a sophisticated blend of period features, including open fireplaces, a wine cellar, and the home’s striking facade and modern comfort, including high-end appliances and fixtures.
The wine cellar is perfect for a good drop or two, or several dozen.
The living room retains character features from ceiling roses to ornate cornices.
The kitchen is a modern marvel with subway-tile splashbacks.
One of the bedrooms shows the impressive space on offer around the home.
Based at the foot of Mount Buninyong, the home also encompasses its natural surroundings.
“The rear of the house faces north, so we have tried to make all the rooms at the rear of the house have a view of the park, as I call it, to the rear of the property,” says the vendor.
“This includes the kitchen, meals area, a deck, and a bathroom, where you can sit in the bath and open the windows, and really feel part of nature. The park is a very private space, so you feel part of it in all of these rooms.”
Outside, the property features expansive grounds and shedding, allowing opportunity for a hobby farm or space simply to enjoy.
“There are five heritage-listed trees on the property, so just to walk around the garden at dusk, it’s beautiful,” says the vendor.
“We often go for a quiet walk after dinner and just enjoy the energy of the trees; they are quite magnificent. Recently, we rebuilt a small dam/pond, and seeing the ducks returning to the property is rewarding.”
Buxton Ballarat’s Mark Nunn has the home listed for sale with a $2.45m-$2.65m asking price via private treaty.
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