Chris Olver and his wife Shirley are selling their home featuring a wild west-themed village. Mr Olver is a stand-in for Wolf Creek actor John Jarratt, who plays a serial killer in the film. Picture: Tim Carrafa.
Wolf Creek has come to Victoria in the form of a Quentin Tarantino-esque video filmed to promote a property listing featuring a private wild west village.
The home’s owner Chris Olver, a stand-in for Wolf Creek actor John Jarratt at fan conventions and charity events, plays the film’s serial killer character Mick Taylor in the listing clip – and even murders one of the real estate agents off-screen.
Mr Olver and his wife Shirley have put their 5.06ha address in Yandoit, near Daylesford, up for sale with a $1.1m-$1.2m range.
RELATED: Victorian ghost town ‘Australia’s Schitt’s Creek’ finally sold
Secret Wild West-style village comes with Yattalunga home in Adelaide’s north
Irish village restored by aviation billionaire hits the market for $35m
Apart from a modern three-bedroom house with mountain views, the one-of-a-kind residence has its very own sprawling wild west town showcasing a church with a 100-year-old organ, cemetery, picture theatre, grain store, saddlery, courthouse, jail, blacksmith shop, gold mine and the fake-yet-authentic Mule Drool Saloon and Brothel.
Mr Olver’s passion for classic western movies inspired him to build the village named Cross Creek over the past three decades.
Chris Olver in character as Wolf Creek fictional serial killer character Mick Taylor, portrayed in the hit movie franchise by actor John Jarratt.
Mr Olver built Cross Creek from recycled materials he collected while working as a truck driver.
Inside the main house is a home cinema complete with a taxidermied lion named Sharka, who will not be sold with the property.
He and Mrs Olver put the property at 35 Mystic Drive on the market in 2023 but decided to stay on for a bit longer because they love it so much.
However, with Mr Olver’s 81st birthday approaching this year, they’re now planning to downsize.
When Plus Agency Services’ central Victorian agents Leah Robins and Kim Birnie suggested filming a horror-style mini movie to promote the listing, Mr Olver jumped at the idea.
He called Wolf Creek director Greg McLean to get permission to reprise his Mick Taylor role and then it was full steam ahead.
“Mick Taylor is a bit of a cult character and John Jarratt has done such a great job, it is hard to follow in his footsteps but I try my best,” Mr Olver said.
While the frontier-like village is named “Cross Creek” in honour of a town from the 1956 movie The Fastest Gun Alive, the entire property is known as Cheyenne.
The kitchen is fitted with marble laminate benchtops, a 900mm cooktop and oven, walk-in pantry, while the house has wood heating, evaporative cooling, ceiling fans and three solar power systems.
A ‘Cobb & Coy’ coach booking office in the wild west village.
Several years ago, the Wolf Creek Travelling Show organisers Glenn Bertram and Lyndon Holt, recruited him to stand in for Jarratt at pop culture conventions and charity events such as the annual Hot Dogs & Horsepower fundraiser for the Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre run by Lexton local Rob Johns.
Mr Bertram and Mr Holt connected with Mr Olver after a TV producer mistook him for John Jarratt at a Mad Max anniversary event.
Since then, the Australian actor has taught Mr Olver how to mimic Taylor’s distinctive voice and mannerisms.
The church has its own fake cemetery and a 100-year-old organ.
Mr Olver in character as Mick Taylor at his Cross Creek village. Picture: Tim Carrafa
The 5.06ha property is close to Castlemaine and Daylesford.
The Olvers’ extensive collection of vintage wagons, antiques and even a Toyota HiLux ute will be included in the property’s sale.
But a taxidermied lion named Sharka who sits in their home cinema will not be.
Mr Olver bought the striking collectable from the original Kryal Castle owner Keith Ryall, who had the lion – who once lived at the tourist attraction near Ballarat – preserved following its death.
‘I’ve had him for about 30 years, we’ll take him with us as he’s part of the family,” Mr Olver said.
The listing video also includes a guest appearance from one of the resident echidnas, named Eric.
There’s vintage 16mm projector in the picture theatre of the village, which is not open to the public although Mr Olver has hosted occasional events for good causes.
Plus Agency Services’ central Victorian agents Leah Robins and Kim Birnie like making quirky listing videos for their property marketing campaigns.
Inside the house which is less than 1km to Yandoit Primary School.
It’s not the first quirky clip that Ms Birnie and Ms Robins have made, with the duo previously dressing up as Wizard of Oz characters for a different campaign recording.
Ms Robins described their Yandoit video as “Quentin Tarantino-ish”, and she volunteered to be the ‘murder’ victim whose name appears on a gravestone at the end.
“We wanted it to be epic,” she said.
“Including Chris and Shirley made it much more fun, it will be a great keepsake for them as well.”
Ms Birnie said the property would likely appeal to buyers who loved movies or wanted to set up a creative or events business.
Located a 90-minute drive from Melbourne, the site also features dual driveway access,
two dams with irrigation pumps, 50,000L water storage and a cellar.
Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox.
RELATED: Cockatoo Mansion: Grand makeover’s new plan revealed
Melbourne seller makes $280,000 by bulldozing home, selling land
English (US) · 