Latest news with #countryretreat
News.com.au
24-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Melbourne mansion with three homes and wedding set up
This estate looks like a country retreat, but it's hiding three homes, a city view and a surprise upstairs chalet. Set across 7.7ha in Hurstbridge, 110 Heather Ave, is a rare multigenerational haven with skyline views, three fully self-contained living zones, and a renovated interior that blends rustic warmth with modern ease. Now for sale with $2.1m-$2.3m price hopes, the 11-bedroom, five-bathroom property is already drawing big crowds and even bigger reactions, thanks to its breathtaking hilltop setting, poolside entertaining zone and floorplan designed for blended or extended families. Jellis Craig Eltham sales consultant Rex Calvitto. said the home is tailor-made for big or blended households who don't want to compromise on privacy, or on location, 'You've got that seamless family set up with completely independent living zones, and when people arrive, they walk out onto the deck and just stop. That view makes people pause. It really is something else,' Mr Calvitto said. The view stretches from the Kinglake Ranges on one side to Melbourne's CBD on the other, offering an unexpectedly dramatic outlook for a property just an hour from the city. And that's just one of the estate's headline features. The main residence includes eight bedrooms and four bathrooms across two spacious levels, with multiple living areas including a rumpus room, fireside lounge, meals zone and a flexible upstairs retreat. Soaring cathedral ceilings and rich timber textures add warmth, while modern updates, including a brand-new stone kitchen with make it ready for 2025 living. Mr Calvitto said that balance of rustic character and modern comfort is resonating with buyers. 'The vendors have kept the warmth of the home but updated it for today's lifestyle, it's move-in ready, but still feels like a country homestead,' he said. Connected to the main home is a self-contained one-bedroom apartment, ideal for a teenager or live-in guests, while a fully separate two-bedroom flat on the property offers added flexibility for relatives, long-term visitors or even potential bed and breakfast use. And when it comes to entertaining, the layout delivers. From the elevated wraparound deck — which greets visitors upon arrival — you can see the alfresco area, lawn and pool, all while still connected to the home's heart. 'The indoor-outdoor flow is seamless,' Mr Calvitto said. 'You can be prepping dinner inside while watching the kids in the pool. In summer, it's set up perfectly for barbecues, long lunches, and relaxed entertaining, every space talks to each other.' The estate also includes two large sheds (one with a gym and office), established gardens, auto gates, and ample water storage. But the Jellis Craig Eltham agent it's the rarity of the land and the skyline that's truly making waves. 'Properties like this almost never hit the market. The response has been huge,' Mr Calvitto said. 'We've had strong enquiry, great traction on the video campaign, and high engagement online. It's not just another lifestyle listing, it's one that stops people scrolling.' Even the upstairs master suite, with its pitched ceilings and treetop views, has been catching buyers off guard. 'There's something chalet-like about it,' he said. 'It's private, peaceful, and the kind of space you don't expect until you're standing in it.' So far, interest has ranged from young families looking for future-proof room to grow, to tree-changers, business owners, and downsizers with adult children or elderly parents.
Irish Times
12-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
In pictures: Six-bedroom country lodge amid enchanting woodland in Co Wicklow for €1.995m
Address : Ballyteige Lodge, Ballyteige, Tinahely, Arklow, Co Wicklow Price : €1,995,000 Agent : Sherry FitzGerald Country Homes View this property on Renowned surgeon John McArdle built Ballyteige Lodge in 1890 as his shooting lodge, a country retreat from his home in Merrion Square in Dublin . An avowed nationalist, McArdle would host such political figures as John Redmond and Charles Stewart Parnell at the lodge – one can only imagine what conversations must have taken place during those hunting parties. The good news for prospective buyers of Ballyteige Lodge is that they'll still have shooting rights on a half-acre area on Ballyteige Mountain just behind the lodge. They'll also have fishing rights on the scenic Ow river which runs through the magnificent grounds. There's more good news with the knowledge that Ballyteige Lodge has been beautifully maintained by McArdle's descendant Seán McArdle, retaining its charming period features and tastefully incorporating contemporary touches. Situated on the Wicklow Way, the lodge is a well-known visitor attraction in the area, offering accommodation and fine dining, and its sylvan setting by the river makes it popular for weddings and other events, including craft and horticulture workshops and guided tours of the gardens and grounds. A suspension bridge over the river leads into a lush forest path and on to a spectacular waterfall, providing excellent wedding photo opportunities. The property will be sold freehold, with vacant possession given at the close of the sale, but the tourism income opportunities of this fine, elegant portal to a different age are apparent. READ MORE Ballyteige Lodge Porch Hall Drawingroom Drawingroom Sittingroom Ballyteige Lodge Ballyteige Lodge is on an elevated site surrounded by gorgeously landscaped gardens and enchanting grounds, which include a tennis lawn, mature orchard, flower gardens, a Japanese water garden, two swimming areas and restored stables which are used for private events and celebrations. The flower gardens are testimony to more than a century of expert horticultural design, with vibrant herbaceous borders and a rose garden surrounded by mature beech hedging. The tennis lawn is sheltered by ancient trees, and there's a circular outdoor swimming pool in a natural forest setting, and a wild but safe swimming area in the river. As you walk through the mature woodlands, you'll spot sequoias, Irish oak, beech, copper beech, monkey puzzle trees, Scots pine and Irish champion Lawson cypress. Inside, the lodge has high ceilings, original timber floors and large sash windows, with an elegant drawingroom, cosy sittingroom, grand diningroom, sun-drenched conservatory and a kitchen designed for entertaining. The kitchen contains bespoke cabinetry, an Aga and a large central island, and is adjoined by generous pantry and utility room, plus an additional workshop area to the rear. The drawingroom has intricate cornicing and a large cast-iron period fireplace, while the diningroom is big enough to host a banquet. Off the sittingroom, the gorgeous conservatory opens out to an ornate Victorian pergola bedecked in seasonal plants and blooms. It's the ideal space for dining almost al fresco, with views of the gardens sweeping away to the mountains and forests. A wide staircase leads to six well-proportioned bedrooms upstairs, including four large doubles with dual aspect, high ceilings and original working fireplaces, and three bathrooms, two of which are fitted with original free-standing Victorian baths. The wide upstairs landing leads to a balcony to the front of the house which gives panoramic views over the gardens and the scenic Wicklow countryside beyond. Kitchen Diningroom Conservatory Waterfall Suspension bridge over Ow river Ow river The entire area around Ballyteige Lodge is woodland and is ideal for lovers of the outdoors with abundant walking and cycling trails, forests, lakes and mountains to explore, and a range of biodiversity to observe. There are also pubs, restaurants and other amenities in surrounding villages including Tinahely, Aughrim, Rathdrum and Laragh, and golf courses at Woodenbridge and Macreddin. There is access to primary and secondary schools in the area, and it's just an hour in to Dublin city centre and just over an hour to Dublin Airport. Back at the turn of the 20th century, Ballyteige Lodge would have been considered akin to what we call a 'smart house' today; it had its own hydroelectric system supplying it all the newfangled electricity it needed. Such a hydroelectric system would be viable today, according to a number of surveys, and could be supported by renewable energy grants. There is also scope to convert the large attic space to create two more bedrooms or a home office; and there's a former gardener's house, the Old Bothy, which could easily be renovated – both projects would be subject to planning permission. Ballyteige Lodge measures 422.6sq m (4,549sq ft) and has an E1 Ber. It is for sale through Sherry FitzGerald Country Homes seeking €1.995 million.
