A piece of history. Your Country Lifestyle

Our Country home is an easy 40 kilometre drive from Melbourne. A 1870s traditional homestead that captures the essence of a traditional farming lifestyle. A fire place in the living room, split system heating/cooling, separate dining room, large modern kitchen and indoor/outdoor verandah to enjoy a drink or dinner gazing at the sweeping views. A full-sized billiards table, for relaxation and leisurely pastimes. A large pool gives a perfect outdoor experience. All on a remaining 22 acres. There are 5 bedrooms, 2 living rooms, an office/den, and an enclosed veranda that overlooks the rolling valley and mountains in the distance. Please bring your own Sheets , pillow slips and bedding. We will provide bath towels. The fireplace by the television in the living room has a stone chimney and is warm, cosy and welcoming. Extra wood is outside by the side door right near by. I have just purchased the most comfortable couches to add to the two living rooms. The other couches were quite dated and this has reflected in some of the reviews. The new look and update of the living rooms lifts the feel of the house, and comfort has been maximised! It has really made both spaces very cosy. Please be extra careful with the new couches and please keep the covers on them. The second living room now has a television and is a very cosy a light room that overlooks the pool and the valley whilst backing onto the enclosed verandah. The verandah has a table that seats 8 people, a relaxing lay back lounge chair, and a small seperate table with surrounding chairs for coffee with a view. There is a dining room that can seat 8 people with a great outlook across the mountains. Also, a fold out table if you would like to have dinner by the fire and television. The large pool is available and there are lounges at the end of the pool to enjoy the sunshine. The enclosed verandah is situated next to the pool, so it is perfect for lunch looking over the hills after a dip in the pool. The tennis court is there to use, however right at this moment, some work needs to be done to bring to perfect condition but is more than playable. If you would like to use it you may, but do not expect a perfect court. There are rackets provided. Feel free to bring your own if you like. A full sized billiards table is situated in the living room to use. Always chalk your cues before each shot and no drinks resting on the table please. Please return cover to billiard table after use. For those that like a large bath (spa type) there is one in the outhouse that overlooks the hills as well. In order to use this, ensure the water level is above the blowers, and underneath the spa (under the sink) is a power point that needs to be turned on manually. There is a fully equipped kitchen offering necessities such as milk, tea, coffee, bread. We generally try and leave fresh fruit as well. Games. There are plenty of board games to play around the fire and childrens books. Furthermore, there are paddocks available to wander through and some of them have horses, which are friendly, adding to the farming feel. Please never stand behind a horses back legs. If you are unfamiliar with horses then it is safest to pat the horses over the fence without going into the paddock. During Summer months be very mindful of snakes. It is safer not to wander in overgrown paddocks. Please always remember to shut the gates. There is enough space to park 6 cars comfortably. This home was built by the Clarke family in 1870 as their holiday home, getting there by horse and cart from Melbourne! Our family bought the farm in 1958 as a permanent home and further extended it. We have been here ever since with all family members growing up here. There is a rich history to this home which adds to its character. It is a traditional Victorian style home with mostly original furniture, some of it well loved but adds to the character. As it is a traditional farm house, there are some older/used features that are more than comfortable and expected in an older house but this must be known. There is a new kitchen to the one pictured, it is much more modern easy to cook in and have a drink at the kitchen table . Photos following. We have installed a split system, air conditioning and heater in the large living room area. This will service the kitchen, dining and living area if the doors to the hallway are kept closed. There is an open fireplace in the living room also. There are in built bar heaters in two of the rooms that are very effective and plug in heaters for the remaining two which work perfectly. Large Victorian country homestead that includes: - two large living rooms, one with a fireplace and both with televisions - five bedrooms - modern kitchen - office - enclosed verandah with a spectacular view with a table for dining - full sized billiards table - dining room - spa bath - board games included The outdoors: - very large pool - lovely surrounding gardens perfect for picnics and wandering - tennis court - 22 acres of farm land - horses - incredible views Beyond the property: - wineries - golf courses - restaurants - Whoolworths, chemist, doctors, cafes and gyms all within 6 minutes drive - Funfields for the kids - King Lake National Park - golf driving range The home is single level but there 3 small stairs separating the first living room and the upper end of the house. I will be there to meet and greet when possible, hand over the keys, give instructions and make sure your stay is easy and enjoyable. If I am not available, there will be clear instructions as to the whereabouts of the keys and entrance. I am available via the phone and with notice can come to the farm if needed. Doreen has still rolling green pastures and farm properties where our farm resides. Our property located on the top of the hill that overlooks the farmland district, making the views spectacular. There are many beautiful walks and rides around and within our farm. Wineries and Golf courses are close by. King Lake National Park is a 30 minute drive away. There is easy access to and from Melbourne. Also, Funfields theme park is 20 minutes down the road for those adventures adults or the kids. Larimar shopping centre is very close by that has a supermarket, chemist and restaurants. I can recommend personal transport. There is a bus stop at the end of Chapel Lane. Taxis are readily available. There is also a reasonable trip to Mernda station if you need to train to Melbourne or come from Melbourne. I offer a check out time of 12 noon giving our guests time to relax and prepare for departure. If I am able to I may extend that time to 2 or 3 pm. This property is most suitable for families, more mature couples and people looking for a quiet relaxed stay. Please note: This property is not available for end of school leavers (schoolies people) or anyone intending to hold parties as this is not a house to be used for parties or large gatherings. We have a strictly no parties policy. We are proud of our home and expect you will show the same respect. We expect our home to be left in the same clean and fully functional condition as when you arrived. - The rental agreement will cease immediately with no return of monies if there is a breach of this policy. We expect any breakages or damages to be replaced or payed for. - No smoking inside - no eating on the new couches and a please be extremely diligent not to scuff or mark them please. - We have tenants in the cottage further down the drive. We expect Guests to respect their peace and privacy as they will be nice and respectful back. If you plan to have very loud music and being overly boisterous past 11 pm, our home is not the right place for you. Dogs that are non shedding are allowed if discussed ahead of the booking and must sleep on the indoor/outdoor verandah and must not roam off the leash (apart from in the western paddocks) as the cottage tenants further down have dogs. If you decide to venture out for lunch or an explore off the property, they can be left in the verandah or the tennis court which is enclosed by two gates. They must not be on any furniture and if they shed hair at all they must spend the majority of the time on the verandah which is where our dogs sleep and relax. If we find dogs have been staying with guests (not discussed at time of booking) and there is hair on the carpet we will have to charge an increased cleaning fee. It is a farm property so necessary caution is needed when staying in terms of things such as interaction with animals on the farm, the pool and any potentially risk involved activity.