Fantasy accommodation Mira Mira near Warragul a 'niche' property offering

An appearance on national television in the late 2000s spurred what had been just a personal hobby into a flourishing business, that caters to themed weddings, events and romantic getaways.

Mira Mira was the brainchild of Carl Ward’s father, Norman, known to his friends as Nobby, and his wife Sheila.

“I’m an architectural draftsperson by trade and I had a business in the city doing a lot of heritage houses,” Carl Ward said. “Dad did a lot of construction for the places I did the renovations for.

“We got sick and tired of dealing with town planners.”

After Norman was diagnosed with prostate cancer, he sought a change of scenery.

“He decided he wanted to find a block of land in the middle of nowhere and build whatever he wanted,” Mr Ward said.

In the early 2000s, Nobby bought a nine-hectare block in Crossover, roughly 90 minutes’ drive east of Melbourne. After clearing noxious weeds and planting 1500 native trees on site, the father and son set about building a Japanese “zen house”, inspired by the Kyoto Imperial Palace.

Mr Ward recalled council inspectors visiting the building. “Their jaws just dropped,” he said. The local council issued the property with a certificate of occupancy, provided no children came on site.

While Nobby lived in the zen house, he set about building caves. After that, what can only be described as a pixie-fairy house followed.

“It was just something Dad wanted to do before he died,” his son said. “Dad started construction on an English cottage based on our grandparent’s house because we’re British. Dad just kept on building these houses.”

Finally, a large castle with a planetarium was built, taking two years to complete.

By that stage, the eccentric property had featured on several popular television shows including Coxy’s Big Break and Postcards, prompting a wave of interest from across the country.

“We got a knock on the door and it was a young couple saying, ‘We saw you on TV, can we stay?’” Mr Ward said.

Soon enough, guests were asking to book weddings and events in the castle. Business was booming.

But Nobby was a quiet man and, as Carl says, “wasn’t big on people” so he eventually sold the property to his son, who has run Mira Mira as a successful accommodation business for the past 17 years.

“It was never meant to be a money business,” he said. “It was just word of mouth.”

Despite that, Mr Ward said, it now turned over about $250,000 a year. “I’m booked out every single weekend. Japanese zen – you’re hard-pressed to get any accommodation there for months.”

While it’s certainly a niche market, Mira Mira has an extensive and broad clientele base. Mr Ward said it had proven popular for romantic getaways, honeymoons, engagements and weddings.

In addition to the five separate dwellings on site, there is also a dungeon in the castle known as the “Naughty Room”.

“What happens down there stays down there,” said Mr Ward.

The entire business and all its wacky and wonderful trinkets are now for sale. After the death of his father and changes in personal circumstances, Mr Ward is ready for a new chapter.

He said he hoped to purchase a similar-sized block of land and open an animal rescue centre: “I will deal with animals instead of people now.” 

First National Warragul agent Stuart Brock said the property would suit someone looking for a home-based business. “They would have to be on a similar wavelength,” he said. “It’s a real niche market.”