If you have a desire to immerse yourself in this beautiful countryside of ours, if you have an eye for artistry, and if sustainability and eco-friendliness are important to you, then you are going to find this wonderfully unique two storey, mud brick and stone home, on a secluded 50 acres, with a picturesque dam and seasonal Creek, to be absolutely idyllic, yet breathtaking and completely irresistible.
At "Moston Bank" it is plain to see the skill, workmanship, and creativity of the artists and trades people who have contributed to building and extending this magnificent handcrafted home. Almost all of the materials have been locally sourced, or recycled, resulting in an understated timeless quality, while maintaining an undeniable air of elegance. Strictly speaking, it would be considered to have two living areas, two bathrooms, three bedrooms and a home office, but in reality, the spaces here are very versatile, and lend them self to many possibilities.
From the first glimpses it is immediately understood that this is going to be very different, and the privacy created by the cottage garden that surrounds the home, will further pique your interest. A stone path through the garden which reveals the splendour of the home, and leads to timber framed French doors, serves as a perfect introduction.
You enter into a living room, where you will need to stand for a minute to take it all in, sealed slate floors in an exquisite crazy paved style, and painted mudbrick walls under a timber lined ceiling with exposed beams. At the halfway point, the ceiling soars all the way to the roofline allowing the clerestory windows to flood the home with beautiful bright natural light. In the corner, a freestanding Arrow wood heater makes the space seem very cozy, while an abundance of French doors and large picture windows provide a real sense of indoor-outdoor living.
Partially concealed behind a half-height wall, the inviting kitchen is adorned with a variety of rustic features, making it as visually appealing as it is functional. Colonial style windows, solid timber beadboard cabinetry with the most delightful antique knobs, a suspended wooden hanging rack, and a sweet little wall niche make this an inspirational space to create nutritious meals, while the green granite benchtop and the gas upright stove make it all too easy.
Adjoining the kitchen is a mud-room which has to be one of the most clever spaces I have seen. It contains laundry facilities, a shower, a separate toilet accompanied by a hand basin, and a large walk in pantry with thick walls, which immediately brings to mind a wine cellar.
From the living room, a bank of dual timber doors, incidentally originally from a bank, either creates a wall or expands the living space to include an adjoining lounge. It has a proliferation of stained glass, a theme which is echoed throughout the home, and here you get your first taste of the bottle wall art. This room has a reverse cycle split system, it showcases vaulted ceilings and has French doors at either end. One provides access to a tranquil undercover, brick paved outdoor entertaining area. The other provides access to a room currently used as a meditation room, however, it could easily be a home office, rumpus room, music room, hobby room or even a fourth bedroom.
It's hard to imagine a nicer place to sleep than the bedroom adjacent to the lounge. It has a red brick feature wall, cathedral ceilings, a walk-in-robe, and an ensuite with a shower over claw foot tub, pedestal basin, new traditional style toilet and gracious repurposed timber vanity. When you go upstairs though, you will firstly be impressed with the recycled SEC pole that stretches the full height of the home and you will definitely want to spend your winter nights in one of the two loft rooms, divided by built-in timber beadboard robes, so that you can wake up to the warmth of cypress pine lined ceiling with oregon beams. The main room up here is the length of two, granting plenty of space for a reading area or dressing room and has a handy vanity basin installed. Double glazed Velux skylight windows also grace this space.
Outside is really what this property is about though, and so you can always appreciate the setting, there is also a paved outdoor area at the back, and verandahs with bespoken bush poles almost encompass the residence. The garden is well established and landscaped with stone from a nearby quarry. Beyond the home you have pristine native land where a seasonal creek feeds a large dam, where the owners family and friends swim, or simply relax and indulge in cheese and olives with a glass of wine, while musing over echidna diggings. The land is semi cleared and interspersed with magnificent old Box, Ironbark and Yellow Gum trees.
Water has never been an issue here, between the large dam and a 100,000 L underground tank, the supply is ample. Other noteworthy attributes include a solar system, an old galvanised iron shed, a picture perfect studio and brick henhouse beside a small fenced orchard, which can provide you with fresh almonds, lemons, nectarines, plums and apricots. A three bay shed is constructed from rammed earth, one bay is open, the central bay forms a tandem carport with power, very handy if you have an electric car, and the third is a lockup garage or workshop with power, lights and a concrete floor.
While the visual appeal and natural setting of this property takes prominence, we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that you are only 15 minutes from Lansell Square Shopping Centre in Kangaroo Flat, 25 minutes from the heart of the major regional city of Bendigo with its wonderful arts precinct and café culture, and only 90 minutes from the Tullamarine Airport or Melbourne fringe.
A copy of the Due Diligence checklist can be found at https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/duediligencechecklist
