On the edge of town, this country farmhouse, “Sunrij Cottage”, on about 30 acres of grazing land has been extended and updated – but not to the detriment of its homey soul.
The original section, circa 1940s, has picture rails, ceiling rosettes, leadlight doors and floorboards, while the extension encompasses three large, linking living areas.
Typical of rural life, entry is via the back verandah, attached to which is a covered pergola above a deck. Brick-paved walkways and sitting/barbecue area precede this and put out a fine welcome mat amid pretty landscaped gardens.
The country style kitchen has wooden cupboards and benchtops, original floorboards, a Stanley slow-combustion cooker (along with freestanding electric cooker), dishwasher and walk-in butlers pantry set the mood for buttery scones.
A step up from here has one in a dining room. A raked timber-lined ceiling is a feature of this room, as it is in the next-door lounge room where’s there’s also an inset wood heater flanked by shelves and a wood-storage recess. Glazed doors each side open to front and back gardens.
Then comes a large rumpus room (raked ceiling) decked out with Tasmanian oak floorboards – as are the preceding rooms – which is perfect for kids’ play while adults are entertaining visitors.
A carpeted hallway from the kitchen heads to three bedrooms with built-in robes and ceiling fans, and the main bathroom with slate floor tiles, cedar-lined walls, a period vanity unit and shower over the bath.
Near the true front door, the main bedroom has a door to the front verandah, a ceiling fan, walk-in wardrobe and an en suite with slate floor and shower splashback tiles, and a period vanity unit.
The long, tree-lined driveway to the house precinct goes past a Colorbond double carport with attached shed and, out back, there’s another Colorbond shed, a three-bay storage shed, a trailer ‘port’, and a gable-roofed weatherboard outbuilding (perhaps a cubbyhouse for the kids).
The property has a big water tank plus town water, three paddocks, a laneway and dense cypress shelter plantings; it currently runs a Scottish breed of miniature belted Galloway cattle considered ideal for small acreage.
