Some homes ask you to look at the view. This one is built around it.
Set high above Castlemaine, this double-fronted late Victorian looks over the town to Mount Tarrengower. The L-shaped wrap-around verandah, trimmed in cast iron lacework, is turned to the horizon. As the sun drops behind the mountain, the lights come on across town. You will want to be here for it.
Inside, period grace meets considered modern living. A leadlight door with coloured glass sidelights opens to a hall of Victorian detail. Shutters soften the bedrooms, and the light moves slowly through the day. Behind the character sits a quiet, thorough renovation. Renewed plumbing, rewiring, external wall insulation and double glazing in the addition make the home as comfortable as it is handsome. Three inverter split systems, solar panels feeding back to the grid and reversible ceiling fans in the living areas keep it that way all year.
The kitchen is the heart of the house. A three-metre stone island sits at its centre, with timber floors underfoot and soft light glowing beneath the cupboards. It is a kitchen for people who love to cook and love to host. Two pyrolytic ovens, a steam oven and a combination microwave sit beside Gaggenau induction and gas cooktops. An extra-deep warming drawer keeps plates warm for the table. A double pull-out pantry and soft-close drawers keep everything in its place. Double doors open to the west terrace, with a second set to the north-facing rear.
When evening comes, the house opens up. Doors between the sitting room and formal lounge open wide, and guests move from the gas fireplace with a stone surround and library shelves to French doors, the terrace and the vine-covered Tate pergola. From the terrace, you look south-west to Mount Franklin on the horizon. Dinner under the vines, with the town glowing below, is the picture this home was made for.
Retreat is just as generous. The main bedroom sits apart at the rear, with a walk-in robe and a fully tiled ensuite. The ensuite has a walk-in shower, underfloor heating and heated towel rails. French doors open to a private timber deck and a view across to the hills. At the front, a second bedroom has an open fireplace, a split system and private access to the main bathroom. There you will find a deep Kaldewei bath, a large walk-in rain shower with a tiled bench, a lit vanity and underfloor heating. A programmable heated towel rail finishes the room. The third bedroom has wall-to-wall mirrored robes. A discreet European laundry is tucked out of sight.
The grounds sit on approximately 806sqm, with a cellar beneath the house with external access. Quiet, private and one of only four homes in the court, the setting is calm. Central Castlemaine is a short walk away, with schools close by and the restaurant and cafe life of the town within easy reach.
This is a home for those who want character, comfort and a view they will never tire of.
