190 Stormlea Rd, Highcroft, TAS, 7183

For Sale

190 Stormlea Rd, Highcroft, TAS, 7183

539500 m²

Rural

•

1 day on the market

Inspection times

Inspections are by appointment only.

What's around 190 Stormlea Rd

Tasma Vale c.1885 A living legacy written in orchard rows and family memory

At a glance * Since 1885, home to six generations of one family * Set in a quiet, sheltered valley on the Tasman Peninsula * Deeply significant to Tasmania's fruit growing and export history * Once a pioneering commercial orchard with up to 38 apple varieties * Early international exporter of pears and apples, including award winning fruit sent to London and royal occasions * Strong water security with permanent creek and multiple bores * Infrastructure evolved over time including cool rooms, irrigation systems and packing facilities * Diversified into floriculture with tulips, lilies and iris supplied nationally * Four residences across the property including the main homestead, The Pear Cottage, the original cottage, and a separate cottage currently leased (floor plans available for each residence) * Traditional row of pickers' huts, reflecting the property's working orchard history * Historic packing shed, long regarded as the social heart of the property * Significant potential for future agricultural use, diversification or entirely new purpose Abode Since 1885, six generations of one family have called Tasma Vale home. Set in a quiet, sheltered valley on the Tasman Peninsula, Tasma Vale is far more than a property. It is a living piece of Tasmanian history, shaped by 140 years of innovation, hard work, family life, celebration, and a deep and enduring connection to the land. The story begins with Dr Harry Benjafield, who arrived in Tasmania from England in 1873. Recognising the region's extraordinary potential for fruit growing, he established orchards near Hobart before acquiring "The Garden at the Wedge" at Tunnel Bay in 1885 - the land that would become Tasma Vale. Chosen for its permanent creek, fertile soils and natural shelter, the valley proved ideal for orcharding. From the beginning, this was a place of ambition and experimentation. Harry imported 72 varieties of pears from France, many of which became foundational to the Tasmanian and Victorian pear industries and are still grown today. He was among the first Australian fruit growers to export produce to London, with pears that gained international recognition, including a Royal Horticultural Society silver medal in 1906 and service at royal occasions such as King George V's coronation banquet. The orchard story expanded further through apples. Harry and his son Eric helped develop and promote the Democrat apple, which became widely grown at Tasma Vale and across Australia. In 1886, Harry also introduced the Jonathan apple to Australia, and over time the property supported up to 38 apple varieties, reflecting a constant spirit of progress and curiosity. Following World War I, Eric Benjafield and his wife Agnes (Soelberg) Hansen took over the running of Tasma Vale. For the next 50 years they expanded and modernised the orchard, introducing tractors, improved spraying systems and more efficient infrastructure. Their daughter Dorothy Hallam later helped preserve this way of life through film, documenting orchard life in the 1950s before becoming the ABC's first female news cinematographer. In 1971, Gavin Hallam and his wife Lyn continued this legacy of adaptation. As export markets shifted, they responded with Controlled Atmosphere cool rooms, upgraded packing systems, and irrigation improvements supported by two bores, one of which remains a high volume water source today. They later diversified into cut flowers, growing tulips, lilies and iris for wholesale supply across Australia. Beyond production, Tasma Vale has always been defined by people and place. Today, the property comprises four residences the main homestead, The Pear Cottage, the original cottage, and a separate cottage currently leased alongside a traditional row of pickers' huts that speak directly to its orchard past. Each dwelling reflects a different layer of the property's long history, from working life to family life and ongoing stewardship. At its heart stands the historic packing shed, long regarded as the social centre of Tasma Vale. For generations it has hosted birthdays, weddings, funerals, end of season celebrations, and the much loved annual cracker night each May. Even now, former residents and workers return, drawn back by memory, connection and belonging. The Pear Cottage, thoughtfully renovated, now offers a short stay experience, allowing visitors to step into the valley's quiet beauty, wildlife and enduring sense of history. Area Tasma Vale sits within a sheltered valley on the Tasman Peninsula, a landscape defined by fertile soils, reliable water, and a naturally protected microclimate that has supported agricultural success for well over a century. The setting offers both productivity and privacy, with a permanent creek, strong water infrastructure, and land that has historically supported intensive orcharding and later diversified horticulture. The arrangement of multiple residences and working structures reflects both its agricultural heritage and its capacity for multiple use living. It is a landscape with proven productivity, deep historical significance, and clear future potential. Whether returned to commercial farming, reimagined for boutique agricultural or tourism use, or transformed into something entirely new, Tasma Vale offers a foundation that is both rare and enduring. Expressions of Interest closing Tuesday 9 June at 5pm, unless sold prior. Abercrombys is proud to be collaborating with Jodie Rolf of Elders in bringing this exceptional property to market.