It is impossible to overstate the romance, style and stunning historical charm of 'Gatehouse Cottage'. Originally an 1867 sandstone railway gatekeeper's cottage before becoming a church, the two-room original stone building gained a weatherboard extension in 1971 when transformed into a delightful home featuring three spacious bedrooms. It has since been extensively renovated. Highlife magazine devoted a cover and eleven pages to showcasing the incredible style and hidden delights of this property, after the current owners purchased it as a design project: they have created an artistic and unique Southern Highlands' retreat, blending history with modern-classic and vintage pieces.
Light and height strike the visitor when spending time in the original cottage – now a stunning dining room and formal living room bedecked with an impressive art collection. The cosy country kitchen either leads through French doors to the garden or along to a casual living area heated beautifully by a designer combustion fire.
The home also features a huge cottage-like double garage/workshop and 'green room' for gardeners. It would be an easy conversion to guest accommodation, able to be joined via a walkway.
Thoughtful design elements throughout the home extend seamlessly into the 2 plus acre garden. Meander through garden rooms, past a prolific orchard and beneath many specimen deciduous trees: romance and hidden delights are features of the garden. Discover 'Last Man Standing' – an enormous sandstone garden sculpture created in collaboration with renowned artist/sculptor Gordon Richards.
Other features include:
• Two gorgeous slow combustion fireplaces
• A beautiful leadlight window added when the home was a church
• Separate bathroom and W/C
• 5 x water tanks totalling approx. 162,000 litre capacity, 3 have been cladded to resemble wine barrels
• Newly roofed
• Many old specimen deciduous trees and an orchard including quince, plum, pomegranate, apple, feijoa and persimmon trees.
• Separate bore to water garden
• Garden storage shed
More than one hundred and fifty years of history, style and charm, 'Gatehouse Cottage' is a dream weekender or a cosy, yet spacious full-time retreat. Surrounded by farmland, the sound of birdsong fills the garden, and yet you are just a three-minute drive to the famous Exeter General Store for some of the best artisan food and coffee in the Highlands and a short drive to Moss Vale or Bowral.
