Above and beyond

The charm of Mia Mia soon had Viv and Neil transitioning from weekend visitors to permanent residents. The recent addition of a pool to their property has elevated their piece of country to a restful retreat.

By Marina Williams - Photography by Leon Schoots

Viv and Neil had always wanted to escape to the country – for weekends, that was. But after experiencing the charm and sunny climes of Mia Mia, the couple soon bade farewell to inner Melbourne and made their holiday house in the picturesque Central Victorian town their home. They bought the land overlooking the valley towards Bendigo about 10 years ago, with Neil building their contemporary home with open-plan living, expansive windows and a deep verandah to take in the breathtaking views. The inside was prepped with all the mod-cons and the outside clad in the crisp, clean lines of iconic corrugated iron that is also proving a low-maintenance winner over the years. “It just sits beautifully on the land, overlooking the valley,” Viv says. “From a holiday house to our full-time home for the past five years has been brilliant. I smile now, but I can say it did take me a good four years to get used to not being able to walk down to the supermarket, but I am in the zone now of planning and rethinking everyday shopping tasks. It has been worth it, as it is a beautiful spot.” More recently, a pool has been added to the site, with Evolution Pools siting it close to the home and valley to capture the views. “It’s in the right spot. I never thought of having it so close to the home, but they were spot on with it. It is magical, we can sit or float here, relax and just take it all in,” says Viv, pointing across the valley.

“Interestingly, I never, ever wanted a pool, but when we stayed in a villa in Italy in 2019, I was taken. Mind you, it did take me three days to get into the pool, but I finally relented because it was so damn hot that year. Once I got in, I thought ‘why have I resisted this all my life?’.” On returning home, plans were set in motion to purchase a pool and re-landscape the garden. “The Evolution Pools team was brilliant from the get-go,” says Viv. “Once they started digging we had a pool in no time.” With Mia Mia’s summer temperatures a solid 4C higher than Kyneton, their new pool is set to provide much-needed relief from a blazing sun, and an additional water source in hot, dry summers. The couple chose a simple rectangle shape, measuring 9.5m x 4.5m, and finished in a twilight blue to best suit the landscape. Largeformat pavers and coping tiles edge the pool, with a nearby lawned area providing an ideal place to throw down the towel and relax. Neil built the gazebo that has already proven a popular spot during family get-togethers. “He likes to call it the pool shed,” laughs Viv. “We’ve got a pizza oven in there and you can sit under the shade and have a drink out of the sun. “The pool also has a child-friendly ledge so kids can walk around the edge and have that stability and feel safe; and we can sit on the side and dangle our feet in the water and watch the sunset if we don’t want to swim or float around. It’s simply gorgeous out here with so many options to enjoy the space.” With ongoing COVID-19 restrictions tipped to curtail international travel, Viv says the family is all set for another Christmas by the pool. “It’s a gorgeous spot, so calming and quiet, so we are excited and looking forward to creating some more family memories this summer.”