8 minute read
Out of town, Queenscliff
By LARISSA DUBECKI
Queenscliff, named to honour Queen Victoria, is a cultural gem.
VISIT VICTORIA
A right royal renaissance
Plenty of things stopped in Queenscliff during the pandemic. The Queenscliff Music Festival was put on ice, the Swan Bay Express steam train (complete with Thomas the Tank Engine face) was kept in its shed, and the Blues Train, featuring dinner and a series of live music shows, was temporarily muted.
It gave time to reflect on this wellpreserved Victorian town on the Bellarine Peninsula that punches well above its weight when it comes to cultural celebrations and fun for all ages.
A Queenscliff renaissance is on the cards, however, with the town’s sleepy hollow status being changed by an influx of families looking to make it their permanent home.
“There is a significant number of people relocating down here, which makes a change from the retirees who used to dominate the permanent housing market,” says Charles Caldwell of Fletchers Bellarine. “The larger homes are in huge demand at the moment. There’s a very limited supply of stock, so it is changing the market significantly.”
At one and a half hours’ drive from Melbourne, Queenscliff is firmly in the ring of desirability for a holiday home. At 30 minutes from Geelong, it’s also an easy commute to Victoria’s second city.
Caldwell believes the new influx of families will be good for the town, which previously used to suffer a winter slump that made it hard for businesses to survive.
Local schools, both in town and in Geelong, are nearing capacity, and a year-round lifestyle will banish the ghost town of winters past.
“Consistency is the key to survival if you’re a business, and it really has been hard in the past,” Caldwell says. “It’s going to be an interesting next five or 10 years.
Damian Cayzer of Kerleys Coastal Real Estate says he saw strong signs of growth just prior to COVID-19, with the 2019-20 summer the first in his memory that the shops on Hesse Street were all occupied.
“That was the point I started thinking the town was really back, in a big way,” he says.
There’s plenty of history in Queenscliff. Take Fisherman’s Flat, the low-lying northern part of the town, which was developed in 1863 and housed a number of Chinese fishermen. Scrupulously heritageprotected, the humble weatherboard shacks have a surfeit of character and are in hot demand from Melbourne buyers looking for a boast-worthy, low-maintenance weekender.
The most expensive homes are on the high land. Gellibrand Street is the home of elaborate Victorian buildings with turrets and iron lacework trimmings, including the now-closed Queenscliff Hotel, which was once home to the late Mietta O’Donnell’s eponymous restaurant.
“New” Queenscliff is embodied by the marina, a redevelopment worth about $38 million that opened in 2010 with a 32-metre-high observation tower, restaurant 360Q and other cafes and boutiques.
But local institution MiShell’s keeps alive the old-school ethos of fresh seafood sold off a trawler.
There’s a very limited supply.” - CHARLES CALDWELL, AGENT
Hover your camera over the code to see Domain listings in Queenscliff
$4,950,000 - $5,400,000
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WHITEHALL Pinnacle in luxury coastal living
An uncompromising approach to coastal living, this stunning four bedroom seaside oasis overlooking the bay immediately impresses on arrival with a deluxe resort-style central alfresco with outdoor lounge, stone fireplace and heated swimming pool. Features two living, grand master suite with bay views, epicurean kitchen and interiors by Kate Walker Design. The family home sits privately behind electronic gates over a 1/4 acre (approx) of landscaped gardens and just footsteps to the village and South Beach. FERGUS NUTT 0419 556 372
TRENT CAMERON 0407 006 239
Video Website
30 Lochiel Avenue, Mount Martha VIC 3934 (03) 5974 1401
Mountain Lodge Retreat
Price Range: $5,700,000 - $6,200,000 / Private Sale Phone to arrange an inspection
Indulging the senses high above the city lights of Melbourne, no expense or effort has been spared in the creation of this simply unrepeatable French inspired chateau. Set on approximately 2,400sqm, framed by its European façade and immersed within an exquisite established landscaped garden sanctuary, this immensely private residence is one of the �inest homes ever to be offered for sale in the Dandenong Ranges only 30 minutes drive from the south east suburbs of Melbourne. Buoyed by a privileged elevated position, the imposing timeless architecture is at home within its lavish perfumed gardens �illed with roses, camelias, gardenias, tulips, freesias, hyacinth, jasmine, Mexican orange blossoms, over 50 custom made pots and several statues including 4 Seasons, Dali Alice in Wonderland and Dali the Surrealist Piano. Recently transformed and extensively rebuilt throughout, lavish proportions include soaring ceilings to all levels, Italian porcelain �looring, imported staircases, divine wood paneling from French and Belgium Chateaus, thick marble surfaces and the latest high-end appliances. The extensive layout features two extravagant master suites complete with sumptuous ensuites, decadent living & dining rooms, a top �loor gold class theatre room for eight and, adding a further aristocratic feel, an inspired cigar room by Roberto Cavalli.
NEW LISTING
“Grandview Park” | 334 Perryman Lane, Table Top, NSW
Rural Lifestyle & Land Bank at Table Top on Albury/Wodonga Edge
'Grandview Park' offers an excellent 90-acre rural lifestyle property, perfect for equestrian use, livestock, home office or development ( sub-divide
into 3 or 4 lots STCA )
The recently renovated homestead offers indoor and outdoor living areas with magnificent views, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms & separate guest accommodation. A full range of improvements includes; stable complex, sand menage, indoor arena, and associated equine infrastructure, additional shedding, steel cattle yards & 55 tonne silo. 'Grandview Park' is subdivided into 15 paddocks with a central laneway and has town water connection along with tanks and dams.
Price
By Negotiation $2,500,000
View
By appointment with the agents
Website
albury.nutrienharcourts.com.au
Agents
Billy Jones 0438 454 950 billy.jones@nh.com.au Brian Liston 0428 931 894 brian.liston@nh.com.au
PEPPERELL FARM: PRESTIGE MEETS PEACEFUL LUXURY
8 6.5 6
/ An impressive Georgian-style mansion with every luxury imaginable on 18 picturesque hectares (45 acres) / Including a fully equipped three-bedroom manager’s residence / Location is prime with only 45 minutes to Melbourne CBD or 35 minutes to the airport / The lush rolling lawns are ready for any cricket/croquet/football game with a backdrop of avenues of 100+ year old oak and elm trees, that match the likes of Windsor Park / Equestrian facilities include full size indoor arena, stables, riding tracks and much more / Extensive garaging and sheds offer a multitude of possibilities If you wish to indulge in a country estate lifestyle but value proximity to the city, this is the rural retreat you’ve been searching for. / 4.2HA of flat, fertile land / Glamorous and spacious home including 5 beds, 3-bathroom, multiple living zones, theatre room, chefs kitchen / Exceptionally well appointed alfresco dining room including pizza oven, sink, BBQ, and range hood / Zoned heating and cooling / Huge shed including a fully self-contained and well-appointed one bedroom apartment / Sealed driveway, remote-controlled gate and intercom / POA
LIVE LIKE ROYALTY IN YOUR OWN FRENCH PROVINCIAL PALACE
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To enquire about these elegant properties, please contact Lisa Fowler - Mount Macedon Realty 0418 557 222 lisa@mtmr.com.au Marcus Chiminello - Marshall White 0411 411 271 marcus.chiminello@marshallwhite.com.au
1 LITTLE SCOTLAND ROAD, STANLEY
LAND SIZE 7499M2 "BLOOMFIELD" C.1866
This is a rare opportunity to secure a piece of Australian Gold mining history on the Stanley Plateau. "Bloomfield" an iconic property set in beautiful northeast Victoria adjacent to historic Beechworth offers a discerning buyer with the opportunity to owner-occupy or continue with a well-established short-term accommodation option whilst remaining in residence. The charming and magnificent red brick home build by gold discoverer Joshua Bigelow has stood the test of time. It features a grand hallway entrance, welcoming parlour & formal dining room complete with French doors. They are accompanied by 4 large bedrooms with their own en-suites. The wide verandas are an intrinsic component of the home ensuring summer shade & protection during the cooler month. An Austrian hydronic system ensures this historic home remains comfortable during winter. A 4kw solar system supports power bills. A free standing 1 bedroom dwelling was designed & built incorporating solar passive principles, with an executive & exclusive element. It features polished concrete floors with superb north facing bi-folding doors that open onto an exquisite outdoor dining entertaining area. For the artist you have the choice of several outbuildings. A 6m x 8m potters' studio, with adjoining storage area, plus a new 6m x 8m insulated studio provides options. A 2 car brick garage includes a workshop area with a loft plus there are several sheds for garden equipment.
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E.O.I. INSPECT GUIDE CONTACT
OFFICE
Closes Friday Feb 4th at 5pm By Appointment Only Contact Agent GRAEME WILSON 0418 315 645 TONY STOCKDALE 0428 629 778 PORT PHILLIP 9525 4166
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