Fall in love: Serene and beautiful landscape

FALLING IN love

A natural waterfall is but one of the beautiful attractions of The Falls, a spectacular property at the foot of the Strathbogie Ranges. Its owners have created a diverse garden that extends out to into the surrounding paddocks.

STORY: GIANNI FRANCIS. PHOTOGRAPHY: MEGAN FISHER

At the edge of our garden “ there is a “ transition to the natural bush.

– IAN BALL

The Falls is a working farm and country homestead set at the foot of a spectacular granite ridgeline that forms part of the Strathbogie Ranges.

Joan and Ian Ball were first attracted to the property 16 years ago by the natural waterfall fed by the Nine Mile Creek, which cascades over the granite mountain range and flows into a stream running through the garden.

The garden is broken up into ‘rooms’.

Walking under an ornamental archway veiled in wisteria will lead to a section comprising an ornamental lake and rustic pavilion.

Following a stone path that meanders through the garden will lead to an intersecting oasis with two lily ponds that cascade into one another in imitation of the falls.

Further along the path is a secluded area with a statue of Pan, Greek god of nature, as the centrepiece.

“Which is appropriate, because at the edge of our garden there is a transition to the natural bush,” Ian said.

Several generations of pastoralists have added their touch to the property over the years.

Much of what is seen in the older garden was planted and established by Andrew and Elly Cameron who purchased the property in 1967.

When the Ball family purchased the property from the Cameron family in the early 2000s, they employed landscape garden designer Robert Boyle to create the master plan for the garden that saw new native and exotic plantings with an emphasis on seasonality and plant diversity.

“We’ve adhered to that plan pretty religiously to the point now where we’ve got a pretty extensive garden,” Ian said.

Joan and Ian have added signifi cantly to the property by extending the garden out into the surrounding paddocks with the guidance of Robert.

Robert worked with local tradesmen to create stone walls and terracing, fountains and elevated pools, an enclosed espalier orchard and, most recently, an ornamental lake and collection of oak trees to complement a line of 80-year-old cork oaks.

Ian said the cork trees were planted at a time when Longwood and the surrounding area had a focus on vineyards for wine in the region.

Now these cork oaks provide a kind of central spine to the garden’s design.

The garden is a regular stop for many garden club tours and each year the garden’s magnifi cent cork oaks and pavilion provide the setting for the Euroa Health Long Lunch fundraiser. 

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