A slice of the English countryside in the Macedon Ranges: Why this breathtaking 173-year-old estate is charming all who set foot inside
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A leafy estate that looks like something from the English countryside is catching the attention of many thanks to its dreamy, old-world charm.
The characterful bluestone Sunbury Lodge is located in the small town of Kyneton in the picturesque Macedon Ranges, just over an hour northwest of Melbourne.
The 16 acre estate includes two houses, a stable and six paddocks with some of the beautiful Georgian style buildings dating back to the 1850s.
Stepping through the blue front door of the main house is like traveling back in time with exposed cobblestone walls, original fireplaces, vaulted ceilings and period furnishings.
Upstairs there are two bedrooms and an ensuite bathroom and an extension is connected to the original house by a light-filled glass atrium.
Behind the blue front door of the vineyard-covered estate in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges lies a historic home where modern luxury meets historic charm
The 16 acre estate includes two houses, a stable and six paddocks with some of the beautiful Georgian style buildings dating back to the 1850s.
Stepping through the blue front door of the main house is like traveling back in time with exposed cobbled stone walls, original fireplaces, vaulted ceilings and period furnishings
Although it is equipped with modern luxuries, many historical quirks remain. In each building, guests may notice loopholes added during the lodge’s original construction
The dining room overlooks the magically manicured English gardens and the second living room is heated by a roaring fireplace.
A gray stone coach house is decorated inside with rich wood and houses a billiards room, a lounge, a sitting room, a bedroom and two small bathrooms, one of which has a luxurious freestanding bath.
Although it is equipped with modern luxuries, many historical quirks remain. In each building, guests may notice loopholes added during the lodge’s original construction.
Migrant and farmer Joseph Hall built the lodge in 1851 after moving with his family from Cumbria, Britain, and provided loopholes to avoid the window tax then active in England.
Not only did Australia not have a window tax, but it was abolished in Britain the same year Hall emigrated. The family later claimed that the openings were actually air vents.
Upstairs there are two bedrooms and an ensuite bathroom and an extension is connected to the original house by a light-filled glass atrium
A gray stone coach house is decorated inside with rich wood and houses a billiards room, a lounge, a sitting room, a bedroom and two small bathrooms, one of which has a luxurious freestanding bath.
The stately grounds also have beautiful gardens shaded by centuries-old trees, as well as a horse stable, agricultural machinery shop, dam and a range of extensive meadows.
Owner Gordon and his wife bought Sunbury Lodge 12 years ago after instantly falling in love with it. He said possums like to sleep in the old gun windows and suspected stagecoaches on their way to the nearby gold fields stopped at the barn.
The stately grounds also have beautiful gardens shaded by centuries-old trees, as well as a horse stable, agricultural machinery shop, dam and a range of extensive meadows.
Owner Gordon and his wife bought Sunbury Lodge 12 years ago after instantly falling in love with it.
He told real estate.com.au local possums like to sleep in the old gun holes and suspected stagecoaches stopped at the barn on their way to the nearby gold fields.
The pair have now put the lodge on the market with a price estimate of $3 million – $3.3 million.
Broadhurst Property Kyneton director Robert Broadhurst told FEMAIL that interest in Sunbury Lodge has been ‘steady’, with a handful of potential buyers attending the open inspections.