Amphitheatre Vic 3468

This sanctuary has it all: abundant birdlife, views of distant mountains, neighbouring pasture-raised cattle and sheep, magnificent red gums marking Amphitheatre Creek, and a visiting wallaby.

Paradise is not out of your reach: Amphitheatre is 2 hours from Melbourne, nestled in the heart of the Pyrenees Ranges, renowned for its wineries (and award-winning shiraz), mountain bike trails, bushwalking and rolling farmland, and boasts a post office hub serving this close-knit farming community.

Ten minutes down the road is Avoca, a thriving town with primary school, supermarket, butcher, pub, mechanics, service station, wine and food events, and the splendid Chinese Garden and Riverside Market.

Within 30 minutes you’ll find Ararat, Beaufort and Maryborough all offering great restaurants, arts and cultural events, galleries, and a range of supermarkets. Highlights include the Chinese museum Gum San in Ararat, Beaufort’s Lake Goldsmith Steam Rally, and the grand railway station at Maryborough.

Only 50 minutes away pulses the historic goldfields city of Ballarat, full of all the cultural and multicultural experiences you’ll want, with numerous exciting bars, restaurants, art galleries, and retail outlets. Home of the Eureka Stockade, Sovereign Hill Mining Village, goldrush era architecture and a welcoming spirit, Ballarat is a wonderful regional city on your doorstep.

Burrum Larr comprises the original mudbrick farmhouse surrounded by established trees and gardens, with numerous outbuildings, and exudes loads of country charm. As you move along the tree-lined driveway, the cluster of buildings is slowly revealed, and the beauty and privacy of the property is immediately made clear. Sitting well above the meandering Amphitheatre Creek, where platypus have recently been seen, the property has been well-sited for safety and exquisite views. The history of Ethel’s Court starts in this farmhouse, where Ethel Walsh grew her family up amongst apple and cherry orchards. This property is ideally suited to working from home, creating a perfect work-life balance surrounded by nature.

The house is a unique treasure, welcoming you as soon as you enter. Consisting of 2 bedrooms and one bathroom, the focus is a spacious kitchen and dining area adjoining the living room. There is a large 2-roomed pantry and separate walk-in robe room.

The mudbrick laundry (once the room where the butter was churned) is adjacent to the kitchen and contains ample storage.

A second 2-storey mudbrick dwelling (once the apple cool-store) has been sensitively renovated to create a comfortable rustic retreat ideal for short or long stay rental. Views of the Pyrenees range greet you as you open the door. Downstairs is a cosy lounge room/dining room, with a well-appointed kitchenette, and a bathroom, while upstairs is an open-plan mezzanine bedroom sufficiently spacious to accommodate multiple beds as required.

There is a large vegetable garden and orchard (20+ trees including peach, apricot, cherry, apple, nectarine, walnut, almond), with a large greenhouse to extend your growing season, and a small shade house alongside. Compost bins and a worm farm complete the garden infrastructure. The property embraces permaculture values, and allows for your imagination to run wild with growing opportunities.

A very recently built light-filled artist’s studio – with attic storage – sits shaded by wattles and overlooks the food gardens and orchard, inspiring your creativity. The studio 9-star insulated, providing a perfect retreat in all seasons.

The two carports house 4 cars comfortably.

The building between the carports comprises a well-lit large office/ rumpus room with new reverse cycle air-conditioning unit and ceiling fan; a small insulated storeroom, ideally placed to allow quick packing of the car for holiday trips, or utilised as a wine cellar, with floor to ceiling shelving throughout; and a spacious workshop accessible from both carports with plenty of room for all sizes of projects.

A potting shed with long workbench and storage links the carports and adjoins the workshop. The chook house and enclosed yard comfortably accommodates up to 20 layers.

Please submit the property enquiry form to receive details to have all your questions answered, visit the property and buy.