114-118 Stirling Road Metung Vic 3904

Meet ‘Gwandoban’ so perfectly named as it means ‘rest’ in the language of the Kurnai tribes of Gippsland. A very rare Gippsland Lakes property of 1.49HA with a hilltop character house at the end of a long driveway in the heart of the Metung peninsula.

Uninterrupted magnificent lake and mountain views open up at the top of the driveway from the house and surrounding lush lawns and terraces to the Victorian Alps to the north and across Bancroft Bay and Bass Strait to the east that can never be built out.

Over the past 40 years the current and previous owners have created a tranquil sanctuary and lifestyle retreat at this property which has Land for Wildlife registration.

What we love about the house is its originality and rural charm. How refreshing to visit a house that is of its time that has been respected. The comfortable house was built in the late 70s to suit the site and climate and its amenities and comforts have been regularly updated by the current owners who have used it as a holiday and weekend retreat. It has never been rented out but has been loaned to writers and artists as a tranquil place to create surrounded by nature.

Over almost 20 years, it became the perfect getaway, cosy living and great outdoor spaces for relaxing. Just like them, we appreciate its quirkiness and simplicity, it is loved and well maintained.

We have seen many a cork floor over the years, but this property has quite stunning cork walls as you can see in the study and hall. The owners have retained them for their acoustic qualities and originality.

The house with its traditional verandahs that provide shade and shelter has timber lined ceilings, all the up-to-date conveniences and two Velux skylights (facing east and south) with in-built adjustable blinds in the living areas that flood those areas with natural light. In slab electric heating in 2 zones with thermostats, reverse cycle heater and air-conditioning in the living room, a Clean –Air wood burner fireplace, new Noirot electric panel heaters in bedroom 1 and 2, and ceiling fans in all bedrooms, living/dining room and studio. All bedrooms have walk in robes, a very unusual feature allowing for a lot of extra storage. The master bedroom has an adjacent room that can also be used as retreat/study and has an en-suite. There is a spacious renovated family bathroom and recently refurbished laundry.

Recently the owners commissioned an architect to prepare plans to expand the house. They are happy to share with you their architect’s adaptable and scalable concept floor plans for an extension to match the fantastic location to review. As their family has grown up and moved overseas they now want to pass this unique property to others to appreciate and enjoy, in the same way that it was passed to them.

The Gippsland Lakes has a wonderful climate with mild winters. The well insulated house was carefully sited and constructed to be naturally warm in winter and cool in summer, with its northerly and easterly aspects capturing the cooling easterly sea breezes in summer and sheltered from the south westerly winds.

The hill top location enable the occupants to watch the morning sea mists roll in from Bass Strait over the tree top and the clouds hanging in the valleys to the north. As well as watching the magnificent dawn colours as the sun rises over the sea.

It’s lovely inside/outside living with bedrooms 1 and 2 and living areas having water, treetop and bushland views. The master bedroom has its own direct access to the garden, terrace, deck and spa.

The Vortex Xenon 8 person spa is recessed into a large deck with glass safety fence built 7 years ago that provides totally joyful experiences out to the sky, the sea, the bush. The owners use it all year round.

The house is perfect for working from home on a full or part-time basis. It has NBN connected, excellent mobile coverage. There is also excellent TV reception and TV aerial points throughout. Whilst there are home office and working spaces within the house, the current design of the two “studios” could be converted for this purpose or have a bathroom added for use as a rentable apartment. Its separation from the home on the other side of the carport section works well for easy access and separate parking for visitors or clients.

The well-maintained garden and surrounds have a mix of native vegetation and lawn areas including a fenced and irrigated vegetable garden/orchard. Growing fruit and vegetables here has been a passion of the previous owners with a wonderful north facing slope. The veggie garden has produced copious crops of zucchini, tomatoes, fava beans, eggplant, corn, potatoes and herbs over many years. In recent times the fruit trees have produced large crops of nectarines and peaches and there are also lemon, grapefruit, cumquat and apple trees producing seasonal fruit as well as a grove of olive trees.

On a lower section of the land in the area perfect for children exploring, the odd game of footy or cricket, additional fruit and nut trees and vines could also be grown.

It has undercover drive-through parking for up to 4 cars and boats, as well as a large shed (10m x 5m) and workshop with concrete floor for hobbies or craft occupations or for additional storage of a large boat and trailer or caravan. It includes built in work benches and shelving with spotlights and fluorescent lights and power.

The property has town water and sewerage. Also ideal to install a photovoltaic system on the north and west facing roofs for excellent solar electricity.

How nice is to be able to walk everywhere. The Metung Primary School is a 5 minute walk (180m) from the front gate. The town itself is a leisurely 10-minute stroll to Metung Village with a variety of routes there and back along the Lake King beaches, the Bancroft Bay boardwalk or down Stirling Road. The Metung bush reserve with its varied walking trails that can lead to the property is almost next door.

Metung is a delightful waterfront village with excellent cafes, cake shops and deli, a bakery and a historic pub as well as a post office and general store.

Bairnsdale, 20 minutes away has all professional services and is the major regional town servicing north east Victoria.

This is the perfect property for those in to boating, fishing, sailing, caravans with sheds and carports and is also highly adaptable for creative pursuits.

Enjoying the birds and native animals from all the surrounding bushland is another gorgeous feature.

As the eastern boundary of the property is currently not fenced, there is access along the boundary track from the nearby bush reserve to the property’s lower eastern grasses, and a wildlife corridor has been established down the northern boundary to the native bush areas of the property where native Hyacinth Orchids appear in summer. From the deck and terraces hawks and pelicans are regularly watched gliding on the thermals over the eastern part of the property.

Echidnas regularly visit the house surrounds and blue tongue lizards explore the veggie garden and sugar gliders are in the grove of remnant grey box near the house.

Birds that visit are Crimson Rosellas, Eastern Rosellas, King parrots , Lorikeets, Owls, Fairy Wrens, Magpies, Kookaburras, Galahs and Wattle birds Honeyeaters as well as the occasional heron.

This is a beautiful and peaceful retreat which offers huge opportunities to capitalise on the house and large landholding STCA in this much loved East Gippsland village with its boating and eco-tourism attractions.

It lends itself not only to owner occupation but also as a lifestyle eco-tourist accommodation for investment and perhaps the addition of additional accomodation subject to planning permission.

Please visit our website to see the ecoproperty® Guide to this property or submit the property inquiry form to request it.

There is the further opportunity to purchase a 10 metre berth on a multi-year lease at nearby Chinaman’s Creek subject to Council approval – terms to be advised, or it may be included depending on terms of sale.

Inspections available by private appointment.