A once-in-a-generation chance to secure a slice of Colac's history presents itself with Airdrie, a landmark Victorian Italianate homestead rich in grandeur. The substantial circa 1890 home just a short walk from Lake Colac has been painstakingly restored to its former glory and updated with all the modern comforts.
Privately set amid a total of 5536m2 of established gardens and lush lawns, the property is comprised of 2 titles of approximately 4,824m2 and 712m2, with further sub-division potential of the larger lot. (STCA)
The four-bedroom, two-bathroom homestead is designed on a grand scale with soaring ceilings, decorative cornices, original Baltic pine floorboards, bay windows and marble fireplaces among its many character features.
You'll feel transported back in time from the minute you step past decorative urns onto the front veranda that evokes another era with its Chantilly lacework and beautiful leadlight windows. No effort has been spared in bringing all the original details back to life and sourcing authentic Victorian-era fixtures from across the country to replace those beyond repair.
Once the domain of Polwarth politician John Glass Johnstone, Airdrie still holds appeal as a modern-day family home thanks to its generous rooms and flexible layout. Multiple formal and informal living areas are perfect for both for entertaining or simply unwinding with a cuppa while enjoying the garden views.
Perhaps the grandest of them all is the ornate central lounge room, with a marble fireplace, bay window and remarkable hand-painted ceiling. The attention to detail continues in the adjoining conservatory. It's been carefully realigned and restored to have you dreaming of summer garden parties.
As well as a formal dining room with access to a covered deck for outdoor entertaining, the rear of the house has been extended to create a more relaxed open-plan kitchen, meals and living space. Garden views through arched windows and French doors are a highlight of this addition, which features granite benchtops, a Miele electric oven, gas cooktop and a dishwasher.
A study off the entrance hall is ideal for those working from home, while most of the bedrooms are tucked away in a separate wing. The opulent master has its own bay window, an open fireplace with a marble mantelpiece and a walk-in wardrobe.
The family bathroom features tessellated tiles, a claw-foot bath and shower and is complemented by a handy second bathroom off the rear living space. A former hat box room has also been converted into a powder room.
Other modern comforts include hydronic heating, split system heating and cooling in the master bedroom, an alarm system and a pull down ladder to access attic storage space.
Outside the accommodation continues in the charming stable and coach house building, which has been renovated to provide garaging, and a refurbished loft accessed via external stairs to a balcony. Additionally, there is a detached studio in the rear courtyard.
It's easy to imagine hosting a wedding on the lawns of the property where the established feel invites you to lounge by the grass tennis court or under the shade of a decorative arbour. A circular driveway, complete with new fountain set behind the heritage front fence, is the icing on the cake.
