Built by John Henderson, a renowned Master Builder, “Monterey” is an award-winning home that is an idyllic, yet practical family residence in the heart of Byron Bay’s charming Hinterland region. The impressive one-kilometre drive into the 50-acre estate conveys a sense of arrival and an ambience of perfect peace and privacy. The elevated, master-built home with its ceilings of up to 4.5 metres high, its generously proportioned living rooms and wide verandahs were designed to capture the sweeping views and the dramatic sunrises and sunsets.
The 12-year-old timber house features 3 wings, with a total of 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, plus several spacious internal and external living spaces. The superior craftsmanship is evident in the timber finishes throughout the home, including the rosewood windows and doors, the detailed ceilings and wood panelling that emphasize the country charm of a well-built timber home.
The home features a spacious, light-filled contemporary kitchen, with quality finishes and European appliances including a Smeg oven, gas stovetop, Corian benchtops, an Asko Dishwasher and a walk-in pantry. Leading off from the kitchen is a spacious, all-weather sunroom that flows out to the exterior with bifold glass doors bringing the spectacular surroundings inside. The southern wing leads to the guest bedrooms, a large bathroom and laundry, with the eastern wing providing the master bedroom suite with ensuite and dressing room, plus a separate guest or child’s bedroom.
The upper-level space with windows on every side provides expansive views across the hinterlands to the ocean. This “eagles nest” space could be used for an impressive yoga studio, an office or a teenagers’ retreat. The lower level features a secure basement with plenty of storage, plus an internal double garage and a wine cellar – all with internal access.
The house benefits from several, cleverly designed eco-features, including 14 solar panels, plus living spaces devised for year-round comfort with minimal energy expenditure. The cross ventilation captures the fresh sea breezes during the warmer months and in the cooler months, there is a large pot-belly stove that heats the dining and living rooms, while the west-facing cosy den / library is warmed by the winter afternoon sun.
The 50 acres (20 hectare) property has been laboriously de-rocked and regenerated over many years, with plantings of 2,000 native variety trees including Silky Oak, Cedar, Bunya Pines and other varieties. A charming lake has been created from the natural springs that is an ideal spot for swimming and picnic gatherings.
The paddocks are fully fenced and would be ideal for horses or cattle or maintained as pristine parklands. Importantly, there is plenty of water on the “Monterey” estate. The spring fed dam leads to a waterfall and creek frontage, plus there is water storage under the house with three filtration systems, including a Puretec Hybrid filter that removes all bacteria from the water. There is also a 100,000-litre agricultural header tank, with this water able to be pumped to the house gardens, plus there is an automated garden watering system.
There is also a huge, maintenance shed with 14 solar panels that supply energy to both the main house and shed. The concrete floored shed and attached carport are 12x 6m each, housing up to 5 vehicles, or farm vehicles / farm maintenance equipment. To add to the energy and water security of the property, the shed has an additional 9000L water tank for back-up supply to the house, plus the shed also is connected to mains power.
Location
“Monterey” is located 5 minutes to the M1, an easy 7 minutes to the charming Hinterland village of Bangalow, a scenic 10-minute drive to the world-famous beaches of Byron Bay and 15 minutes to the iconic fishing village of Brunswick Heads. The Ballina-Byron Airport is a 25-minute drive and the Gold Coast International Airport is an easy 35 minutes’ drive.
