‘Bollitree’ is the culmination of a two-decade journey to create a truly enduring country residence; it is a collaboration between architect Russell Barrett and celebrated landscape designer Paul Bangay on ideal acreage in the dress circle of Red Hill South on 13 acres (approx).
With the ideal northern orientation on the preferred side of Point Leo Road, the property enjoys abundant sunlight year-round, natural protection from prevailing southerly winds creating a warm, sheltered micro‑climate.
Completed in 2008, the single‑level five-bedroom residence by Russell Barrett is designed for relaxed modern living, with thoughtful separation between family and guests and garden connections from every room. Free flowing living and entertaining zones seamlessly open to deep decks and level lawns. Everyday life spills outdoors; relax in a quiet nook, share long lunches under the trees, play games on the Oak Lawn, relish lazy afternoons by the pool, enjoy a hit of tennis or jump on the in-ground trampoline, the options are endless.
Framed by a dry-stone granite entry, the arrival sequence sets the tone for the property’s botanical experience. The sweeping lawns of Santa Ana couch, the same couch favoured for tennis courts, croquet lawns and golf fairways, create a lush barefoot friendly canvas linking each of Bangay’s famed ‘garden rooms’. The owners’ philosophy of treating the turf as a centrally important aspect of the garden permeates throughout. Manchurian pears line the driveway, with groupings of pin oaks, a liquidambar and a burgeoning Bunya pine enhancing the sense of established country peacefulness.
Closer to the residence, richly textured plantings deliver colour, fragrance and habitat for small birdlife year-round. An avenue of Chinese crabapples and buxus spheres lead to the southern pavilion, while a pond garden sits nestled on the south side offering a quiet and protected retreat.
Purpose designed recreation zones are expertly stitched into the landscape, with uninterrupted rural views and an expansive skyscape. A pair of generous stone stairs lead from the house lawns to the Oak Lawn, a perfectly level field beneath the mature English oaks. Further north, a substantial turf batter descends to the tennis court level, where your game is protected from the wind and is surrounded by paddocks, kookaburras, alpacas and mown turf. A heated 15m pool is wrapped in soft lawns and framed by Bangay’s signature Plane trees, creating a relaxed resort feel that is unmistakably Mornington Peninsula.
Water security and landscape stewardship are defining features of ‘Bollitree’. A spring‑fed creek supplies one of two large dams from which a sophisticated water reticulation and irrigation system ensure the extensive lawns and garden beds are maintained to a high standard while responding intelligently to current and forecast weather conditions.
Complemented by carefully engineered drainage, swales and a lightly managed riparian zone of native tree ferns along the creek, the property demonstrates a rare level of environmental guardianship and long‑term thinking.
Beyond the curated 1.5 acre house and garden envelope are three fenced paddocks, a classic Australian eucalypt forest and open clearings that offer scope for hobby farming, grazing or simply nature walking whilst enjoying the changing light across the valley and northern ridge line. Sheltered from adjacent properties, ‘Bollitree’ offers an unsurpassed sanctuary of privacy and calm.
Perfectly positioned within easy reach of Point Leo with its Surf Life Saving and Boat clubs, Shoreham, Red Hill village, and acclaimed wineries and restaurants, this is a rare opportunity to secure a fully realised country estate where architecture, landscape and engaging family lifestyle are in complete harmony on one of the Mornington Peninsula’s most tightly held ridgelines.
