"FOREST LODGE" Circa 1892.Presenting a peerless, Adelaide Hills 19th century summer residence, commissioned by John Bagot in 1890, with construction completed in 1892 under the watchful eye of builder Walter Torode.
The residence was designed by architect Ernst Bayer, with little to no alterations to its original and most splendid disposition, creating a delightful and gracious living environment in which to exist.
This historic family residence is perfectly sited within 16 acres (approx.) of the most glorious garden grounds including natural fauna, and is considered to be possibly one of the best gardens in the Adelaide Hills, in terms of the plant species on show and of course the many varieties of trees, a lot of which were sourced from around the world, including rare conifers, over one hundred years ago.
With deep pockets and no expense spared during construction and with painstaking attention to detail, including creating solid sandstone blocks quarried on site to ensure consistency of craftsmanship, the residence exudes quality and substance both internally and externally, standing proud for 130 years.
Forest Lodge has been beautifully maintained, which is testament to its current condition, with more recent refurbishment and maintenance carried out by the current (and only second) owners, including more recent, full electrical re-wiring and new plumbing to the meter.
Forest Lodge has not only been well maintained, but sympathetically and tastefully brought into more current living expectations of the market and the growing family, ensuring a most magical and comfortable living environment to enjoy with family and fortunate friends no matter what the changing seasons deliver.
With these exceptional gardens encompassing this historic mansion, the residents are able to draw in and fully appreciate this most botanic, serene and magical setting from every room in the home, and at the same time offering a sense of anonymity and privacy.
Within these glorious gardens are numerous and mesmerising pathways that have been in place for over 100 years, allowing for very easy access, so that one can fully appreciate the full extent of this magical and botanic setting.
One of the most attractive features of Forest Lodge is the enchanting, meandering driveway that leads to the residence, as it suddenly and mystically appears as you approach.
On entering the residence, you are greeted by one of the most spectacular and gracious reception hallways in South Australia, with an amazing spiralling timber staircase with three intricate levels of superb craftsmanship.
The estate showcases several gracious formal rooms, including a very generous bay-windowed drawing room with open fireplace, very high ceilings, polished boards and boasting breathtaking views over the croquet lawn and gardens beyond.
The adjacent and also gracious library is encompassed by beautiful timber panelled bookshelves, and offers stunning garden outlooks of the meandering driveway, and is comforted by a combustion heater, which is ideal during those colder months.
The bay-windowed formal dining room is simply superbly dignified, gracious in size and quite the showpiece for those more formal occasions and conveys a feeling of historic grandeur of a more bygone era, and is ideally positioned adjacent to the modern kitchen.
The more casual living areas of the home are several and provide well for more day to day living enjoyment for the busy family, including a most stunning stone-clad, chateau-style central courtyard which is ideal for those more intimate outdoor occasions.
The more recently renovated, light-filled, country style kitchen is surrounded by two more informal living areas, including the large family room with combustion heater and the adjacent meals room, which is ideal for breakfast, lunch or dinner on a more casual basis.
A very generous butlers' kitchen is particularly handy when entertaining on a larger scale and takes a lot of the pressure off the main work area, with both the kitchen and the butler's pantry also opening to the delightful courtyard area.
Adjacent to these more informal living areas is the very large and self-sufficient outbuilding, garden room with kitchen and combustion heater.
This historic detached stone outbuilding is a very versatile and light-filled entertaining area, which would be perfect for those special occasions, whether it be for the adults or children's parties and enjoys beautiful garden views.
Accommodation is on the upper level and is naturally generous, with up to eight bedrooms if so desired.
The bay-windowed master bedroom is of gallery proportions, and features a walk-in robe, open fireplace and offers some of the most spectacular and elevated views over this very private estate.
An adjoining and generous dressing room (also with glorious and elevated botanic views) is of great added value.
Bedrooms 2 through 5 are also of generous
