RTM
Connecting people and communities
Tuesday, 2 February, 2016 Page 9
mail.starcommunity.com.au
2 FEBRUARY 2016
STILL IN ITS GLORY DAYS THE first glimpse of the home and estate at ‘Rockley’ is seen through white English hunting gates commissioned especially for the property. In among the Edna Walling style gardens, you will discover a grand yet gracious, twostorey weatherboard home, with five bedrooms, two bathrooms and four separate living areas. This superb corner block offers total privacy being fully fenced and bordered by two quiet roads. It is both secluded and serene. The home respects the past and embraces design elements of today. Pressed metal ceilings and doors salvaged from the theatre
at Kamesburgh gardens in Brighton, anchor the most recent renovation encapturing beauty and balance. There is even a cellar hidden behind a secret doorway on the stair well, an inviting delight for the enthusiast. There is a white on white theme throughout, with original baltic floorboards, providing easy, functional living. Duel access driveways provide winding tours of the garden, where 100-year-old oaks and cops of silver birch calm the senses before settling into the graceful and majestic home. A ferny, winter creek adds to the ambiance of the garden. Numerous sheds on the property offer a wide range of options, but the studio made
of mini-ripple iron in a version of Monet green and smothered in white roses, is a picture in itself. ‘Rockley’ began its days as a simple miner’s cottage at the turn of the century but soon became the focal point for horse and carts travelling on dirt roads up to Mount Dandenong. As the original coach stop serving afternoon teas for refreshments, this absolutely glorious residence is steeped in history. It’s little wonder the home oozes natural warmth. During the 1930s, a major renovation began Rockleys grand and classic journey. With the true elegance of the era, high ceilings indulgent with detailed art deco
PROPERTY OF THE WEEK
features, the mood was created. Two open fireplaces capture the cosiness of home, while heritage detailing is abundant. The impressive turned posts on grand balconies lord over the estate and frame a place of days gone by when the piano was rolled out onto the balcony and music drifted down to all those enjoying the romantic gardens beneath. Rockley has provided a loving haven for the current family whose babies are now well and truly grown up. They wish to see this glorious home passed on to another guardian who will appreciate beauty and value the creature comforts of life.
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Montrose Inspect: By appointment Price: $980,000 plus Contact: Corinne Sukroo, 0419 805 915 and Ryan Bell, 0417 052 297 BELL REAL ESTATE, OLINDA, 9751 2375