Best of town and country

More than 25 species of birds live around the lagoon adjacent to this home in Bolwarra Heights – and yes, there are some chickens too.

Close your eyes and imagine sipping your first cup of coffee on the verandah while watching the birds on the lagoon, then breakfast with eggs from your own chooks or maybe some granola with pecans and macademias from your very own orchard. Sounds like a heavenly but probably pretty remote place? Well, this five bedroom/four 1/2 bathroom nature haven on 6.7 acres is in Bolwarra Heights, just a short drive from Maitland or Morpeth. Homeowners Jody and Jason bought the property in early 2014 because they recognized the potential of what then was a house that felt too small for the sizeable plot it was sitting on. “People are often surprised when they realize where we live,” says Jody, “because the house can’t be seen from the road, few people know there is even a house here.” Jody and Jason are experienced renovators and this house is their fourth project. They know what buyers want and have made sure to tick all the boxes, whether it’s the versatile, generous floor plan, the neutral colour scheme, the breathtaking outdoor space, the new, custom kitchen with butler’s pantry or the fact that most bedrooms and living spaces have access to the bullnose verandah. “The best decision we made was to do it all properly,” says Jody. “Driving up to the original house, you wouldn’t even know where the front door was. And it was simply too small for this plot. We completely reworked the floor plan and knocked down plenty of walls. We added the swimming pool and the oversized two-car garage now has direct access to the house.”
Read more in Edition of Hunter&Coastal Lifestyle Magazine
Story: Cornelia Schulze
Photography: courtesy of PRD Hunter Valley