MANY people would not know where Red Gate is.
However, they would be familiar with the township of Alexandra, the name of the town which superceded it.- SUMMERVIEW
- ALEXANDRA, VICTORIA
- Property: lifestyle
- Size: 1.6ha
- Auction: May 2, noon
- Price: $600,000-plus
- Agent: Pat Rice & Hawkins, Melbourne
- Contact: (03)98665588
Summerview at Alexandra is one of the oldest houses in the district - and was built in the 1850s during the gold rush era when the area was known as Red Gate.
It was well-sited at the junction of two waterways - the Goulburn River and UT Creek.
Bub and Bill Kelly bought the beautiful Summerview 21 years ago, which sits comfortably on 1.6ha, plus river and adjoining creek reserves.
"We both work nearby, so it was really a great spot for us. And it's not too much land for us to manage," Bub said.
"It really is a beautiful spot. But what really attracted us to the place was the water.
"You really wouldn't find a spot like it these days."
Renovating the old weatherboard house, and finding out exactly what was below the red lino and under the layers of paint was all part of the fun for Bub.
"It is very sound structurally, and we basically just stripped the place back, and found magnificent baltic pine floorboards and lovely doors," Bub said.
"We re-roofed, re-wired, re-carpeted, renovated the bathroom and re-did the kitchen. About the only thing we didn't need to do was re-stump the house, as it was on such sound (foundations)."
The house has three bedrooms, a formal entry, formal dining room, sitting room, breakfast room as well as a study or office.
The original wine cellar is also still well used, Bub said.
There are six original fireplaces, two with built-in wood fires and the remainder unused.
"The garden has really been my relaxing time," Bub said.
"There was absolutely no garden whatsoever, or a wood shed.
"There were four oleanders, a walnut tree and a mulberry tree. Now I have oaks, natives, silver birches and elms."
The property draws a two-megalitre stock and domestic water allocation from the Goulburn River. There are two, 22,700-litre tanks on the hill which gravity-feed water to the house and garden.
"We re-roofed, re-wired, re-carpeted, renovated the bathroom and re-did the kitchen. About the only thing we didn't need to do was re-stump the house, as it was on such sound (foundations).''
The house has three bedrooms, a formal entry, formal dining room, sitting room, breakfast room as well as a study or office.
The original wine cellar is also still well used, Bub said.
There are six original fireplaces, two with built-in wood fires and the remainder unused.
"The garden has really been my relaxing time,'' Bub said.
"There was absolutely no garden whatsoever, or a wood shed.
"There were four oleanders, a walnut tree and a mulberry tree. Now I have oaks, natives, silver birches and elms.''
The property draws a two-megalitre stock and domestic water allocation from the Goulburn River. There are two, 22,700-litre tanks on the hill which gravity-feed water to the house and garden.
