A PIECE of Victoria's grand history has hit the market at Mildura.

The Bungalow, a Queen Anne-style homestead overlooking the Murray River, was built in 1890 as a sister property to the city's most famous abode, Rio Vista, a grand double-storey mansion erected by the city's founder, William Chaffey.

    THE BUNGALOW
  • MILDURA
  • Property: lifestyle/commercial
  • Size: 2000sqm
  • Price: $790,000-$840,000
  • Agent: Barry Plant Mildura
  • Contact: Brian Erskine, 0419 127 993

While Rio Vista now serves handsomely as the Mildura Arts Centre, The Bungalow remains a grand private residence and has been fully restored to its former glory.

Occupying two titles and shaded by a 100-year-old Moreton Bay fig, probably planted by a Chaffey family member, The Bungalow boasts all the trimmings of its era: Murray Pine wall linings, Kauri folding doors, coffered timber ceilings, deep architraves and skirtings and stained glass windows.

The Bungalow stands on land once owned by Emma Chaffey, who sold part of it to Launcelot Conway-Gordon, then the director-general of railways in India.

He married the daughter of Richard Speight (senior), who held the position of chief commissioner for the Victorian Railways from 1883 to 1892.

Shortly after The Bungalow was built, the railway from Melbourne was extended to Mildura, lending credibility to the theory that the building may have been intended as a terminus meeting place.

However, while the influence of the railway industry is evident in many design features, it's most commonly believed that The Bungalow was always intended as a private residence.

The heritage-listed property has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, new country-style kitchen, wine cellar with fire place and over-garage office space which could be used as a home office or studio.

It stands proud as one of the city's few remaining residential properties that stood when paddle-steamers hauled timber, not tourists.