Grandeur up for grabs
After 109 years, family to part with historic Teesdale property
THE historic Teesdale property Woolbrook has hit the market after being held in the same family for more than a century.
With price hopes in excess of $24 million, this is a rare opportunity for someone to secure one of Victoria’s oldest and most renowned farming properties.
Vendor Andrew Morrison is the fourth generation to run the 1803ha property at 704 Teesdale-Inverleigh Rd.
He said the time had come to sell the family property but he was looking forward to the next chapter.
“Of course it will be sad to leave the house after so much history has been made here,” he said.
Mr Morrison and his four children are planning on staying in the Geelong region and perhaps even having a sea-change.
The heart of the sprawling property is the bluestone homestead.
Mr Morrison said there had been renovations and extensions to the property over the years which brought it into the 21st century while retaining the original style.
Richardson, Newtown agent Ken McDonald is selling the property in conjunction with CBRE.
Mr McDonald said it was rare to find a property of that size so close to Geelong and Melbourne.
“It provides a combination of land bank, a large-scale farm and some potential for residential development in parts of it,” he said.
Woolbrook adjoins the Teesdale township and comprises 11 certificates of title. It is currently used as a mixed farm.
There is future development and subdivision potential, subject to council approval, given the property’s position to the Teesdale township, which is a low density residential zone.
The property also contains the historic five-bedroom bluestone homestead set within established gardens, plus a tennis court and in-ground swimming pool.
The property dates back to 1837 when the pastoral run lease was held by the Learmonth brothers, but it changed hands several times during the 1840s and 1850s.
By 1856 the lessee was John Bell, a Shire of Leigh councillor from 1862 until his death in 1877.
In 1857 he built the original wing for his brother James.
Pastoralist, Red Cross director and sportsman Frederick Fairbairn was the next owner of Woolbrook.
In 1901 he built a huge two-storey addition to the original homestead, designed in the Federation style by architects W.A. Tombs and James Durran.
The extension burnt down in 1906 and was soon rebuilt in a California bungalow style, while the original wing survived the fire.
The Morrison family bought Woolbrook in 1909.
The outstanding opportunity is being offered for sale in one line or as separate lots via an expressions of interest campaign closing Friday, November 9 at 4pm.