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When this Anglesea home last hit the market in 2017, the coastal property featured a run-down fibro beach shack and a collection of established eucalypts trees.
In owner Catherine Spillane’s words: ‘It was definitely a knock down [project], and something only a carpenter would buy — which made it feel perfect for us.’
It was only the second home Catherine and her partner Drew (a carpenter) looked at after deciding to make the sea-change from Melbourne to the Great Ocean Road. But they knew that the ‘large bushy block’ had plenty of potential for a new build.
‘The design phase began about a year after moving into the original home, and over a few years we continued to tweak things until we felt happy with our design,’ she says.
Then, during the pandemic, the old shack was demolished to make way for the light-filled and contemporary family home where Catherine and Drew have raised their children Wilbur and Percy over the last three years.
‘The build went really smoothly,’ Catherine adds. ‘We built during Covid so we were able to complete the project quite quickly, as we weren’t doing much else!’
Drawing inspiration from Australian bush modernism, the light-filled residence features textural brick walls, concrete flooring, and charred-timber cladding on the exterior.
Timber panels across the walls and ceiling fill the interiors with warmth, while the kitchen’s joyful green joinery is another standout feature.
Sustainable elements were also incorporated to ensure the home’s longevity and efficiency. The property operates using a solar system with a battery, contains electric hydronic heating, and is oriented north for optimum natural light.
And in addition to the heated pool, the tree-lined gardens, filled with visiting wildlife, remains one of the family’s favourite parts about the property.
Catherine says the house has been a delight. But with a new build on the horizon in the same neighbourhood, the cosy abode is now on the market for a new owner — just in time for summer!
40 McMahon Avenue, Anglesea, VIC 3230 is for sale with Marty Maher from Great Ocean Properties.
