Kinglake: ‘House of Bottles', made from 13,569 bottles, awaits a new owner
It's a real corker – an eye-catching building made from more than 13,000 bottles is for sale in Kinglake.
Known as the House of Bottles, the quirky property at 8 Parkland Rd has a $680,000-$730,000 asking range.
The 2200sq m site is also home to a 5000-bottle windmill, plenty of unusual memorabilia, a separate four-bedroom house, tearoom and toilet block.
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Noble Knight Real Estate's Anthony Knight, who has the listing alongside colleague Megan Tiberi, said the address was formerly operated as a museum and cafe.
Dutch immigrant Joseph Eykenbaum used 13,569 bottles to build the structure in 1969, with the windmill added in 1972.
Two decades later, prolific rock and mineral collectors Les and Muriel Gray purchased the address.
After Mr Gray retired from the Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade (now Fire Rescue Victoria), the couple bought the museum so the public could enjoy their treasure trove of rocks, minerals, fossils and gemstones.
There's a total of 13,569 bottles incorporated into the House of Bottles. Picture: David Caird.
Noble Knight Real Estate's Megan Tiberi with one of the many bottles on display inside the former museum. Picture: David Caird.
The property formerly operated as a museum and tearooms. Picture: David Caird
They added 58 million-year-old fossils, a Tyrannosaurid dinosaur claw and metamorphised volcanic ash to the historic bottles on display, some which back to the 1850s.
Mr Knight said the House of Bottles itself was not actually a residence but more of a display space that looked like a small church, complete with bottle light fittings.
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'I think it was a local icon back in its glory days,' he said.
'It is just very unique, different and quirky at the same time- it's something where you could utilise the existing set-up to support some kind of business.'
There's a separate four-bedroom house on site.
The windmill was added in the 1970s. Picture: David Caird.
There's even bottle light fittings. Picture: David Caird.
Inside the cafe building.
Most buyers have been potential owner-occupiers with some looking to open a cafe or run short-term rental accommodation.
Some of the museum's items have been sold to collectors but those that remain will be available to purchase.
The main home has two bathrooms and an open-plan living area with a wood fire, plus there's a double carport and double garage.
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