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Herald Sun
2 hours ago
- Herald Sun
Stunning Buninyong home hits market
Ballantrae, a gothic revival homestead built in 1857, is set on five acres just outside the rural township of Buninyong, near Ballarat. Despite its nearly two-century-long age, the 7208 Midland Highway home has only ever had four owners. 'The family that built the house went bankrupt building the house, and so they only owned the house for two years. 'The next family owned the house for 140 years, then the family we bought it off, owned the house for about 40 years,' the vendor says. MORE: 'Shocked': Fawkner house lands massive deal Prankster's bizarre move to speed up Melb auction Stunning Melb home will have buyers buzzing The vendors stumbled across the home by accident when viewing a vacant lot next door. 'We were going to build a new house on that lot, but it had flooding issues, so the owner invited me to his house to have a discussion, and on arrival, we got talking about his house, which he thought maybe I should buy that instead,' the vendor says. 'On seeing it for the first time without even going inside, I agreed to buy the house. It has so much character and hasn't been touched for nearly 40 years.' The vendor says his experience as a builder not only allowed him to see the potential, but it also assisted during the renovation process, which included painting, retiling, and rewiring. 'In principle, we left the bones of the house and made it more modern with our style, but certainly kept the history and heritage of the house,' the vendor says. These renovations created a sophisticated blend of period features, including open fireplaces, a wine cellar, and the home's striking facade and modern comfort, including high-end appliances and fixtures. Based at the foot of Mount Buninyong, the home also encompasses its natural surroundings. 'The rear of the house faces north, so we have tried to make all the rooms at the rear of the house have a view of the park, as I call it, to the rear of the property,' says the vendor. 'This includes the kitchen, meals area, a deck, and a bathroom, where you can sit in the bath and open the windows, and really feel part of nature. The park is a very private space, so you feel part of it in all of these rooms.' Outside, the property features expansive grounds and shedding, allowing opportunity for a hobby farm or space simply to enjoy. 'There are five heritage-listed trees on the property, so just to walk around the garden at dusk, it's beautiful,' says the vendor. 'We often go for a quiet walk after dinner and just enjoy the energy of the trees; they are quite magnificent. Recently, we rebuilt a small dam/pond, and seeing the ducks returning to the property is rewarding.' Buxton Ballarat's Mark Nunn has the home listed for sale with a $2.45m-$2.65m asking price via private treaty. Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox. MORE: New horizons for Highett home with a prison cell Vic 'spaceship' cabin takes top gong Shock list of Melb's most sold suburbs
Sydney Morning Herald
3 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Victorian shellfish farmers mussel into more water in Port Phillip Bay
Wiffen started mussel farming on three hectares of water in 1986 and now farms about 200 hectares together with his son Shane. He said his operation harvests an average of 20 tonnes of mussels a week with the shellfish growing on ropes stretching a total of 300 kilometres. Wiffen said the reputation of mussels from Portarlington, where his business is based, was growing steadily. 'Portarlington mussels are now known around Australia and some parts of the world.' He is also using some of the new water allocation to grow native angasi oysters, which were all but dredged out of existence in Victoria during the 1800s and early 1900s. Wiffen described angasi oysters as more flavoursome, firm and less creamy than other varieties. 'They've got more substance to them,' he said. 'They've got more of a lingering flavour.' Victorian-grown mussels are exported to markets across Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan and the Philippines, as well as to the Maldives. State government officials believe the expanded farming area will help that export industry grow. Minister for Outdoor Recreation Steve Dimopoulos said Port Phillip's blue mussels were among the best in the world. 'Mussels are healthy, versatile and can be packaged in a variety of ways,' he said. 'That means you can pick them up at supermarket delis or your local fishmonger, and they remain fresh, delicious and affordable for Victorian families.' Seafood Industry Australia chief executive Veronica Papacosta described oyster and mussel farming as 'regenerative aquaculture' that benefited the marine environment. She said Victoria's seafood market could increase tourism particularly among visitors who wanted to feast on fresh produce by the water. Port Phillip Bay ecology expert John Ford said historic oyster and scallop dredging had destroyed much of Port Phillip Bay's hard surfaces beneath the water, resulting in vast quantities of silt on the sea floor. 'It's a very changed environment and will require human intervention to get anywhere near where it used to be,' he said. Ford said mussels and oysters acted as cleaners in the marine environment, helping to filter out nutrients introduced by humans into the water.
The Age
3 hours ago
- The Age
Shellfish farming to be expanded in Port Phillip Bay in Victoria
Wiffen started mussel farming on three hectares of water in 1986 and now farms about 200 hectares together with his son Shane. He said his operation harvests an average of 20 tonnes of mussels a week with the shellfish growing on ropes stretching a total of 300 kilometres. Wiffen said the reputation of mussels from Portarlington, where his business is based, was growing steadily. 'Portarlington mussels are now known around Australia and some parts of the world.' Angasi oysters which Lance and Shane Wiffen are now growing. Credit: Jason South He is also using some of the new water allocation to grow native angasi oysters, which were all but dredged out of existence in Victoria during the 1800s and early 1900s. Wiffen described angasi oysters as more flavoursome, firm and less creamy than other varieties. 'They've got more substance to them,' he said. 'They've got more of a lingering flavour.' Victorian-grown mussels are exported to markets across Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan and the Philippines, as well as to the Maldives. State government officials believe the expanded farming area will help that export industry grow. A worker with a fresh mussel haul. Credit: Jason South Minister for Outdoor Recreation Steve Dimopoulos said Port Phillip's blue mussels were among the best in the world. 'Mussels are healthy, versatile and can be packaged in a variety of ways,' he said. 'That means you can pick them up at supermarket delis or your local fishmonger, and they remain fresh, delicious and affordable for Victorian families.' Seafood Industry Australia chief executive Veronica Papacosta described oyster and mussel farming as 'regenerative aquaculture' that benefited the marine environment. She said Victoria's seafood market could increase tourism particularly among visitors who wanted to feast on fresh produce by the water. Port Phillip Bay ecology expert John Ford said historic oyster and scallop dredging had destroyed much of Port Phillip Bay's hard surfaces beneath the water, resulting in vast quantities of silt on the sea floor. Catch of the day: the state government wants to expand Victoria's mussel industry by allocating new areas of water for farmers. Credit: Jason South 'It's a very changed environment and will require human intervention to get anywhere near where it used to be,' he said. Ford said mussels and oysters acted as cleaners in the marine environment, helping to filter out nutrients introduced by humans into the water. 'Having more mussels and angasi oysters in the bay is increasing the number of species that are native and were present in much higher numbers in the past.' Start the day with a summary of the day's most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
