Rural farming oasis in ‘Dress Circle of Kilcoy’

FORMER LNP Minister Di McCauley and husband Ian have listed their 204ha ‘Valinor Park’ property in South East Queensland’s Somerset Region.

The Mount Kilcoy farm will go under the hammer at an online auction on Friday, June 19 after a five week marketing campaign through Ray White Rural Queensland Principal Jez McNamara.

An hour and a half from Brisbane, the mixed opportunity acreage boasts beautiful valley vistas, an architecturally designed home complete with guest wing and rolling green pastures perfect for grazing.

The sprawling ‘Belmont House’ homestead was designed by Sparc Architects’ Kelly Gray and was based on the McCauley’s vision for the perfect mix of family home and rural getaway. Ms McCauley said the couple were heavily involved in the process of creating their new home.

“The house was built from scratch and we made a list of what we felt were our priorities for a house because we never agree on anything but when we exchanged lists they were almost identical,” Ms McCauley said.

The lush gardens and tranquil outdoor spaces by the pool and pond were high on Ms McCauley’s list while Mr McCauley said he can be thanked for the large windows that showcase the impressive views across the Mount Kilcoy hills.

“Essentially what was on the list was there needed to be plenty of room, it had to be on one storey with no stairs and one end had to be able to be separated from the other for guests - that’s all just practical,” Mr McCauley said.

“I wanted ambience, that was the thing I prioritised so I asked for nice sized hallways and plenty of windows to look out at the view and we both agreed we wanted to be far enough away from neighbours to not be bothered but not so far that we couldn’t visit easily.”

Ms McCauley said she chose to include water in the design to create a calming atmosphere and was insistent there be space for a large garden that included her poultry.

“High on my list was a sewing room because I am keen on sewing and I needed space to keep doing that and a garden is what I really wanted,” she said.

“It really is a beautiful garden but I’m a bit of a bower bird and can’t pick a favourite plant - I love everything in it but I would say the Montville roses are just beautiful.

“The other thing that was important to have was a good pen for my chooks and ducks, we have Plymouth Rock chickens which are black and white. They don’t lay very many eggs so they are very precious but the chickens are very much ornamental.”

The couple also currently keep 100 composite breeder cows so they can stay involved with the livestock trade however, Mr McNamara said there is opportunity for a wider scale of farming initiatives.

“They keep cattle quite easily with the fertile soil, topography and amount of water but the property could be used for anything whether it be horses or horticulture,” Mr McNamara said.

The property was listed on May 15 and has already had some strong interest from buyers looking to take advantage of the quality land and home package in the “dress circle of Kilcoy”.

“There’s been strong enquiry from buyers in South East Queensland and Western Queensland looking to move closer to the coast and several interstate buyers enquiring who want to make the move for the lifestyle and climate on offer,” he said.

For rural agents, virtual inspections and online auctions are nothing new with Mr McNamara saying the team are well prepared for the current real estate restrictions.

“It’s quite normal and not a big change showing buyers properties who are quite far away,” he said.

“We provide a lot of information prior before people come to the property so they already have enough to make decisions. An inspection for us is really just to make sure the property has the right feel.”