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Since Katie Brannaghan and husband Ian purchased this Mornington Peninsula property in April 2017, they undertook some massive renovations to restore the circa ‘73 home to its former glory after its previous owners left it in a bit of a shambles. This absolute gem was one of the very first projects of a then-23-year-old Karl Fender, who went on to become one half of the iconic Melbourne architecture firm, Fender Katsalidis. Katie and Ian went to great lengths to ensure that the home was restored as closely to its 70s origins, adding in all the modern comforts to make this the absolute dream.
Beyond the aesthetic features, renovations included a complete kitchen overhaul, introducing hydronic heating and cooling system, rendering the pool, installing solar panels, landscaping, building a woodshed, and bringing in a septic tank. Now, with its updated kitchen, original wooden paneled walls and terrazzo floors that spill out around the pool, the six-bedroom home is better than ever!
Positioned on 3 acres of private bushland in Mount Martha, just a few minutes drive from the beach and local shops, Katie counts ‘the quiet seclusion, not being able to see another house from the property, and being surrounded by giant gums, as some of her favourite elements of the home.
As much as they love their holiday home (and boy, do they love it!) Katie, Ian, Milla and Yvie have come to terms with the fact that they’re truly city slickers at heart, and have decided to give someone else the opportunity to enjoy this one-of-a-kind home. When we asked Katie what she’ll miss most about it, her answer was imbued with love. We’ll leave you with her words about this treasured home, which really say it all:
‘The trees, space, and nature. The feeling you get when you enter the home, it’s like stepping back in time. The flow of the house as you move from room to room. The light that streams in from the floor to ceiling windows.
We’ll miss the nights by the open fire, playing music whilst we look out at the lit-up pool and palm trees. We’ll miss waking up to the sound of birds and looking out the windows seeing nothing but trees and green.
There just isn’t any other house like this in Australia.’
View the complete listing for 109 Hopetoun Avenue, Mount Martha here!
