A grand manor on the Murrumbidgee River just hit the market 20 minutes from Canberra

The magic of Willowmere is in its marriage of stately design and privileged location.

The landmark manor is unique in the Canberra region for its blue-ribbon position on the Murrumbidgee River, looking out to the Brindabella Range. Here, glorious sunrises, visiting kangaroos and birdsong are an everyday experience.

The high-end build was influenced by the elegance and warmth of Spanish and Italian villas, and beautifully illustrated by the Tuscan-style swimming pool. Just like the great mountain homes in Europe, Willowmere romances its location by framing the views.

On entry, prospective buyers are greeted by a vista that is unrepeatable.

“When you walk through the front door, there’s a huge, single-pane window that looks directly over the gully and towards about 1.2 kilometres of private river frontage, which is something I’ve never seen before,” says agent Josh Morrissey of Hive Property. “I picked my jaw up off the floor.”

The property is only 20 minutes from the heart of Canberra, but provides an experience that would ordinarily require a 20-hour flight.

“When you’re down on the river and you look back, you get lost for a minute and think that you’re somewhere in the Italian mountains,” Morrissey says.

Prestigious Willowmere, built in 1993 on 80.2 hectares of land, is the award-winning product of builder George Opaczynski and architect Derek Green.

Every imaginable asset is included in the 1750 square metres of internal space, which includes a 100-square-metre, two-bedroom cottage.

Perfectly blended touches of mid-Victorian, Romanesque, Regency, modern Australian and classic American architecture combine with decorative cornices, marble columns and six handsome fireplaces to create a signature grandeur.

The seven-bedroom main house is bathed in light. Its ample living areas are crowned by high ceilings and connected to 1000 square metres of terraces and gardens that sit gracefully in a verdant landscape.

“A nod to old-world heritage with modern proportions comes to mind,” Morrissey says.

All of the bedrooms face north and have balconies or terraces.

The magnificent layout features a library, a conservatory-style dining area, an enormous lounge room with stunning views, a games room, an office, a sauna, a Japanese steam room, a gym and health spa, and a speakeasy bar with a 4000-bottle wine cellar.

The estate is set up for a commercial enterprise. A chandelier-lit, 500-square-metre marquee is a special place for celebrations, and it also features facilities for breeding cattle and agistment of horses.

The cottage is ideal for short-term guests or wedding parties.

The home is a showstopper, but the 1.2 kilometres of usable, flat riverfront is also compelling. Willowmere is the only address in the region with this attribute, Morrissey says.

“It’s nearly impossible to put a price on because it’s never been available,” he says. “It is the only 80-hectare plot of land where you can get this type of private lifestyle.”

Prospective buyers with interstate business interests or a passion for aviation will note the sealed runway and aeroplane hangar with offices, which can be leased.

“You can fly in and fly out,” Morrissey says. “A property with its own private landing strip is rare.”

The new owner will be kept busy on the tennis court, at the horse stables and riding arena, or on the sports field, which is comparable in size to Manuka Oval. A two-hectare truffle paddock is planted with 200 English oak trees, and rose arbours, orchards and vegetable gardens abound.

All of this is nourished not only by the Murrumbidgee, but also by five dams, a bore and four colossal tanks.

The scope and scale of the property create a once-in-a-lifetime offering.

“Nothing else has ever been on the market with this level of amenity, size, location and lifestyle,” Morrissey says.

By negotiation

154 Woodgrove Close, Wallaroo NSW 2618

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