Coast and country

 1/12-14 Halford Street, Inverloch
$980,000
4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 car spaces

Quite a few adjectives are required for this near-new house a couple of streets back from the sea in bustling Inverloch. Italianate, grand and resort-style are a beginning. There is definitely room for relaxation but the quality and grandeur of the house lends itself more to permanent retirement than the odd weekend getaway, although the pool and tennis court it shares with the other three houses in this interesting development make for holiday fun.

Built over two levels, with the bonus of a huge basement cellar, the house has a grand entrance hall with a sweeping staircase topped by a crystal chandelier. The living areas have a timeless elegance with huge arched windows, some edged with detailed coloured glass, overlooking gardens and entertaining areas. A large informal living and meals area adjoins the well-equipped kitchen and this opens to a terrace. Upstairs, there are three bedrooms, including a huge main with walk-in wardrobe and en suite.

Stockdale & Leggo 5674 3977, Glenn Bolam 0419 219 828

27 Duke Street, Castlemaine
$609,000
3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 car space

Castlemaine’s local stone is a sandy colour and its mellow beauty works well here set amid recycled French doors and timber floors. The overall effect is well-executed rustic splendour. Here the low-slung three-bedroom house is Victorian in style with a particularly attractive entrance: up on to a verandah onto which several rooms open. A portico welcomes visitors and then it’s in through double doors into a wide entrance hall. An L-shaped living and dining area is to the right and this particularly lovely room has a stone feature wall set with a huge open fireplace. There are also three sets of double doors, including one opening to a north-facing back courtyard.

Cantwells 5472 1133, Genevieve Cantwell 0418 362 270

39 Woodlands Drive, Ocean Grove
$2.5 million-plus
6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 6 car spaces

A six-bedroom house with a main bedroom suite that extends some 16 metres, including the en suite, definitely amounts to a trophy home and many families would love the grandeur here and the space to hold fantastic family parties and celebrations. On a 3ha block near the Ocean Grove nature reserve, the house is at the end of a rose-lined driveway. The colonial-style structure has a verandah across its wide front and many rooms look out here. There are three living areas, a formal dining area and a study. Out the back are two pools, a huge undercover entertaining area and an 11-metre room overlooking the pools.

Bellarine Property 5254 3100, Ben Roberts 0488 414 456

62 Potts Road,Taradale
$1.15-$1.25 million
3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 car spaces

There is city-level comfort and style on this 6.5ha property that was once part of the district’s oldest farm. Now, the near-new house offers a stylish retreat amid a well-established property that has paddocks, sheds and some beautiful mature trees. The two-level house is on a rise and overlooks the large dam. Living areas have double-height ceilings with high windows and walls of glass. The main living room adjoins the kitchen and dining area and polished concrete floors continue to the 18-metre indoor/outdoor pool. Upstairs, there is another living area, the large main bedroom suite and a study.

Jellis Craig 5427 2800, Tom May 0413 996 185