Coast and country: green and stylish

50a Railway Crescent, Daylesford
3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 2 car spaces
About $1.45 million

Designed by sustainability guru Joost Bakker, this distinctive house on Daylesford’s fringes incorporates passive solar design and has a steel frame and straw bale insulation.

It is clear sustainable design does not equate to a lack of style. The exterior walls are of recycled bricks enclosed in wire frames (gabion) and then fronted by chunky pergolas trailing greenery.

Twelve sets of double doors soften the brick exterior and inside there are three bedrooms and a large open-plan kitchen, living and dining area featuring a Cheminees Philippe fireplace. On 2.8 hectares, the property has 100 fruit trees and a vegetable garden.

Auction at 11am, on March 18
Jellis Craig 5427 2800, Tom May 0413 996 185

1 Ocean Drive, Port Fairy
4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 6 car spaces
$3.5 million

Port Fairy has beautiful beaches and houses opposite the water are much prized. Here, a starkly modern house has a great spot opposite the Southern Ocean beach and it looks at home in the elements. The single-level design has the main bedroom and large open-plan living area facing the sea while the rest of the house is built around a protected walled-in courtyard at the back. There are many flexible spaces, including a living room/den and guest quarters near the double garage, and a really cute touch is the enclosed sunroom onto which the study and one of the bedrooms open.

Robertson Port Fairy 5568 1904, Di MacKirdy 0400 625 501 domain.com.au/2012901309

3 Coora Close, Somers
4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 car spaces
$2.9 million-plus

On a large block with views across Western Port Bay, this house offers a retreat from the world. Its two-levels are built focusing on the views and the backyard solar-heated pool, which is surrounded by decking and has a studio nearby. The ground level has a large living room and three bedrooms, including one that could be a main with an en suite and walk-in wardrobe. Upstairs, there is a huge open-plan kitchen, living and dining area with white timber ceilings, a huge brick fireplace and a large balcony. There’s another large bedroom with en suite and walk-in wardrobe up here.

Auction at 10.30am, on March 12
RT Edgar 5989 0599, Michael Parker 0428 540 500