ONCE part of an expansive sheep station of 118,000 acres (47,753ha), "Ravenswood Homestead" hasn't lost any sense of grandeur or history and thanks to the work of current and previous owners its future continues to look bright.
Today, the triple brick homestead built in a pre-Georgian style is up for sale - and with 23 bedrooms and 18 bathrooms there is no shortage of capacity.
Current owner Art van Dyke has operated "Ravenswood Homestead" as a bed and breakfast operation, hence the substantial accommodation options.
He followed on from the previous owners, the Beilharz family, who had themselves owned the property for about 25 years and started the bed and breakfast in the early 1980s.
Throughout his ownership, Mr van Dyke has carried out a range of improvements and some restoration to the homestead, including work on the verandahs, the replacement of gutters, and a new swimming pool.
He is selling in order to focus on another project: the construction of a new home near Mount Alexander, at North Harcourt - a project to be featured on the Lifestyle Channel's Grand Designs Australia at the end of this year.
He said "Ravenswood Homestead", had an excellent position on a rise with rolling hills all around.
The bed and breakfast can accommodate up to 48 guests.
He said any history on Bendigo would feature "Ravenswood", given gold was had been discovered on the property in the lead-up to the gold rush.
Today, the property sits on 14ha (35ac), 17 kilometres south of Bendigo.
Sheep are run on agistment on both this and the neighbouring property.
Tweed Sutherland First National Real Estate director Matt Leonard, Bendigo, said the property's history - along with future prospects - was set to stand out to potential buyers.
"Even before the gold rush in Bendigo, "Ravenswood" was a large sheep station and this was its grand homestead," he said.
He said the property offered flexibility in the sense that it could be operated as a bed and breakfast business, as the current owners have done, or just as a private residence.
It heads to auction on April 5, with price expectations in the vicinity of $3.1 to $3.5 million.
Contact Matt Leonard, 0418 502 633.
Nick Heydon
The Land's property editor.
The Land's property editor.
