31 Bowden Street, Castlemaine, Vic 3450

A white picket fence, a green roof and a garden in full flower. This circa 1926 weatherboard sits on a corner allotment of approximately 735sqm, raised just enough to look out to Mount Alexander and Kalimna Park. It has been looked after with care and patience, and it shows from the front gate to the back fence.

Inside the front door, a leadlight panel of a landscape and a kookaburra catches the morning light. High ceilings, double-hung windows and professionally polished pine floors carry the period feel through the home, which is respectful of its 1920s era and beautifully presented. Two bedrooms face the front, the main with a period open fireplace and timber surround, and a third bedroom sits at the side. The bathroom keeps to the Deco spirit with period-style tiles, a shower over the bath, a pedestal basin and a toilet.

At the centre of the 106sqm (approx.) residence is the living room. An open fireplace with a Deco tile surround anchors the space, built-in shelving holds a lifetime of books, and a north-facing split system keeps it comfortable through summer and winter. Ducted heating runs throughout the home.

The kitchen is open plan to the dining area, with solid Jarrah benches, a 900mm freestanding gas cooktop and oven, and a dishwasher. The window over the sink looks out to the deck and garden. Double doors open to the alfresco, a generous deck across the back of the home that overlooks the private garden. It is a place for long lunches and slow evenings under the vine. A laundry with a separate toilet has external access.

The garden is the quiet star. Gravel pathways wind past ornamental planting, silver birches and roses, a veggie patch and a greenhouse. An old lemon tree hangs heavy with fruit, poppies spill across the beds, and a small brick paved courtyard waits with a table for two. There are sitting areas to find in every season and plenty of birdlife. The gardens are irrigated and supported by three water tanks.

Set among the beds is a detached studio of approximately 10sqm, bright with windows and ready as an office, a place to paint or a quiet room to write. A garage and shed, with driveway access from the side street, complete the grounds.

Castlemaine is close, approximately 850m from the front gate. The train station, with services to Melbourne and Bendigo, is a short walk away, as are the Mill Complex, the Botanical Gardens and the town centre. Walk to the station, wander the garden, watch the light settle on the mountain.