Named for its location on the lands apportioned to Sir Osmond Gilles (first Treasurer of SA) was built in the 1880′s on land annexed from the Balhannah School House (next door; now a private residence) by the proprietor of the Balhannah General Store. The cottage was originally of only one bedroom and a living room, and was soon extended to three bedrooms and a living room as the grocer’s family grew. The property remained in this family for the next century at which time it was purchased by another long-time Balhannah family, who lived in the School House! By this time, the amenities that had been housed in various outbuildings were internalised in a modern extension.

The vendors secured the property from this family and renovated the extension to create a large open-plan living space with new kitchen, bathroom and laundry appliances, fittings and storage. They also continued the story of the original cottage to re-create the four rooms to each be suitable as a double bedroom or home office using fittings and hardware salvaged from houses of the same era.
The original floor had perished through a century of neglect and was replaced in keeping with the charm of the cottage and the electrical network was modernised to enable the inclusion of reverse-cycle air conditioning to supplement the open fires in the cottage and the large Nectre slow combustion fire in the living space.

The charm of the old cottage with its colonial stylings and high ceilings is complemented by the open, yet cosy new part of the home with its high, skillion roof that leads you to the massive deck through floor to ceiling bi-fold doors and the extensive rear’ gardens.
The heart of the beautiful and lively Adelaide hills village of Balhannah offers facilities to cover all of your immediate (and not so immediate) needs. The semi-rural setting however also offers the tranquility of country living; yes, you can hear the moos of the cows on the nearby hills and the romantic, uniquely Adelaide hills sound of the trains in the distance.
There’s no therapy like that short commute on the freeway, coming over German Town Hill and finding the Onkaparinga Valley spreading out before you, welcoming you home. On the road to Balhannah through leafy Verdun and pleasant Ambleside the worries of work and the business of the city are forgotten and the reasons why you have chosen a life in the Adelaide hills are remembered with your first smell of the wood fires lazily drifting from chimneys or the gentle calls of the magpies from the paddocks.

In winter you arrive home with instant warmth from the air-con while you light that cosy fire which heats the whole home.
In summer you can unwind on the cool tree-shaded deck with that crisp Sauvignon Blanc you bought from the cellar door down the road, pitying your colleagues on the flats who will swelter all night while you slumber in the thick-walled cottage.

In Autumn you can enjoy the brilliant, ever-changing colours of the established deciduous trees and scattered flowering bulbs in your own backyard.

In spring you can get your hands dirty in the different areas of the garden: the back garden with its patios, play spaces, beds of bushes, flowers and vegetables, fruit trees and garden sheds; the side garden with its roses, pond, grapes, more fruit trees and garage; the front garden with its boxed beds of heirloom roses, privacy providing bushes, bay tree, glorious Camellia and hipped eyelash verandah and the other’ side garden with its fruit and nut trees, more roses, quiet gravel patio and old outbuildings, ready for conversion into that outdoor studio, new extension or chicken coop.
Established gardens with little need of attention or extra watering (an irrigation network from a 25,000 rainwater tank can take care of that). All you need to do is harvest from the plum, apple, apricot, quince, peach, nectarine, crab apple, medlar, feijoa, Christmas plum, boysenberry, olive, walnut and hazelnut, create some of the best preserves ever tasted (in the vendor’s humble opinion), and sit back and enjoy them in one of the many private spots in the gardens.
The vendor has reluctantly moved from the area and wants the home to be enjoyed by a family who loves and cares for it as much as they did. This home has everything you need to move in and enjoy the true Adelaide hills lifestyle and add your own chapter in the 135 year story of Gilleston cottage.

Currently classed for residential use, there is potential for commercial zoning (*STCC).

A quaint community located approximately 25mins from the city. Offering fantastic family friendly locations including the local sporting facilities, playground, pub, supermarket, Cocolat’ desert cafe and much more. Close by, there are an abundance of world renowned wineries and cellar doors, beautiful food all in a true ‘country town’ community.