Set back from the road ‘Amber Glen’ at Lot 692 Springton Road has the look and feel of the iconic gum-studded South Australian landscape made famous by painters such as Hans Heysen.
On the outskirts of Mount Pleasant, mid-way between the Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills wine regions, the 37.6 hectare property is currently licensed to carry 25 horses and has been the home of the successful Macmillan Thoroughbred Racing team since 2004.
Softly undulating pastured land is dotted with those big redgum trees Heysen and others have made famous and the lovely stone character late-1800s home sits beautifully in these surrounds at the end of circular gravel drive.
Part of the same family for more than 20 years, the original 4-room farmhouse was one of the first houses built in the area when Mount Pleasant was settled in the 1850s. Both dairy and beef cattle have been run on the property prior to its use for horses.
While there is a 5-room outbuilding useful for guest accommodation(stcc) plus storage sheds, including a cute stone cottage; it is the main stone residence that will attract most attention. This has 3 good-sized bedrooms (one currently set-up as a study), separate lounge, country kitchen and separate dining room.
Like many of the old stone homes, the high ceilings and wide central hallway reinforce the sense of internal space plus there is almost 90sqm of additional space via a deep verandah that runs the length of the home on three sides, offering great outdoor living options.
All the character features you would expect from a stone farmhouse from the late 1800s are here including polished timber floors, open fireplaces, high ceilings, leadlight, exterior coachlights, timber doors and windows, and timber mantelpieces.
The current owners have conducted structural renovations and installed conveniences such as a double wall oven in the blackwood timber kitchen and a slow combustion heater in the dining room.
As a lifestyle or income property, the home also lends itself to relaxed family living with lush lawned areas and a securely fenced rear yard laid out with cubby house and sandpit. There are several shaded spots along the Torrens creek that offer the perfect place to sit with a good book, a cold beer or cup of tea. There’s also a stunning old pear tree in the back lawn that gets covered with blossom in spring.
Purchasers with an eye to enlarging the existing 3-bedroom home will find it lends itself to extension and the stone cottage in particular, currently used as extra storage and for laundry, would respond to restoration.
With a team of 25 thoroughbred racehorses in work, “Amber Glen” is obviously ideal for horses with 28 good-sized day paddocks, 4 stables, 8 shelters, 9 larger paddocks, extensive rubble laneways, a fenced 60 x 20 arena and 500m sand track for slow work for horses. Plus the bonus of rear access to a quieter road for trail riding and access to Mt Crawford forest.
Amber Glen also would lend itself to cattle or other stock with secure electric fencing, treed shelter belts, ample water via dam, bore, rainwater and mains to all paddocks, a large hayshed and other infrastructure in good working order.
It is less than 2 minutes from Mount Pleasant, a well-equipped country town with hospital, banks, primary school and other amenities. For major shopping expeditions, Gawler is 40 minutes away, along with the Westfield complex at Tea Tree Plaza.
“Amber Glen” has all the hallmarks of a classic South Australian small rural holding, and the accommodations will definitely prove pleasing for all creatures (two-legged and four).