1950′s Eco House Sale – Reservoir
“Offered for private sale is this 1950′s solid brick home that has been beautifully renovated to include energy saving and other sustainability features. The house is located within easy walking distance of Reservoir train station and has a wonderful established garden of food producing and native plants that gives it a country feel. The house has been a labour of love and offers a very special opportunity to someone seeking a sustainable lifestyle property in this location
Property Location Features
Reservoir is a suburb of Darebin Council which has fantastic cultural and sustainability programs such as the Darebin Homemade Food and Wine Festival, the Sustainable Communities Program and the True North Festival.
The house is a ten minute walk to Reservoir train station, IGA , the Maternal and Child Health Centre, the newly built Library (on Edwards Street) and Oakhill Medical Clinic and a 15 -20 min walk to cafes such as Lady Bower Kitchen Cafe, Off the Boat Cafe and Edwards Lake. A new children’s adventure park is underway at Wright Reserve (between Henty and Wright Street), a five minute walk from this Reservoir home.
Property Overview
This home hosts 5 bedrooms. Three internal bedrooms (one is used as a study) and 2 bedrooms in a separate Bungalow. One bathroom, 1 lounge, 1 open plan kitchen /dining with Miele oven and Highland Gas cook top, 1 north facing greenhouse, 1 bungalow, 1 bike room, 1 workshop/studio, 1 chook house and run, 1 garden cupboard, 11 raised garden beds “wicking”(water conservation beds), 1 X 9,000L rainwater tank with pump and irrigation system, one revegetated native nature strip, 1 productive fruit and vegetable garden, 1 native back garden with a well established Acacia, 1 Solar Electricity System, 1 Solar Hot Water System, 1 Grey Water Diverter, 1 fold down attic ladder for large attic storage space, 1 Cubby House, 1 Monkey Bar, various tree swings and grape vine swings.
The house has plenty of natural light. The bathroom is gloriously bright due to north facing clerestory windows and there is excellent cross ventilation throughout.
The greenhouse buffers the home from winter cold and reduces electricity bills.
The house was re-stumped and re-wired by the previous owners in early 2000. All renovations carried out since 2003 by current owners have appropriate building permits and certificates. Planning permits were not required. The property has cable telecommunications and traditional phone connection. Off street parking is provided by a greened driveway. The front yard is fenced by a traditional woven wire fence.
Sustainability Features
A north facing greenhouse: which doubles as either a plant propagation area or as a warm winter sun room and takes the chill out of the living room and north facing bedrooms.
Extensive roof insulation batts equivalent to R5 plus air cell under roof tiles.
One, 1Kw Solar Electricity System on a “Premium Feed in Tariff”(PFIT)
Garden features
This home boasts a very productive fruit and vegetable garden: grapes, plums, apricots, boysenberries, raspberries, pepinos, quinces, persimmons, apples and almonds.
All of the raised garden beds are wicking beds.
Workshop and Bungalow
The back garden hosts a large workshop which has been used for wood working projects. It could also easily be transformed into a wonderful art studio, a clay potters workshop or as an extensive sewing and felting studio.