Home away from home: Treat yourself to old English charm at Mona Farm

Mona Farm is a home away from home that feels like an escape to an old English estate, even if you are only three hours south of Sydney.

Located in the historic town of Braidwood, this little town was one of the first European settlements established in Australia by Thomas Braidwood Wilson, a ship surgeon who made nine trips to Australia in the 1830s.

“Among other things he brought European honey bees to Australia, European base plants like laurustinus viburnum tinus, and lilac aubrieta adams,” says Belinda Pulver, the current owner, with husband Bill, of Mona Farm. “There’s still some old viburnum in the garden,” she adds.

The old English garden was what initially drew the Pulvers to the estate after living in England for two years and falling in love with the romantic gardens. But, “there’s nothing quite like an old English garden in an Australian landscape,” the former landscape designer joyfully says.

“The thing that amazed us, these trees are 108 years old, and the lindens date back to the 1830s,” says Pulver. “If we were to buy anywhere else and put in a garden, we would never see it come to its full maturity.”

The garden follows a Lancelot “Capability” Brown style.

The English landscape designer was well known for his masterpieces that sprawled across an estate, often with a curving river and a stone bridge –like the one on Mona Farm. The garden in Braidwood also features a “ha-ha” wall, which is commonly found on farms, where the Homestead is raised a metre, allowing for grazing cattle without disrupting the vistas.

In the early 1900s, the house was expanded to a 30-room mansion, but the next owners completely eradicated two-thirds of it. “There’s not much of the original house left from the 1800s,” Pulver says.

With their redesign, the Pulvers wanted to cherish what they could but add contemporary furniture and art. “It was just a point of difference to make art and contemporary furniture the focus,” Pulver says. “It really emphasises the history.”

Their original scope was to turn Mona Farm into a destination for art and the garden, with accommodation and the wedding venue following.

At the centrepiece of the property is the Homestead, which features the majority of the contemporary (and mostly Australian) art collection featuring the likes of Bill Henson, Janet Laurence and Fiona Hall.

“The art we collected was always meant to be quite provocative and whimsical, as a counterpoint to the history,” Pulver says.

“But, we did want to make people sit up and notice the historic architecture, especially the ceilings, which are in some cases, 3.3 to 3.6 metres.”

Next door you’ll find the old stables, built in 1859, which have undergone a complete transformation by Pulver’s cousin of Louise Nettleton Architects, adding a contemporary twist to the historic building with exposed beams and convict bricks.

Even though Mona Farm came with a forest of trees when the Pulvers took over the property, they had a lot of work to restore the shrubbery.

They have re-established the paths which meander through the garden with views of the bluebell meadow, old crab-apple trees, the “Monet” bridge, and strategically placed sculptures. The property also offers a tennis court, swimming in the lake, and even croquet!

While in Braidwood..

Eat

You don’t even need to leave the property for the best food in Braidwood. Mona Farm has hired Josh Tyler from the likes of the Ungasan in Bali and Bathers Pavilion in Mosman as a private chef for you and your guests.

Culture

With Canberra only an hour away, the national galleries are close by, but the sculpture garden on-site means you won’t even need to leave the property for a dose of culture.

Albion Cafe

If you feel the need to leave Mona Farm, you can rent electric bikes and head to Braidwood’s Albion Cafe for coffee and baked treats, perfect for sipping and nibbling on a stroll through the historic town.

The Big Hole cave

Twenty minutes from the property, you’ll find The Big Hole cave. Access the viewing platform by a walk from Berlang campground.