Unwind in a lake house, explore olive groves and go fruit picking at Linnaeus Farm

It took Peter Yannopoulos all of 20 seconds to know he had to buy the property now called Linnaeus Farm, a slice of heaven straddling wine and cattle country near Berry on the New South Wales south coast. “When we drove through the front gate, there was just this feeling of instant calm,” he says. “Everyone that stays there gets a similar feeling.”

Less than five minutes drive from town and twice that to Seven Mile Beach, Linnaeus Farm and its undeniable je ne sais quoi inspired the entire Linnaeus Collection, which includes a second farm (Moraea), two cottages (Maple) and three larger residences (Rubus), all situated just moments away from each other. “The whole collection works like a hotel.” 

That said, Yannopoulos admits Linnaeus Farm is a “more attractive” proposition for up to 10 guests. How could it not be? Picture five bedrooms with AH Beard beds dressed in Cultiver linen. Four bathrooms designed by Studio XOX, two of which are fitted with oversized rain showerheads. And dual decks, both with sprawling views of the escarpment and Saddleback Mountain beyond.

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But the house as it stands today wasn’t always like this. When Yannopoulos and his wife (and business partner) Nadia Raicevich bought the property in 2019, it was an elevated two-bedroom home with a garage underneath. With the help of Vic Lake Architects and interior designer Simone Mathews of Soul Homes, they’ve maintained the style established by the previous owner – “master carpenter who built the original structure and did most of the landscaping.

“The previous owner had been suffering from cancer for 20 years. He was massive on holistic health and was trying to keep the inside of the house as natural as possible for himself, for the longevity of his life,” Yannopoulos explains.

To that end, Baltic birch, pine and spruce is abundant throughout. The top floor of the house is coated in shielding paint to block radio frequencies. And the entire property runs off a dual-stage water purification system, from the showers to the organic kitchen garden.

Despite the masterful attention to detail indoors, everything’s designed to lure guests outside and immerse them in the pristine grounds. The focus on nature is a philosophy drawn from Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, who established binomial nomenclature (the modern system of naming plants and animals), and inspired the accommodation’s name.

If you’re looking for a nature fix, you’ll find it here. Wander through the trellised olive grove; go fruit-picking in the edible garden and orchard planted with tomatoes, aubergines, bananas, turmeric and other seasonal produce; or admire the 200-year-old fig trees. You can also meditate in the heated lake house that floats above one of two dams, or jump in the sparkling pool beside the stone firepit and the petanque pitch.

The main drawcard for most guests is the infrared sauna in Jamie’s Barn, a 250-metre structure at the edge of the property made from prefabricated Baltic pine assembled on site with dowels. Two large doors swing open to reveal stunning countryside all around.