Former dairy farm with 'magnificent' Sunshine Coast hinterland views listed

The looming spires, domes and cones of the Glass House Mountains are a beloved feature of the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

Listed on the Queensland and National Heritage Register as a landscape of national significance, the 12 peaks fascinate geologists, inspire artists and play host to hikers and rock climbers from around the world.

Linda and John van Lieshout were among the multitude of Queenslanders who made day trips to the hinterland in summer to enjoy the views, the picturesque towns and the cooler climate.

Expressions of Interest

165 Mountain View Road, Maleny QLD 4552

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View property

“We used to drive past Mary Cairncross Park and we’d see an old dairy farm,” Linda says. “And when it came up for sale about 16 years ago we were very happy to snaffle it up.”

Capturing some of the best views of the Glass House Mountains in all of Maleny, the property spans almost 65 hectares of relatively flat farmland, a rare find in an area known for its undulating hills.

“It’s like a giant bench on the side of the mountain,” says agent Allister Millican. “It basically drops down off Mountain View Road and it just flattens right off into this huge big bench, and that’s pretty much 80 per cent of the property.

“The ease of being able to get around on the property to maintain it is somewhat uncommon.”

The Van Lieshouts set about designing a homestead for the extended family that would capitalise on the outlook while offering all the amenities of a high-end holiday home.

The result, Mountain View Manor, took more than two years to build and may well set a new sales record for the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

Drive up to the porte cochere and prepare to be dazzled.

Beyond the wrought iron gates and the elegant fountain in the main courtyard, the views unfold through a run of windows. Taking centre stage is Mount Coonowrin, perhaps the most dramatic of the range with its exposed rock peak.

Beautifully framed by a picture window, it’s especially striking when mist shrouds the surrounding valleys.

“The first time I went there, I just couldn’t believe what I actually saw,” Millican says. “You’re looking straight out to arguably one of the most iconic views in the Sunshine Coast.”

When you can pull your gaze away from the mountains, the house itself has so much to offer.

With 600 square metres of internal accommodation sprawling across a single level, plus a pool, tennis court and huge covered pavilion outside, the Van Lieshouts have had plenty of room to host their three children, their partners and their eight grandchildren.

“We’d have them all up and they’d play tennis, and the younger ones would swim,” Linda says.

“We’ve got six en-suite bedrooms and a big billiards room with a full-size pool table and two big back-to-back, wood-burning fireplaces.

“We’ve had beautiful lunches in the sunshine in the courtyard in winter with the lovely olive trees making it feel a bit like Italy. There’s so much to do without leaving the property.”

Showcasing imported granite on the facade and fireplaces, marble and parquetry flooring, and a vast French Provincial-style kitchen with a walk-in pantry and a cool room, the home has been carefully crafted to create a handsome and enduring home.

If, like the Van Lieshouts, Mountain View Manor will be your secondary residence, you may like to retain the services of the incumbent live-in managers who reside in a three-bedroom manager’s cottage a few hundred metres from the main home.

“They do an amazing job of keeping the property presented really well,” Millican says.

As a former dairy farm, the property is well-equipped for running cattle, with multiple dams, cattle yards and paddocks.

There’s also an extensive orchard and pockets of pristine remnant rainforest with cabinet wood species no longer commonly found in south-east Queensland.

The Van Lieshouts expect the property to have broad appeal, particularly with buyers downsizing from a big rural property

“I think it would suit someone who’s had a very large property in the country somewhere and is now retiring,” John says.

“They still want the feel of a farm but they want to be close to town.”

Mountain View Manor is a six-minute drive from the Maleny town centre, half an hour from beaches, 40 minutes from the Sunshine Coast Airport and an hour and 15 minutes from Brisbane Airport.

What the agent says

Allister Millican from Ray White Maleny

“This is one of the big five main estates in the hinterland, and one of the best in terms of the farmland element. It’s just magnificent.”

This feature is part of a Domain National Deluxe Package.