Sprawling estate with ties to Nicole Kidman and David Warner hits the market

It’s the gloriously grand estate that’s bewitched stars of screen and sport alike, and which now has the potential to attract another big name.

The Terrara House Estate in the Shoalhaven region, 15 minutes’ drive south of Berry, is reached via a stately tree-lined driveway opening out into sweeping manicured lawns surrounding a stunning historic sandstone mansion.

Nicole Kidman confessed that she fell in love with it when she visited to film a commercial. Cricketer Dave Warner was so impressed, he booked it as the venue for his wedding.

And even its stables have a magnificent pedigree: they were the home of legendary two-time Melbourne Cup winner Archer.

But, as it’s put on to the market for the first time in 13 years, the fame and fortune is unlikely to stop anytime soon.

“It’s such a beautiful old English-style house with so much room for entertaining and an amazing organic vegetable garden, it would be the perfect property for someone like [British celebrity chef and restaurateur] Jamie Oliver,” says Nicolette van Wijngaarden of Unique Estates.

“With these kinds of exceptional properties, we’ll often get in touch with the kind of people we know it will appeal to. We’ll certainly contact Jamie, and also maybe Maggie Beer, Neil Perry, Curtis Stone.”

It’s a property that’s likely to have no shortage of admirers. Built in 1904 from sandstone from the Shoalhaven River, and designed by architect Richard Moore, it contains no fewer than 22 rooms over three levels, including an original weatherboard chapel attached, commanding magnificent views over nearly seven hectares of grounds.

• Related: Cottage Point’s INXS house up for grabs
• Related: Shane Watson lists $10m Bronte home
• Related: Edgecliff trophy home breaks suburb record

Treasured and carefully restored by its owners, it has lofty pressed-metal ceilings, 13 fireplaces, deep verandas with intricate iron lacework, and beautiful heritage features.

There are no compromises necessary for contemporary living, however. The house also has a light-filled conservatory, a luxury day spa, an 18-metre heated swimming pool, an all-weather championship tennis court and guest accommodation in the converted stable blocks.

Those stables have slept numerous stars over the years – many of whom can’t be named for confidentiality reasons – but perhaps the most prized was Archer, the racehorse trained by celebrated horseman Etienne de Mestre, a member of the family who originally owned the estate. Archer was just one of five Cup champions trained there.

The current owners, former fashion designer Rosi Jennings and head of the department of radiology at St George Hospital Dr Derek Glenn, originally used it as their country weekender while living in Sydney, a two-and-a-half-hour drive away, but moved into the house full-time five years ago.

“It’s such a lovely residence, a beautiful home and a magical oasis,” says Jennings, who’s also been running a flourishing wedding business at the estate, three kilometres from Nowra, as well as their other wedding venue with guest house, Jaspers Berry. “We absolutely love the history and the architecture and the grounds.

“I’ve looked after all the gardens, planted the box hedges and over 55 pear trees in the front paddock. We also have a croquet lawn and an outside marble chess set, as well as the very productive vegetable garden which provides so many of our vegetables. It’s always so green here. It’s a real five-star venue, really, really beautiful.”

Many people fall in love with it as soon as they come on to the driveway and see the 60 elms and oaks, all over 100 years old, flanking the way in, she says.

“Nicole Kidman came to do a Swisse ad and said we had a lovely home, and Dave Warner booked it for his wedding.”

The decision to move on is not an easy one for the couple.

“But it’s time for someone else to come and enjoy it,” Jennings says   

Ms van Wijngaarden says the country estate has the perfect mix of privacy and convenient proximity.

“It’s only 20 minutes to the beach and two and a half hours from Sydney, but it feels like a million miles away from the city.”

You can expect the Terara home to sell for between $5.8 million and $6.3 million through Unique Estates’ expressions of interest campaign. 

This feature is part of a Domain Deluxe package. See more of the featured property at 77 Millbank Road here or download the Domain app to search for similar listings