Mention the Mornington Peninsula and for many people it’s coastal imagery that comes to mind, with thousands of Victorians heading to the beach for summer holidays.
But divert through the verdant centre of the shire and you’ll find the kind of rural idyll that can make city folk swoon.
“The hinterland through autumn and winter seems to be all about Red Hill and Main Ridge … the foodies come out to play, with long lunches on weekends and visits to wineries,” says RT Edgar Flinders agent Samantha Moffatt.
“People start to think about open fireplaces and having a glass of red in a cosy environment.”
After four years of spending weekends in Red Hill with partner David Mumby, Melburnian Kerry Watson became a permanent peninsula resident in 2014 and the couple now run Haven Red Hill, an up-market couples’ retreat set on 4.5 hectares.
“It’s the most superb, beautiful, underrated area,” she says.
“We’ve got the hills yet we’re only eight minutes from the beach; we’ve got rural living at its best.”
Watson describes the hinterland as “sophisticated country living” with acreages surrounded by top restaurants and wineries and the city centre only an hour’s drive away.
Moffatt says many tree-changers choose property in the hinterland because they’re looking for a sense of space and may also like the idea of a hobby farm, perhaps running alpacas and sheep, or planting vines or an olive grove.
For Watson, getting her hands dirty in the garden is a true pleasure.
“I spend a lot of time in the garden. I love it,” she says.
“We have a productive potager, an orchard with 20 trees, and we have Romney and Suffolk sheep and four chickens for fresh eggs, so we’re quite self-sufficient. Everywhere you go there’s an abundance of produce.”
“We go to Cellar & Pantry and it has the most exquisite collection of food, cheese and wine – the best of everything. So you can buy good produce, as well as having home-grown stuff, and you can swap fruit and veggies with your neighbours.”
Moffatt says the hinterland is attracting the retired and semi-retired, but also young families.
“We have really good quality private schools for people to choose from, so you don’t have to wait until the kids finish school in the city before moving to where [you] want to live,” she says.
High demand for small landholdings is driving prices north, says Moffatt, with properties that can accommodate multiple generations proving especially popular.
Enormous picture windows provide tree-filtered views over the surrounding countryside at Callemondah, a sophisticated single-level residence complete with a heated pool, an established orchard and vegetable beds.
There’s room to host a crowd in the open-plan living
spaces which feature polished concrete floors and a marble kitchen.
Samantha Moffatt is taking expressions of interest with a guide of $3.6 million-$3.96 million.