Heaven Lea Castle near Bendigo, featuring turrets, a keep and olive grove, feels like a royal treat

A Victorian castle inspired by the strongholds of Scotland has come up for sale with a surprise price that is cheaper than a house in large parts of inner Melbourne. Take a peek inside.

Welcome to Heaven Lea Estate at 1271 Axe Creek Rd, Sedgwick.

A fairytale-like castle on a bush block near Bendigo is ready to crown a new owner.

Named Heaven Lea Estate, the six-bedroom house at 1271 Axe Creek Rd, Sedgwick, has a $1.35m-$1.45m asking price — affordable by the standards of many Melbourne suburbs.

Built from fire-resistant Hebel bricks, the residence has four peaked turrets connected by crenellations with sawtooth indentations known as merlons, common in many centuries-old castles.

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Owners Jennie and Clint Martin bought 11.93ha property featuring an olive tree grove, grapevines and two dams about eight years ago.

They are looking to downsize now their children have grown up and “and flown the castle”.

Across their time at Heaven Lea, the couple have made wine and olive leaf tea, sold olives to a local olive oil maker and hosted Ms Martin’s fortieth birthday with a medieval-themed event – complete with a spit roast, quoits, croquet and a jumping castle.

But Ms Martin said that when she and her husband were originally looking to relocate from Melbourne to Bendigo, she never imagined they would end up living in a castle.

When Mr Martin showed her the house’s REA.com.au listing, she told him, “We are not going to buy a castle”.

There’s a 1.01ha vineyard and more than 50 olive trees at the estate.

Impressively high ceilings and tapestries, crated by the original owners, on the walls.

However, he convinced her to inspect the grand abode built by a family from Scotland who wanted to recreate a Scottish castle.

At the time, the address was named Dragon’s Fire Castle and also served as an art gallery.

The original owners incorporated recycled materials into their build, mosaic wall art and an internal leadlight window.

“I can only describe it as a vomit of colour,” Ms Martin said.

Despite this, the property’s spectacular views of Mt Alexander and Sedgwick’s valley setting won her over.

The prospect of having her own lake, as they have named their large dam of more than 4ML, was another bonus.

Ms Martin said the castle, which she and Clint renamed, has grown on her across the years.

They have extensively upgraded the home that is bordered on three sides by Pilchers Nature Bridge Reserve.

Colourful mosaic tiles in one of the bathrooms.

One of the kitchens. with more colourful tiling.

Heaven Lea opens to a great room with 6.7m-high ceilings and reclaimed brick flooring laid in herringbone style.

The central timber staircase leads to an office, reading area, two bedrooms and a powder room.

Downstairs there’s a bathroom, laundry and kitchen.

A space dubbed “the keep” connects to a living room, four bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchenette and mudroom.

Ms Martin said they had removed a bathroom “blob fish mural” and some pottery decor from the previous owners.

“There were these ugly gargoyle heads, we used them as target practice,” she said.

New solar panels were added to the roof, wood stoves installed including one in the kitchen and a hydronic hot water system put in.

A Coonara heater went into the living room, the roof was insulated and fans in the bedrooms and living area.

This dam has been dubbed Monet’s Pond thanks to the waterlilies on the surface.

The undercover entertaining area.

Mr Martin, who trained as a carpenter, refitted a separate self-contained cottage that the couple previously ran as an off-grid short-term rental accommodation.

It’s now a private rental and their tenant loves feeding the estate’s Dorper sheep.

Ms Martin said she enjoyed the wildflowers that bloom at Heaven Lea and the animals who visit including kangaroos, blue wrens and ducks.

“I describe it as a haven, when you come here you can just relax and be peaceful and be yourself,” she said.

Solar panels are part of the set-up.

Another one of the kitchens.

Her favourite memories include swimming and kayaking at the lake with family and friends, Easters, Christmases and her children’s 16th and 18th birthdays.

One of her daughters invited 200 people to one party, with guests bringing tents to camp in the front paddock.

PH Property Bendigo’s Josie Caruso said Heaven Lea would make a fantastic multi-generational home, bed and breakfast, short-term accommodation set-up, wedding venue or arts venue.

“I just feel like it’s the right retreat for artists, writers, painters and filmmakers,” Ms Caruso said.

“If you want to remove yourself from the traditional style of home and setting, this is it.”

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Originally published as Heaven Lea Castle near Bendigo, featuring turrets, a keep and olive grove, feels like a royal treat