Geelong’s most iconic homes and their owners revealed

The Geelong region is blessed with some wonderful homes, historic mansions and other modern residences in landmark locations. But who owns these dream properties?

The Geelong region is blessed with some wonderful homes, historic mansions and other modern residences occupying landmark locations.

And their owners have played a part in building, preserving or upgrading these landmark residences.

Lyons View. Darryn Lyons home on The Esplanade, Geelong.

LYONS VIEW, GEELONG

The war correspondent, celebrity photographer, entrepreneur and former Geelong mayor has occupied a prime position on Corio Bay for several decades since returning from the United Kingdom.

For anyone who’s had a chance to see inside Darryn Lyons’ compound it’s a remarkable home and reflects the incredible journey he’s made from young photographer at the Geelong News.

Darryn Lyons pictured at home during his mayoralty. Picture: Jay Town

The Geelong waterfront home is all Lyons, with statuesque lions guarding the front gate, while a large Australian flag is always flying in the front yard.

CAMPBELL POINT HOUSE, LEOPOLD

This incredible residence it probably the very definition of a mega mansion.

What started out as a lavish home upon the shore of Lake Connewarre turned into journey to become a private hotel to the stars.

Weddings, parties, anything.

Campbell Point House.

Built as a family home by Meg Blackhall and Aaron Parkhill, Leopold’s Campbell Point House boasts extremely high end finishes with fixtures, fittings and materials sourced from around the world.

Campbell Point House offers eight suites comprising 15 rooms, an infinity edge swimming pool incorporating panoramic views of Lake Connewarre, a day spa, a 5-star restaurant and wine bar, a tennis court, jetty and an approved helicopter landing site.

Aaron Parkhill opened his Campbell Point House for MasterChef filming

Ideally located to benefit from increasing demand for luxury regional accommodation, the property is close to Barwon Heads, Bells Beach, Geelong and the Great Ocean Road, and about an hour from Melbourne’s CBD and 30 minutes from Avalon Airport.

‘MAD MAX HOUSE’, FAIRHAVEN

Entrepreneur Janine Allis’s family may not be the most famous occupants of this stunning house at Fairhaven.

But the Boost Juice founder and Shark Tank and Survivor star has had a lasting impact in shaping the home, which occupies a rare position on the beach side of the Great Ocean Road.

Max’s House is just off the beach at Fairhaven.

The luxury pad featured as Max Rockatansky’s hide-out in the original 1979 Mad Max movie.

Max’s House was once just a shack in the dunes, it’s since been transformed into a five-bedroom, six-bathroom hideaway with a swimming pool, direct beach access and spectacular views over Fairhaven Beach and Split Point lighthouse.

Boost Juice founder Janine Allis.

Ms Allis told the Advertiser the house had been a sanity saver over the past 20 years as her business career took off but the time had come to move on, listing it for sale in March.

“It’s just such a special place,” she said.

“You have everything on your doorstep — you see dolphins and whales out the front and you get these incredible views and you can walk to cafes and restaurants and it’s close to nippers.

“One son’s still not talking to us because I think he had visions of his kids going to nippers.”

POLE HOUSE, FAIRHAVEN

Also at Fairhaven, but perhaps more iconic, if that’s a thing, is the landmark Pole House.

Literally a house on a pole, the famous home on a strong steel stilt was built in the 1970s by engineer and architect Frank Dixon, who died in 2013.

It survived the Ash Wednesday bushfires and is designed to withstand the gale force winds know to whip up from the west.

Pole House at Fairhaven is a high-price holiday rental.

The original.

Melbourne couple Kathi and Raymond Adams bought the house in 2005 and rebuilt it in a modern style, which is now being enjoyed as a holiday rental in the clouds.

ST ALBANS STUD

This home could be one of Geelong’s original mega mansions, dating to 1873.

Geelong businessman Dean Montgomery has a taste for historic buildings in Geelong and Western Victoria.

His most recent acquisition was the old Geelong Gaol, but among his portfolio of historic properties includes the 30-room mansion at St Albans Stud.

St Albans homestead.

The mansion in Geelong’s eastern suburbs has a storied past that’s linked strongly to Australia’s greatest race, the Melbourne Cup.

It was built for noted racehorse breeder and trainer James Wilson, who went on to train two Melbourne Cup winners, Don Juan in 1873 and Briseis in 1876.

Geelong Gaol owner Dean Montgomery. Picture: Alan Barber

But perhaps the property’s most famous link to the great race was its role in hiding the nation’s most famous racehorse, Pharlap for being nobbled by the mob before the 1930 Melbourne Cup.

Melbourne architect James T Conlan designed the extensive homestead in a polychromatic brick style mode with an elaborate cast iron veranda by Geelong foundry men Humble & Co.

SPRAY FARM, BELLARINE

Spray Farm is a 60ha holding which features a seven bedroom, six bathroom 1850s homestead with views over Corio Bay.

Former ANZ Bank boss Mike Smith and wife Maria secured the homestead and winery in 2014.

The Smiths converted the historic farm and vineyard into a private residence following a multimillion-dollar refurbishment.

Spray Farm dates back to the 1850s.

It had previously operated as a high-end function centre when owned by the Browne family of Scotchmans Hill winery.

The Browne family, who had bought the property in 1994 and renovated it in 1998, hosted concerts by Lionel Richie and Joe Cocker at the farm.

Smith confessed to becoming a “complete disciple” of a grassroots community campaign to protect the Bellarine Peninsula from overdevelopment.

Speaking to an audience at a Bellarine Community Council event, Mr Smith warned that Torquay was a “shocking example” of what not to do with the Bellarine.

Former ANZ CEO Mike Smith. Picture: Nikki Short

“If we let the Bellarine go we will never get it back and it will never be the region we all love again,” Mr Smith said.

Spray Farm boasts views of the You Yangs, Port Phillip and the Melbourne skyline.

Originally built in 1851, it was extended in 1875 for second owner, Dalgety wool broker, Charles Ibbotsen, adding a Victorian Gothic brick wing and stable complex forming two enclosed courtyards. The past owners have overseen renovations.