Doake family list Yarra Valley farm and Coldstream Airport for sale

After almost a century of ownership by one family, a 128ha farm and adjoining airport have been listed for sale in a landmark offering.

Sunny Meadows farm and the Coldstream Airport have been listed for sale.

Almost 100 years of family farming history in the Yarra Valley has hit the market with the landmark sale of Sunny Meadows, a 128ha grazing property offered alongside the Coldstream Airport.

Owned by three generations of the Doake family dating back to 1926, Sunny Meadows has been home to a low-intensity cattle grazing and a hay operation while the family also founded and have owned the adjoining airport for more than 60 years.

“My grandfather bought Sunny Meadows and it was my late father, Jim Doake, who ran the property up until 2008,” the son of Jim and Judith Doake, and Coldstream Airport manager, Jamie Doake said.

“The Coldstream Airport was also founded by my father and Basil Carlisle in 1962. We also started a flying school there in the early 1970s, which is still open today as Yarra Valley Flight Training.

The Doake family’s Coldstream farm and airport have hit the market.

“We would have owned the farm 100 years in 2026, but the time has come for it to change hands, our generation is ready to turn it over.

“I have so many childhood memories of Sunny Meadows and the airport. I grew up there and lived there until my early 20s.

“My sister would love to ride horses and I remember riding the motorbikes around.

“It is a very good opportunity, whether they are sold separately or together, it is a pretty unique property. It is not often land like this comes up for sale in the prettiest part of the Yarra Valley.”

For sale as a whole or separate assets, offers worth $17.5 million are tipped for the Sunny Meadows farm (128ha), while the Coldstream Airport (23ha) is expected to attract offers worth about $6.5 million, via an expressions of interest campaign closing March 21 at noon.

Prior to the Doake family’s acquisition of Sunny Meadows, the property supported a winery operation run by David Mitchell, a renowned builder during the 20th century and constructor of Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building.

Comprising one title, the farm is predominantly grazing land while also offering two separate homes.

The Coldstream Airport was founded in 1962 by Jim Doake and Basil Carlisle.

There is a five-bedroom homestead paired with an in-ground swimming pool and mature established gardens, while there is also a three-bedroom manager’s residence constructed about three decades ago.

Meanwhile the Coldstream Airport has a 795m runway, sealed in 2013 and the only one of its kind in the Yarra Valley.

Existing improvements include 17 hangars of varied sizes, an 11,500-litre above-ground fuel storage tank and open-air tie-down hardstand aircraft pads.

Castran Real Estate is handling the sale of the two properties.

Last year Melbourne’s Grollo Group purchased the Mount Hotham Airport for a shade under $7 million.