Historic Victorian mansion hits the market

A 140-year-old Goulburn Valley property has been listed for sale where it is expected to field eight-figure offers. See the pictures.

An iconic rural Italianate mansion, set alongside the Goulburn River in northern Victoria, could change hands for the third time in the last 50 years after it was listed for sale by the family of a late art dealer.

The Menzies family is selling the grand 140-year-old, 20-room Noorilim Estate, 26 years after purchasing it, following the passing of heralded art dealer Rod Menzies in 2022.

Designed and constructed in 1879 by architect James Gall for parliamentarian William Winter-Irving, Noorilim offers rooms of immense proportions with soaring ceilings, rich ornamentation, ageless craftsmanship and opulent decor, set on a 64.75ha parcel which offers 1km of Goulburn River frontage and private sandy beach at Wahring, about 15km north of Nagambie.

Lavish interiors include a library, study, 10 bedrooms, 15 fireplaces, seven staircases, servants’ quarters, cellars and a minstrels’ gallery where Australia’s internationally renowned operatic soprano Dame Nellie Melba once performed.

The grounds of Noorilim are also full of history, with the property operating as a distinguished stud farm in the early part of the 20th century, producing three winners of the Melbourne Cup.

The 1910 Cup winner and champion stallion Comedy King stood at Noorilim and is buried in the grounds beneath a giant Moreton Bay Fig.

“Noorilim is one of the finest and best-preserved Italianate mansions in Australia,” Christie’s International Real Estate Victorias director Sean Cussell said.

The Menzies family have owned Noorilim Estate for about 26 years.

WAHRING
NOORILIM ESTATE
Property: lifestyle
Size: 64.75ha
Sale: private
Price: $15 million-plus
Agent: Christie’s International Real Estate Victoria
Contact: Sean Cussell, 0425 787 979

Located 15km north of Nagambie, Noorilim offers 1km Goulburn River frontage and plus deep red and sandy loam soils support the production of Rhone grape varieties including Shiraz, Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet across almost 30 hectares of vines.

“The sale represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to purchase an opulent slice of 19th-century history.

“The property would make a magnificent family home, but would be equally suited to a commercial purpose. It could be transformed into a spectacular boutique hotel or luxury retreat.”

During the Menzies family’s tenure, they have updated and restored the property with modern comfort in mind as the grand estate has served as the family’s country retreat, where friends,

family and Menzies’ art-collector clients were entertained on a grand and impressive scale.

Between 2016 and 2020, it also operated as a luxury events venue hosting weddings and concerts plus tours of the historic home and grounds.

Inside Noorilim’s sheer grandeur of 11,000 sqm, its refinement begins in the grand hall, dominated by Corinthian columns, five-metre ceilings, elaborate cornices and Minton tiles laid by Italian artisans brought out especially for the commission.

Inside one of Noorilim's regal rooms.

Adjacent to the grand hall are the sitting room, library and dining room, all with full-height windows offering views onto the arched loggia.

To the opposite side of the hall, hidden behind a wall are the main kitchen, scullery, pantry and staff quarters.

The library features an ornate fireplace, intricately embellished mouldings and damask wallpaper while the baronial dining room boasts an elaborate ceiling with detailed cornicing, richly embossed wallpaper, an ornate mirror above a black marble fireplace, vibrant red drapes and a table fit for entertaining royalty.

Atop Noorilim’s grand main staircase is the master bedroom suite that boasts rich red walls, a white marble fireplace and full-height windows with picturesque views of the estate.

“The vista over the gardens is magnificent,’ Mr Cussell said. “It would be a fantastic spot for a long, indulgent lunch.”

The mansion’s imposing facade is complete with a majestic tower, elaborately arched verandas and grand columns complemented by the surrounding gardens.

Designed by William Guilfoyle circa-1880, renowned for his work on Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens, the majestic grounds feature more than 300 established trees, including ancient Moreton Bay figs, an Italian garden, circular rose garden with central fountain and expansive rolling lawns plus an ornamental lake.

The gardens are home to more than 150 species of native birds and mammals, plus deep red and sandy loam soils support the production of Rhone grape varieties including Shiraz, Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet across almost 30 hectares of vines.

There is also a 124-megalitre Goulburn Valley water right, plus a three-phase pumping shed to support production.