Iconic Hunter Valley horse studs Invermien and Bhima listed: Title Tattle

Invermien and Bhima, the iconic Hunter Valley thoroughbred horse studs, have been listed by Geoff and Beryl White. The two adjoining Scone properties that sit across 1,168 acres (473 hectares) has a $12 million asking price. It comes with an 1831 homestead and a 1910 homestead on Bhima. The districts' first settlers included ship's surgeon Dr William Bell Carlyle, who took up a 2,000-acre grant in 1822 in the Kingdom Ponds area. His nephew, Francis Little also moved into the area and called his property Invermien (pictured above). Work began on the handsome single-storey homestead in the late 1820s with the historic twin gabled homestead now a showcase of the early colonial period, with high pressed metal ceilings, quality cedar joinery, marble fireplaces and an underground cellar. Made of sandstock brick in a timber frame, it comes with hipped, corrugated iron roof, French windows, and a six-panel main door. In 1895 the gables at the front were added, the stone-flagged verandah was extended and the rear wings lengthened to form a courtyard with the dairy and the kitchen. The Whites set up their operation around 1994 having previously run their horses at the Castlereagh property, Robrick Lodge. The two properties - Invermien with 313 hectares and Bhima with 160 hectares - had previously been owned in the Bath family. Bhima had been the Bath family home since 1952 after Vivien Bath conceived his dream horse stud while imprisoned at the infamous Changi camp. The best stallion that it housed, Biscay during its Bath ownership, was ironically the sire of Marscay, the racehorse and stallion that gave the White's their first major success in the industry. The Whites’ horses raced under the colours white with a purple star and hooped sleeves having purchased their first Inglis Easter Yearling in 1973. Some 200 winners, with $27.5 million in prizes, have been bred at the farm under the White ownership, now run by the couple's son, Greg. The property has been listed through Michael Burke and Jamie Inglis at MacCallum Inglis Scone inconjunction with Gavin Beard at Landmark Harcourt Scone.

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Fern Vale Farm, the 1890s property in the Macedon Ranges (pictured above), has been listed for sale by interior designer Jane Charlwood and her partner Bruce McFarlane. There are $3.2 million-plus expectations for the 24-hectare property set on Straws Lane Hesket through Beverley Higgs and Tom May of RT Edgar Macedon Ranges. Its arrival is through an enchanting covered holly entrance, with its winding drive leading to the large rambling homestead with five bedrooms and three bathrooms. There are large living spaces taking advantage of the garden vistas and district views to the north over structured hedging. The holding comes with two hectares of native habitat. Fern Vale's importance has been recognised in The Australian Magazine, as voted in the top 10 lifestyles properties in Australia. It was bought for about $900,000 in 1999 from author Brendan Gullifer and his wife, stylist Robyn.

No sale yet for Paul Fleming – a son of the late grocery tycoon Jim Fleming – and his wife, Simone, with expressions of interest closing on Easter eve. It had been listed through LJ Hooker Mosman agents Geoff Smith and Richard Harding with $9 million plus hopes for the six-bedroom residence set on a 759-square-metre deep-waterfront block (pictured above). With a northerly aspect from its Shellbank Avenue location, the three-level house with gas-heated pool, poolside cabana and boating facilities last traded for $8 million in 2003 when bought from the Wong family.

Pharmacist Greg Kay has listed his four-bedroom home on the Derwent River in Battery Point, Hobart with a $3.5?million asking price. Its striking design with glass, steel and jarrah timber was undertaken by Maria Gigney Architects. The 362-square-metre house sits on a 1,030-square-metre riverfront property with a 12.5-metre indoor solar-heated saltwater lap pool, which can be covered by custom-built boards to create an entertaining space. Pam Corkhill of Corkhill & Associates has the listing.

Wavertree, the fine example of an early Victorian sandstone manor home at Parramatta, has been sold for a suburb record. The heritage-listed treasure’s sale price hasn’t been revealed, but the record house price stood at $1.3 million for a house on Thomas Street that sold to Chinese buyers. It sold through Ray White Parramatta agent Steven Fan, who sold it to a Hong Kong-based family. It was built in 1843 by architect James Houison and then gifted as a wedding present for his daughter Annie, who married Captain Hugh Fairclough in 1862. It’s been sold by the Horwood family. When first sold in the 1930s it fetched £660. It was bought back by descendants in 1959 for four years. Houison’s works include the nearby All Saint's Church, St John's Church, the Old Courthouse, Endrim, Perth House and Houisons Cottage.

Set on a 1,891-square-metre block, Wavertree features four bedrooms and two bathrooms. A photo of the house taken around 1870 (pictured above) features on the website of the Historic Houses Trust.