60 Gascoignes Lane, Linton, was snapped up in a matter of days for an undisclosed figure above the $200,000-$220,000 price guide.
An internationally renowned artist’s off-grid weekender in regional Victoria has sold just four days after hitting the market.
The historically rich 170-year-old cottage on 8ha of land in Linton, about 33km from Ballarat, was owned by watercolourist Joseph Zbukvic.
The property at 60 Gascoignes Lane had a tiny price guide of just $200,000-$220,000
and sold to a metro buyer for an undisclosed figure which exceeded expectations.
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Artist Joseph Zbukvic is known globally for his watercolour paintings.
Mr Zbukvic has owned the property for 45 years.
Mr Zbukvic has won more than 200 national and international prizes and has had exhibitions across the globe.
He purchased the Linton property 45 years ago as a weekender.
The quaint brick and bluestone cottage doesn’t have any power or running water, but has plenty of charm and picturesque views of the hills, state forest and town lake.
It features a living room with an open fireplace, kitchen, mezzanine level and bathroom.
Outside, there’s a shed, toilet and dam.
The cottage has no running water or power.
It was originally built for a miner who didn’t have much luck during the Gold Rush, so instead sold bread to other diggers.
“I went to the local pub quite a bit when I first owned the place and the locals filled me in on the history,” Mr Zbukvic said.
“The place was owned by an Irish gold digger, who came to dig for gold and quickly discovered the money was to be made by feeding the minors: he was a baker by trade.
“He had this place built slightly out of town, and on top of the hill was the main camp of the diggers.”
A Linton watercolour painting by Joseph Zbukvic.
Mr Zbukvic was inspired by his weekender’s surroundings for a number of his paintings.
Mr Zbukvic said the property stayed in the miner’s family until the 1970s. He was the third owner.
“I found it to be a rundown thing with a flat roof and they kept a tractor in it,” he said.
“I set upon rebuilding it myself and there were no power tools back then. The work I put in was unbelievable.
“It has always been a weekender, my kids loved it when they were little – catching frogs and bugs and sleeping in the loft.
“Now the kids have grown up and it was going wreck to ruin.”
The new owners plan to keep the cottage as is.
The cottage is on an 8.09ha block.
Jellis Craig Ballarat agent Toby Tanis said the buyers planned to keep it as is.
“They want to use it as a weekender to escape the city and they love the history,” he said.
Mr Tanis said there had been a lot of interest in Ballarat and surrounding areas from Melbourne buyers since COVID-19 hit.
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