![122 High St, Drysdale - FOR HERALD SUN REAL ESTATE. Picture: credit to Crema Agency.](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 1280 720"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Drysdale House at 122 High St, Drysdale, dates back to the 1890s. Picture: Supplied/Crema Agency.
A Bellarine Peninsula house formerly displayed in a museum as an exceptional example of period design is sure to enchant buyers with its old-world charm.
The four-bedroom beauty, named Drysdale House and located at 122 High St, Drysdale, was built circa-1891 in Geelong.
In 1984, the residence’s front portion, featuring Baltic pine, intricate Indian-style lacework and preserved timberwork, was relocated to the Australian House Museum at Deakin University’s Warun Ponds campus.
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The museum opened in the 1970s to be used as a teaching tool in humanities courses before it closed in the 1990s.
After the house was relocated to Drysdale in 2004, a modern extension was added.
One of the current owners, Cathie Ferguson, said that she and her husband Ian purchased the abode about seven years ago.
They moved from Sydney after being won over by the home’s picturesque look and renovation potential.
A modern extension was added onto the house’s rear in 2004.
The former Australian House Museum at Deakin University.
Owners Cathie and Ian Ferguson have planted extensively in the garden.
With a background in hospitality, Ferguson ran a bed and breakfast at the house for years, while she, Ian and their family also lived there.
Handily, Drysdale House is close to the local train station from where the Q Train departs and returns.
The tourist attraction travels the Bellarine Railway while passengers enjoy meals and wines made from local produce.
Ferguson said many Drysdale House guests had enjoyed how they could simply alight the train and walk back to where they were staying.
Three original fireplaces remain in the house.
There’s multiple living areas, making the house suitable for multigenerational family living.
An island bench in the kitchen, which is also equipped with plenty of storage space, a 900mm gas cooktop and electric oven.
She described the home, which has no heritage overlay, as a modern-day take on old-world charm featuring original fireplaces and ceiling roses.
Living spaces include a formal lounge, sitting room and sunken family room with a wood heater.
French doors open from a living and dining area to a north-facing outdoor deck and terrace, surrounded by landscaped gardens.
“We’ve done a lot of planting in the garden, a lot of people comment on how pretty it is – and also the privacy it affords,” Ferguson says.
There’s three bathrooms including this one with a black and white bathtub.
The study could also be used as a home office, nursery or fifth bedroom.
The kitchen has an island bench, a pantry, appliance cupboard, 900mm gas cooktop and electric oven.
A dedicated study, double-glazed windows and NBN fibre-to-the-premises connectivity completes the package.
Ferguson and her husband have updated the home with whitewashed interiors, new carpets, additional insulation and airconditioning.
“It presents itself as a really versatile family home, with plenty of potential,” Ferguson says.
Close to several schools, childcare options, cafes, shops and Lake Lorne, it’s a 10-minute drive to Portarlington and Ocean Grove, and 25 minutes to Geelong.
Multiple schools, Drysdale train station and Lake Lorne are within walking distance.
Entering the hallway is much like stepping back in time.
Buxton Bellarine’s Janet Atkins said buyers from Melbourne and Daylesford had inquired about Drysdale House, as it allows plenty of options with its versatile floorplan – including as a family home and a retreat from Melbourne.
“It’s quite amazing that the house is still around in 2025,” Atkins says.
“The garden is stunning and the location is amazing.”
She says the house is an ideal base for people who love golfing, wineries, sports such as swimming and paddle-boarding and walking or cycling the Bellarine Rail Trail.
Drysdale House is for sale with a $959,000-$1.049m asking range.
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