FEATURE LISTING: Torrens Vale lifestyle property with unparalleled views
When Deborah and Rod Steinert first bought their Torrens Vale property, they had only intended it to be a holiday getaway.
It was 1991, and the couple had been living in Alice Springs with their young family, where they ran an Aboriginal cultural tourism program.
But the Fleurieu property appealed to them, with its large acreage and dam meaning Rod could run cattle, while their girls could also keep their ponies.
“It just had so much. It had beautiful views up high and they go down to the dam, it had tall gum trees with beautiful picnic areas,” Deborah tells SALIFE.
With their son about to start high school, Deborah and Rod thought that now was as good a time as ever to move.
In 1995, they packed their bags and moved their young family to South Australia.
“We came down with our household goods, three ponies and a couple of dogs and cats,” says Deborah.
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“That was it – I thought, even if we don’t build a house, even if we live in tents, I could live here.”
They originally settled in the old farmhouse, which they renamed the “shearer’s quarters” and remains on the property as a self-contained unit.
“I guess for someone that wanted it to be a little bunk house for visitors, if they have them, or someone who wants to use it as a studio or they’ve got an older parent, that’s something that easily could be used for that.”
But with her background as a draftsperson, Deborah envisaged building an architectural marvel, which they began in 1996 and completed in 2000.
The home has been named Agnes Clara, after Deborah and Rod’s grandmothers.
Deborah says the priorities of the design were to make sure the house represented the local environment, to have panoramic views of the surrounding nature and to make use of natural materials.
They used deadwood from fallen gum trees and lintels above the doorways and archways in the main area of the house.
“I have a particular love of architecture and I found the raw materials on the property, being the rock, was so bountiful that I thought that if we built a home that I designed, it has to incorporate rock,” Deborah says.
The couple enlisted a traditional stonemason who had learnt his craft in England and used traditional techniques.
He made use of rocks in various shapes and sizes scattered throughout the property.
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“We learnt so much about stonemasonry while they were on the job, but we watched it on a daily basis, going from basically the ground up and so much care and attention and artistry went into the walls,” says Deborah.
Another priority was to have separate areas so their children could bring back their partners and families as they grew older.
The house was designed with three areas, with the main house and two self-contained units joined by a courtyard.
Sitting on some 171.64 acres, the dwelling has a total of 9 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.
Inside, Deborah has decorated the house with antique Victorian furniture.
A standout feature is a 200-year-old Chinese door used as the main entrance to the courtyard and inlaid with metal grills that were hand forged by a local blacksmith.
Outdoors, Deborah and Rod have planted palm trees for shade and privacy, while grass was put in for their children to play on.
Although Deborah loves all parts of their house, she says the courtyard is one of her favourite features.
“Once you get into the courtyard, it opens up with really high ceilings and skylights and then you’ve got these chandeliers and people are just like, ‘Oh my God! Was this a ruin? How old is this place’,” she says.
But after nearly 30 years, Deborah and Rod have made the decision to move closer to their children and grandchildren in southeast Queensland.
When asked what she will miss the most, Deborah says everything.
“We’ve been so happy here and it’s an absolute wrench that we have to leave here. It’s really bittersweet,” she says.
“I don’t think I’d ever want to try to find another property that is going to match. For me, it was the Taj Mahal.
“Now that we have grandchildren and we want to be with them, we want to be with our kids and our grandkids after Covid, the priorities were such that family is the most important and that’s what we want to do.”
The sale of 18 Mount Robinson Road, Torrens Vale is being handled by Roger Smith and Gordon Scott from Elders Real Estate.
