235 Brightside Road, Durran Durra

Owners: Paul and Merewyn Partland

• Approx 2km of dirt road along Brightside Road
• Parking to the left of entrance gate

Buying a 100-year-old farmhouse is bound to throw up a few surprises.

But it’s been watching the garden come to life that’s been the biggest revelation for Paul and Merewyn Partland, the new owners of historic Durran Durra property, Oorong.

A rambling English-style garden with a distinctly Australian sensibility, the couple say it has revealed itself in stages as spring advances.

Dotted among the ornamental trees and 150-plus rose bushes, colourful bulbs and perennials have appeared – in some cases no worse for wear after a bit of tough love.

“We’ve had some pleasant surprises as this garden’s come out of hibernation,” Mere says. “For instance, we had no idea the birch grove was underplanted with jonquils – they’ve just sprung up despite Paul mowing over them!”

The couple has enjoyed seeing the layers of the garden emerge, a legacy of the previous owner who subscribed to the principles of celebrated landscape designer Edna Walling.

“There’s always something new appearing that adds depth and texture,” Mere says.

Originally part of the 3500-acre holding of Braidwood’s McDowell family, Oorong nails casual elegance with its curved buxus hedges, meandering gravel paths and mass plantings of roses, lavender and lamb’s ear.

Wisteria, grapevines and climbing roses shade a sunny granite courtyard and two stately pencil pines add a dramatic vertical element to the formal front garden.

Tulips, snowdrops and daffodils steal the show as winter recedes and as if to herald the coming spring, fairy wrens and red-browed finches are out in numbers.

“That’s been another thing we’ve found,” Paul says. “There’s so many birds here – particularly small birds – that we’re not used to seeing.”

Among them is the threatened scarlet robin, usually seen in Braidwood during autumn and winter when it leaves its higher-altitude breeding grounds to forage for food.

Another pleasant surprise for the new owners of this quintessential country property.

Things to look out for:

* Two espeliered apple trees

* The giant pencil pines (you can’t miss them)

* A scarlet robin

Photos: Belle Property Braidwood