When the next owners first visited Minilya during the 2003 Festival of Gardens there was no indication that the grand house would be for sale any time soon. However, they were seeking a new adventure, and were attracted by Maldon’s heritage ambience and café culture, plus they were experienced tree-changers and used to working remotely, so included Maldon on the list of places to consider for their next move.

Then in April 2006, Minilya, Maldon’s ‘historic landmark home’, as it was described in the listings, came back on the market. It was time for Jan and John to pursue the opportunity to be part of Minilya’s story; their first viewing of Minilya and its setting left a lasting impression.

Minilya had survived for over 100 years, its historic and aesthetic significance remained obvious and its story could still be read. There was so much to take in: a beautiful house set in a gently sloping garden, historically significant buildings nearby, and stunning views to the surrounding hills. The interior was equally memorable with its beautifully proportioned rooms, perfect floor plan and lovely outlooks.

Soon Minilya had new owners and moving day was set for October 2006. Minilya was now ready to come full circle; again, becoming a private residence which would provide an elegant and uplifting space for working, entertaining and pursuing creative activities.

Early challenges:

As sometimes happens things don’t go to plan. Jan and John had initially anticipated being able to gently ease into their new home and community, however it soon became clear that the garden needed assistance to cope with the ongoing Millennium drought. Before hard landscaping and infrastructure works commenced in 2007 it was determined that the main driveway position, major terracing to the east of the house, and old coach house come self-contained cottage were as originally developed, and thus to be preserved. To maintain the historical character and spirit of the site, the garden layout and original design intent, to the extent determinable from early images, were also preserved.

During the site study admiration grew for the original workers who had levelled the house site and driveway on the rocky slope using manual labour only. It was easy to appreciate why Charles Calder had chosen this site for his new home which now looks out over the surrounding landscape. There is a similarly grand house on the opposite corner of the intersection; that home was constructed by members of another long-standing Maldon business family.

From the outset a relaxed approach to garden design in keeping with early images of the garden was adopted. Initially water storage capacity was greatly increased and then, as the garden spaces were reimagined, struggling plantings were replaced with species more suited to local conditions.

New plantings were chosen from hardy species listed in the local study, Trees and Gardens from the Goldmining Era: A Study of the Maldon Landscape, Department of Crown Lands and Survey, 1981. The result is a resilient green retreat which offers delights in all seasons.

Garden as creative space:

The garden continues to respect the natural contours of the site and now incorporates rustic elements including shrubberies and herbaceous borders, plus a loggery and a rockery, which add a sense of playfulness to the composition. Weathered hardwood screening, arches and a shade house add to the Federation-era character. The fusion of picturesque building, hard landscaping accents and horticultural delights now produces an unfolding series of views and discoveries as one moves through the spaces and the seasons.

The garden is a creative space, it provides a place to regenerate, to enjoy the moment or plan for the future, and to reconnect with the make-believe worlds of childhood. The garden has some wonderful spaces to ‘play’ in and an abundance of wildlife to delight the senses.

Some major tree losses occurred between 2007 and 2016 including the remaining historic Monterey pines and several poorly managed eucalypts. Fortunately, the iconic Peppercorn specimens continue to prosper, and new tree plantings, including a self-sown seedling of the pine trees, are now settled in and making their own statement.

Completing the transformation:

In parallel with the garden rejuvenation, work was undertaken to replace the missing decorative timber work on the verandah and return the exterior of the house to its original colour scheme during 2010-2011.

The considerable detail of Boldini’s design was once again clearly visible and continues to draw comment. More recently, the elegant picket fence was also reinstated; the physical place had now come full circle.

Work on the interior has included reintroduction of appropriate colour schemes and soft furnishings, upgrades to fixtures as needed and reinstatement of the original floor plan where possible. The interior works have been undertaken with a light touch and the view to leaving it as authentic as possible for the future..

A special place:

Living at Minilya is a privilege. To be custodian of this wonderful place means some time is spent in the public gaze. Somewhat understandably people have always been interested in the place and its occupants, and locals often contribute snippets of historical information. On the other hand, visitors to Maldon are often found looking at the grand house on the hill, perhaps mulling over its beauty or wondering what stories it has to tell.

Minilya has also been photographed many times by both professionals and amateurs, and some have later shared their photographs. These images are now part of the Minilya House & Garden Archive. Many of the earlier images have provided valuable information about architectural details, the paint scheme and garden layout. Minilya has been shared with the wider world on social media, in blogs and the occasional book; it has been painted and sketched, and the subject of numerous media articles. The house and gardens have also been shared directly through organised tours, and social and open garden events. 

There are many, many pleasures on offer to Minilya’s custodians. Current custodians, Jan and John find the elegance, layout and scale of the house to be uplifting. The space offers a peaceful and uncrowded environment for work and creative activities, and a fine setting for entertaining. They enjoy being able to explore Minilya’s history, and ‘meet’ previous custodians. Minilya is indeed a place where the past enriches the present and will do so into the future.