The preeminent Australian landscape designer Paul Bangay is selling his beloved home of 20 years.
He had regained ownership of ‘Stonefields’ in 2023, after fellow green thumb, Jamie Durie, sought to purchase it — in partnership with a hotel consortium — and the deal fell through.
It was Paul who inspired Jamie to pursue horticulture more than 25 years ago; they’ve been friends ever since.
Stonefields is described by Paul himself as his “life’s greatest work” and on the real estate listing as, “a landmark of Australian garden design”. Paul shares the home with husband Barry McNeill and their cocker spaniel Ruby.
Where is Paul Bangay’s Stonefields?
Set on 16 hectares in Denver, between Kyneton and Daylesford in Victorian spa country, the sprawling property features a Tuscan-inspired villa, symmetrical formal hedges, oak trees, a rose garden, a solar-heated lap pool and even a resident peacock, named Harold. It’s considered by some to be the Versailles of rural Victoria.
Stonefields was previously advertised with a price guide of $8 million to $8.8 million, which didn’t include The Farmhouse — existing guest accommodation with four bedrooms just 100m from the main house.
Jamie and a consortium of investors pitched to buy the off-market Farmhouse as well, resulting in a sale of more than $11 million in February 2023. The offer, clearly too good to refuse, ultimately did not settle according to reports.
The current price guide
Real estate agents at Marshall White Stonnington are asking for expressions of interest, and the price guide is now $6 million to $6.6 million. Sure, it’s a discount, but unless you’re a progidious landscaper or have scissors for hands, the garden maintenance costs are likely to be astronomical.
According to real estate records, Paul bought Stonefields in 2004 for $320,000, when the property was bare paddocks — a blank canvas. It’s now a flourishing private estate with a series of bucolic garden ‘rooms’.
“I knew what I wanted straight away,” Paul told Domain.com. “The feeling of different spaces.”
Over two decades, Paul created a living masterpiece through experimentation, and Stonefield’s gardens have inspired books and private tours.
His designs are always influenced by his world travels, namely to the Middle East and Europe. “The style is classic but I try to give it a contemporary edge. I don’t like it to be too pastiche.”
Even though Stonefields is complete and established, its legacy holds endless potential. And Paul is ready for his next project, likely to be a walled vegetable garden.
“As a designer… you like to think you can retire, but you can never extinguish that passion inside,” Paul says on his website. We can’t wait to see what he and Barry accomplish.
Stay at The Farmhouse at Stonefields
While we wait to see what’s next for Stonefields, it’s still possible to stay at the wisteria-laden Farmhouse, which has been open to guests for some time.
Set 100 metres from the main house at Stonefields with four bedrooms, a wood-fire heater and proximity to the gardens and Paul’s rare British White cattle, it’s the perfect country getaway. Pack your bags.
Take a closer look at at The Farmouse here.
