Tawonga: A more modern Montville gem with a rich history

This Old House: Tawonga
By Doug and Cate Patterson
Montville History Group

This old house, originally called Tawonga and built in 1988 is not so old, but already has an interesting history.

Ros and Bob Firth bought 20 acres from Les Gomersal in Western Avenue and moved in just as Baroon Dam filled for the first time in 1989. Designed by architect Gary Turnbull, the house features a mix of Queensland and Mediterranean styles with a rendered double brick single level, wide verandahs, and a glass conservatory in the north-east corner inviting the winter sun.

The lobby and wide passage open into a formal lounge with a fireplace and a dining room with high ceilings. A second living room features a fireplace built from stones hand-picked from Bald Knob. Builder Phil Stevens selected two large slabs of camphor laurel to craft solid mantelpieces for the fireplaces and tops for the wood boxes. The brush box floors, red cedar sliding doors, window frames, and architraves add to the house’s warm ambiance.

The third section houses four bedrooms with pure wool fawn carpet and built-in cupboards with lattice-worked red cedar doors. The design includes a passageway that opens into the gardens and amenities to the left of the lobby, with a garage behind the office offering the best view of Baroon Dam.

In 1992, Ros and Bob sold Tawonga to Trudi and Ross McGee, who established Genfield Guest House and named the bedrooms after Montville’s famous guesthouses. They added a second bathroom and built a self-contained flat behind the garage.

Brett Taylor of De Bretts Seafood bought Tawonga in the late 1990s, but the family did not stay long due to work on the coast and concerns over the dam with young children. From 2002 to 2012, Rob and Janine Logan owned the house. After Rob became wheelchair-bound, they made modifications, including replacing floors with polished concrete and raising external paved areas for easier access.

In 2012, Colin and Wendy Sandford purchased Tawonga. They gave the house a new coat of paint, restored the floors, and added solar cells for a reliable power supply. An enlarged pantry was created by moving a wall for a smaller laundry, and the roof was extended over the original glass conservatory. Currently, they are replacing amenities for the flatette.

Wendy and Colin enjoy gardening and don’t mind mowing nine acres, while the other nine acres offer a view of Lake Baroon and natural bush full of bird life. They hope to find a smaller version of their beloved home on the Range when it’s time to downsize.