69 Topaz Road, Malanda, Qld 4885

Just 5 minutes from the crystal waters of Lake Eacham, 10 minutes to picturesque Yungaburra and Lake Tinaroo and an hour from Cairns, this incredible oasis has been lovingly cultivated and nurtured and is ready for new hands to take it on.
 
Set on 3 gorgeous acres, this jewel of a property is accessed off the fittingly named Topaz Road and hosts a unique character cottage, fenced horse paddock, year-round dam and your own private botanic garden. 
 
The fruit of literally years of labour, this lush paradise has seen every fern, every rock, every bush carefully selected and curated to provide a place of peace and calm, with shady trees for shelter, soft (no mow) grasses for picnics, gardens full of birdlife and much much more. 
 
The centrepiece dam is spring fed and landscaped with 500 tonnes(!) of boulders and established plantlife including   rare lilies and  rock figs and  bromeliads and is home to a family of platypus who frolic in the water lillies.  The landscaping is supported by a bore with a capacity of 20lt/sec of crystal clear water.  You can paddle peacefully, watch the wildlife or just sit back and enjoy the cool air off the water of a morning or evening.
 
The gardens have been designed to offer a different scene in just about every corner of the property, and showcase both native and introduced species, with everything from bottle trees and rainbow gums to olive trees and the quintessential tropical frangipani. Ferns and climbing figs naturally adorn the surrounding boulders, with multiple pathways winding through, including painstakingly built grass stairs and rockways. 
 
The work to establish everything has been a labour of love (and sweat), but equally the forethought for longevity means there are over a dozen water points throughout the grounds, solar lights throughout garden beds and the right infrastructure to support easy maintenance in future. 
 
The house itself is a postcard (remember those?) for country living, with corrugated cladding, slate floors, high ceilings and reclaimed timber features throughout. The property has been transformed into this wonderland and first time offered,  many pieces have a history going back more than half a century. All three bedrooms are well proportioned, with an updated kitchen and bathroom, internal laundry and multiple living areas including a massive attached patio with concrete floor and stunning views.
 
A gravel driveway runs through from front gate to back paddock for ease of access, with the fenced paddock ideal for horses, a few hobby cattle (or goats) or even a granny flat (STCA). 
 
The Atherton Tablelands are of course a gorgeous feature of Far North Queensland, with cool weather from its elevation, historic villages, rolling countryside and beautiful freshwater lakes from Eacham to Tinaroo. With hospitals, schooling from p-12 and a range of industries, the Tablelands offer almost anything you could want, with Cairns, the Reef and both Domestic and International Airports the closest hub.
 
Offered for sale for the first time,  this is a unique home with an irreplaceable outlook. Inspections are strictly by appointment, to see it for yourself, contact Tom Quaid at Colliers.