Stoney Batter is exceptional. Formerly part of a cattle station of the same name, this private property has one of the Atherton Tablelands' oldest and loveliest houses, perched above Australia's widest waterfall and named 'Banggarra' after the local Jirrbal people's waterfall story.
Outstanding natural beauty, European and Aboriginal heritage, privately accessed riverbanks, swimming holes, established walking tracks and rides, wildlife, plus a strategic location just off the Savannah Way combine with easy accessibility to facilities to create truly sustainable tourism opportunities.
Stoney Batter has been a family home and a safe natural playground of rivers, creeks, swimming holes, cattle, horses, pastures, and wildlife for many years. The 133-acre (53.79 ha) property lies at the southern end of the naturally air-conditioned tropical highland Atherton Tablelands, at a nearly 3000 feet in altitude. The paddocks and open woodlands have numerous grassy tracks, perfect for walking and horse riding, and home to mobs of kangaroos and wallabies, with platypus in the pools of the Millstream Gorge.
Located in the ecotone between the Wet Tropics rainforest and open savannah woodland, wildlife from both habitats are frequent visitors, with over 160 bird species recorded. In the mornings and evenings, the gardens and surrounding savannah woodland play host to a seasonally changing rollcall of wildlife, including rock wallabies, wedge-tailed eagles, red-tailed black cockatoos, channel-billed cuckoos and dollarbirds. Facing Stoney Batter is the Millstream Falls National Park, the oldest in north Queensland.
The house and gardens are approached by a 1.2 km private drive, which passes through the open grassed paddocks of 40 acres and savanna woodland (both grazed by a small herd of red Brangus cattle and family horses), before reaching the lip of the Millstream Gorge and house and gardens. An extremely comfortable fully modernised home, 'Banggarra' incorporates a hundred-year-old former church (built 1920), with amazing views over sweeping lawned mature gardens.
Over the years, Banggarra has evolved into an elegant and spacious 400 m² country house, with sitting and dining room, kitchen with walk-in pantry, drawing room, three ensuite double bedrooms (all with built-in wardrobes, two walk-in), and a study. Carefully positioned shady verandahs have east and north aspects, making the most of winter and evening sun; with welcoming fireplaces in the large sitting and drawing rooms for the tropical high altitude winter evenings with crystal-clear starry skies.
In addition to the main house, there is a private and fully self-contained 65 m² cottage and deck (ideal for a live-in caretaker or guests). Outbuildings, including a fully lockable sealed shed extend to a further 160 m². The paddocks, like the house and cottage, are served from an excellent bore, separately connected to the electricity grid. As well as a 175 m² hayshed, there is a 3,300 m² dam, plus another 2,000m² shared dam. Conversion of electricity supplies to off-grid would be straightforward.
Stoney Batter also has a flow-dependent 20 litres/sec abstraction license from the Millstream, plus a separate unrestricted 30.5ML license. Although currently only lightly grazed, its fertile soils, gentle slopes and irrigable land therefore have significant horticultural potential for crops such as Australian native fruits, raspberries, grapes, or avocadoes.
