Chateau Yering, Yarra Valley hotel, For Sale
A “majestic” Yarra Valley chateau, built on the site of Victoria’s first vineyard, has hit the market. Built in 1854, Chateau Yering, a historic 32-room homestead offering luxury accommodation, has been listed for sale by specialist national agencies HTL Property and Burgess Rawson. The property has price expectations of about $20m, The Australian reports. It comes after Chinese millionaire William Wei paid $14 million for the 100ha property back in 2014. The heritage-listed house is on the site of Victoria’s first vineyard, with the first vines planted in 1838.
According to the Yarra Ranges Council database, the Ryrie brothers settled at the site in 1837. It was the centre of the region’s largest cattle run and the site produced Victoria’s first wine in 1845 and was later the site of one of the region’s largest and most famous wineries. The cellar at the site was built in 1840. Under the management of its next owner, Paul de Castella, Chateau Yering developed into one of the most successful nineteenth century Victorian vineyards. The Chateau Yering Hotel was reborn in 1997 as a 5-star property.
Home to Eleonore’s Restaurant, named after Eleonore de Castella, the mother of Paul de Castella who built Chateau Yering, it’s also a popular venue for conferences, weddings and other special events. In the early days the house became “the social centre of the Yarra Valley”, with socialites travelling from Melbourne for weekends to enjoy musical sessions on a piano, according to the venue’s website. The 32 rooms, all individually designed, are named after significant figures or things to do with the property or Yarra Valley.
The stable suites, created from the historic stable at the property, are named after the first three winners of the Melbourne Cup. There’s also a drawing room and library in the historic home. According to a promotional video from 2016, the heritage-listed gardens are home to a Chilean wine palm, planted in 1867 by Baron von Mueller, who designed the Melbourne Botanical Gardens. Listed on the significant tree register, people from all over the world come to view the palm. According to the Chateau Yering website, the property is currently owned by Chinese architect and local resident Max Zhang, who purchased it in 2019 “with ongoing commitment to continue to preserve the property’s history and splendour while also incorporating a touch of modern style and local relevance”. HTL property managing director Andrew Jolliffe said the sale represented a “rare opportunity” to acquire a majestic and entirely unique accommodation asset.
An international expression of interest campaign for Chateau Yering will close on July 8.