A SHEEP FARM IN MONARO HIGH COUNTRY

A-SHEEP-FARM-IN-MONARO-HIGH-COUNTRY A-SHEEP-FARM-IN-MONARO-HIGH-COUNTRY

Most homes usually have a view of some description — a row of trees, an adjacent building or maybe nearby parklands. It’s that defi ning “something” that the eye is drawn to as it peers out the window at the world. Fewer homes have a selection of vistas, while a lucky few have spectacles at every turn. John and Sally-Ann Cottle’s country property, Shirley, located half an hour from Cooma, is such a place. It’s a veritable oasis that features extensive European-inspired gardens, a man-made lake and room enough for approximately 12,000 Merino and Dorset-cross sheep.

A-SHEEP-FARM-IN-MONARO-HIGH-COUNTRY  A-SHEEP-FARM-IN-MONARO-HIGH-COUNTRY

A-SHEEP-FARM-IN-MONARO-HIGH-COUNTRY

“We returned from travels in Europe in 2006,” Sally-Ann explains, “and we were so inspired by the extraordinary gardens we had seen that we commissioned Melbourne-based landscape designer, Paul Bangay, to sympathetically redesign the garden to evoke a more European style.”

A-SHEEP-FARM-IN-MONARO-HIGH-COUNTRY

A-SHEEP-FARM-IN-MONARO-HIGH-COUNTRY A-SHEEP-FARM-IN-MONARO-HIGH-COUNTRY

The result is formal gardens in close proximity to the main house blending through to an English park-like landscape. It’s a savvy overhaul, which includes the addition of hedges, a striking parterre garden in the place of an old tennis court, two new ponds and a sizeable paved courtyard with plane trees.

A-SHEEP-FARM-IN-MONARO-HIGH-COUNTRY A-SHEEP-FARM-IN-MONARO-HIGH-COUNTRY

Luckily for Paul Bangay, he had good bones to work with. The garden was originally established by John’s grandparents in the 1930s, with the help of renowned Southern Highlands green-thumb Claude Crowe. He was responsible for the stone walls, rare conifer species and other key plantings which remain integral to the landscape today. Just a handful of the mature trees now in existence at Shirley include oaks, elms, poplars and various cypress. As a consequence of all this hard work, which John maintains diligently to this day, this garden is considered one of the great gardens in the Snowy Mountains region.

A-SHEEP-FARM-IN-MONARO-HIGH-COUNTRY

A-SHEEP-FARM-IN-MONARO-HIGH-COUNTRY A-SHEEP-FARM-IN-MONARO-HIGH-COUNTRY

“My favourite part of the garden is the lake, which was established by John’s grandfather,” Sally-Ann says. “It provides a great place for picnics and is viewed from most parts of the garden. It even has a little beach and old stone barbecue.”

A-SHEEP-FARM-IN-MONARO-HIGH-COUNTRY A-SHEEP-FARM-IN-MONARO-HIGH-COUNTRY

The complete story was originally published in Australian Country issue 16.4. Click here to subscribe to our magazine.

Click here for more farm life stories.

Words Siobhan O’Brien
Photography Stephanie Lees

More Like This

Douglas Blain

The Extraordinary Journey of Douglas Blain: Preserving the Past with Passion

Douglas Blain’s remarkable life has been devoted to rescuing old buildings and turning them into boutique hotels.

Montville Mist Springwater

The Collins’ Montville Mist Springwater Success

Alli and Peter Collins juggle raising a family and running, Montville Mist Springwater from their home in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

Paper Pocket Australiana

Our Top 10 Favourite Calendars and Diaries to Kick Start Your 2024

Discover Australia’s favourite range of 2024 Calendars and Diaries from Paper Pocket. Keep track of your year, organise your appointments, plan your […]

Date & Ginger Bundt Cake

Date & Ginger Bundt Cake Recipe

This date and ginger bundt cake is an adaptation of my mum’s much-loved sticky date pudding recipe.

Lemon Cake Recipe

Weekday Lemon Cake Recipe

A (very) simple melt-and-mix number, perfect for when a lemon cake is in order, but fuss is not. A while ago, […]

Move to Myanbah

From Corporate Careers to Country Living: A Family’s Move to Myanbah

Jess and Hamish Webb embarked on a move to Myanbah to raise their three young children in a restored 19th-century homestead.

Tasmanian Family Farm

A Tasmanian Family Farm Built within Generations

Seven generations of the Medwin family have farmed at Black River, Tasmania. Phil and Fiona Medwin are ensuring the tradition continues.

Family business

A Sheep Farm Business Turning Whey into Spirits and More

This Tasmanian-based family has turned their common family business model on its head in pursuit of their values.

Follow Us on Instagram