Balhannah country retreat
Spreading over almost 150 acres, this country retreat features expansive views and is on the market for $6,500,000.
Sam and Dan Humphrey built their Balhannah property in 2015, designing it to champion the extensive views over Adelaide.
Having previously lived in Hong Kong, the couple – originally from the United Kingdom – were craving a return to country living, so Dan, an equine veterinarian, took a job at an Adelaide practice.
“It’s almost unheard of to be able to own a piece of land of that size, just under 150 acres, 30 minutes from the CBD or 40 minutes from the airport,” says Sam, a corporate real estate leader for an international IT company.
“I love Balhannah because it’s sort of in the hills, but open hills.
“You’re perched on top of the ridge there, so you’ve got kind of that total privacy and 360 degree views.
“So, you can just have the best of everything.”
Sam says they wanted to build something to complement the landscape and champion the views.
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She describes the result as a modern Australian homestead with European influence.
“It’s obviously such a beautiful location, so we really wanted to have something that would kind of embed itself in the landscape, rather than dominate it,” she says.
“We didn’t want a house that was going to stick out, or was not going to be liveable, because it is a family home.
“Everywhere you go, it’s designed for the views.”
The terracotta exterior was influenced by the holiday home Sam’s parents had built in Spain, the local Basket Range stone also adding to the European inspired exterior.
In 2020 the couple extended the living and dining wing of the house to create a master retreat.
The extension features a spacious bedroom, a walk-in-robe, a large ensuite with a sauna and a private deck with an outdoor spa.
Sam says the master wing has a big “wow” factor and it really completed the house.
“[The master wing] made such a difference to the house,” she says.
“For the size of the house it needed that retreat and I think we’ve really achieved that.
“It actually does feel very much like being in a hotel sometimes.”
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With the extension of the master suite, Sam and Dan also extended the outdoor living area with an outdoor kitchen, complete with a pizza oven. They also added a tennis court and redid some of the landscaping.
The doors from the living and dining can be opened to create the ultimate indoor-outdoor living, and with the tennis court, pool and an outdoor fire pit it is the perfect property for entertaining.
The landscaping around the house is mostly native plants mixed with some traditional English and plenty of roses.
“One of the key drivers was that it would – albeit it’s a large property – just look after itself,” Sam says.
“It’s all fully irrigated on a timer system.”
While Sam will miss the spacious house, she says she will miss the views most of all.
“We’ve actually felt very privileged to live in the house and that’s less about the house and more about the situation and the views,” she says.
“You have the most amazing sunrises.
“A lot of the time we’ll drive up to the top of observation hill and [watch the sunsets] and you almost feel like you’re on top of the world.
“The house is just enhancing the view and the feeling of living there.”
With their two daughters now studying interstate, Sam and Dan are downsizing and trading their valley views for coastal views.
“My favourite thing is sitting out in the morning with a coffee, just looking at the valley with the mist sitting at the bottom,” Sam says.
“You get those special mornings, where the mist is just sitting down below, and it’s blue sky above and it’s just stunning.
“That’s what I love and that’s what I’ll miss.”
The sale of 2429A Greenhill Road, Balhannah, is being handled by Kim Shorland and Trent Shorland of Harcourts Adelaide Hills.
