A Taste of Europe in Victoria, Australia

Kim La Ferla
|
June 23, 2022

Mont du Soleil, which means Mountain of the Sun, is the third house Robert and Liz Stygall have built and, according to Robert, “definitely the last.” Set on 40 acres and facing due north, the house is often bathed in sunlight.

A Taste of Europe in Victoria, Australia

Kim La Ferla
|
June 23, 2022

Mont du Soleil, which means Mountain of the Sun, is the third house Robert and Liz Stygall have built and, according to Robert, “definitely the last.” Set on 40 acres and facing due north, the house is often bathed in sunlight.

The story of Mont du Soleil is one of serendipity.  Having already lived in the area for many years, it was an encounter with the property’s previous owner that began the Stygalls’ latest chapter.  “I used to walk our dog along the road fronting the existing property and used to jokingly say to the farmer who owned it, ‘If you ever want to sell this, let me know.’  And one day, he did.”

This Provencal-cum-Tuscan style abode has spectacular panoramic views of the Warburton Ranges and Yarra Valley. Its timeless ambience has, in part, been achieved with the extensive use of recycled materials. For example, its massive structural posts and beams are ex-bridge timbers from Gippsland and are over a hundred years old.

For a home that was built less than two decades ago, what’s remarkable about Mont du Soleil and its cluster of outbuildings including rental accommodation ‘Sunrise Cottage‘, is its seamless and ancient look and feel.

With Robert’s background in energy and his ardent interest in low-energy design, he was drawn to the high thermal mass that mudbrick construction provides. The house’s northern orientation provides passive heating, which means that it stores heat from the sun in the winter. Conversely, mudbrick keeps the house comfortably cool in summer, as it evens out day and night temperature variations. 

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The property abounds with some outstanding architectural detail.  Wrought iron fencing and bluestone come from the old Melbourne Cemetery and timber from an old railway station in Western Australia. These were used to build the bucolic stable-like garage. 

There’s even a traditional church bell that originally came from Northern Victoria.  It has been run on multiple special occasions including on the couple’s daughter’s wedding.

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