GRAND GESTURES

Steeped in stories and surrounded once again by lovely gardens, this remarkable villa outside Perth is treasured by its young, history-obsessed owners.

- Carli Philips

Set among manicured box hedges and plum trees that explode into extravagant pink blooms, the villa is almost invisible from the street. Secret paths meander through its surrounds, where there’s even a creek that’s traversed via a small bridge. This house might be nestled into the arts hub of Darlington, in the Perth Hills, but with its arched portico and arcaded architecture it would look equally at home in a Tuscan village.

Bronte Taton-Boulet and her husband, Josh Casey, spotted it for sale in June 2021 – on the weekend that Perth went into a snap lockdown. “We saw the house just as inspections were being cancelled,” she says. “Almost nobody came, because everyone was terrified of Covid. So we put in an offer straightaway and just got very lucky.” The couple had been living in a Victorian cottage but since having their daughter Clementine, now 22 months, their priorities had changed. “We wanted Clementine to grow up surrounded by nature,” says Bronte. “We very quickly went from going to bars to looking after a baby and five chooks.”

With its extraordinary grounds and period charm, the couple was drawn to the house immediately. “Josh has worked as a heritage architect and I have a passion for antiques – we were all about the romance and the history of the house,” says Bronte, who sells vintage wares online.