It was while on a road trip from Victoria that Glenn Batson, a former farmer, and his partner Brad Tatnell stumbled across this 1920s bungalow in Strathalbyn. They had no plans to buy a house in the area but immediately saw the potential of this fixer-upper, which sits on a 1200 square metre block.

“We used to live in Victoria and we were coming over to McLaren Vale to visit some friends one day and drove through Strathalbyn,” Glenn says. “We were having a coffee and we liked the town and ended up buying the house; it’s a beautiful home.”

They were also attracted to the location,  surrounded by farms and just a stone’s throw away from the premium wine district of Langhorne Creek.

“The footy oval’s just down the road and we’re close to the pub and a couple of cafes, which is nice,” Glenn says.

Glenn tells SALIFE that the house was in a poor condition, but as a skilled renovator, he was ready to take on the challenge.

“It didn’t really have a bathroom when we moved in, so we actually had to buy a caravan and use the bathroom in the caravan,” says Glenn.

It didn’t take long for Glenn to bring the property back to life, restoring the interior and adding a striking contemporary extension.

“Because Covid was on at the time, I actually got an architect on Airtasker who was living in Canada. So, we chatted back and forth about what I wanted and then put the plans in and went about building what I had on the plans,” says Glenn.

Now, as you step into the home from the front verandah of 36 Ashbourne Road, Strathalbyn, you will find the dwelling’s four bedrooms, including the master suite with its luxury ensuite.

Walking through to the back of the house, you enter the stylish modern extension, that blends seamlessly with the original part of this historic home.

The open-plan kitchen and living area features large glass windows looking onto the spacious deck and swimming pool.

Outdoors, Glenn has entirely re-landscaped the garden, with new lawns, trees, plants and a veggie patch.

“I think we pulled out about 30 trailer loads of plants and rubbish and bricks,” says Glenn.

“We planted about 60 trees, a couple of hundred plants and some lawn with pop-up sprinklers.

“We’ve got a little veggie patch happening with broccoli and cauliflowers and all sorts of rhubarb that we use for cooking, because Brad likes cooking.”

The couple also had an in-ground pool installed and it is one of their favourite features of their spectacular home.

“We really like the pool because South Australia is quite warm and it’s a great spot to have a swimming pool, especially on some of these hot days,” says Glenn.

Glenn says they also enjoy sitting on the front verandah watching the world go by.

“We love to sit out on the front porch in the afternoon just before dark and we have a bottle of wine and everyone walks past,” he says.

“We’ve got to know lots of people because we sit out there and they chat to us and talk about the house – it’s been very social in that aspect.”

But after three and a half years of calling Strathalbyn home, Glenn and Brad have decided they are ready for a new project.

“It’s tearing my heartstrings, but I’m 55, so I think I’ve got one more project in me,” says Glenn, adding that he’ll miss the architecture of the modern extension and the pool area the most.

“I really love how the old part and the new part of the house blend seamlessly – I think it’s worked really well,” he says.

The sale of 36 Ashbourne Road, Strathalbyn is being handled by Sally Ness from Harris Real Estate Stirling.