You don’t have to be a king or a fairy character to live in a castle, as the Brogo residents of the Theodorakis family have proven.
Although construction began in 1990, the castle is an ongoing project that requires passion, positivity and dedication. Photo: Lea Zantou
Jerry and Erin Theodorakis purchased this grand residence, formerly Waterston Castle, in 2015, which before that had been severely neglected for 10 years.
The French chateau-inspired six-bedroom, three-bathroom stone building stands in an equally imposing location, with bushland surrounding it, the permanently beautiful sounds of Creek Gar and views of Mount Biamanga/Mumbulla.
According to Jerry and Erin, construction of the building began in 1990 and ran for about seven years, but the current owners continue to work on the mega project.
The soaring cathedral ceilings and spacious living spaces on the main level provide a sense of brilliance and homely comfort, with the lower level feeling more subterranean, though not lacking in comfort or elegance.
“We saw a lot of potential when we came across this place, it’s a big building and I’ve always lived in big houses,” Jerry said.
Jerry, who is self-advised as a calculated risk taker and has an extensive background in the construction industry, said his daughter initially encouraged him to see the property.
“I immediately knew what to do,” he said.
Now in his 60s, at the age of 17, Jerry began carving interior woodwork and making furniture, later moving on to restoring antiques, then marble and granite countertops.
“It’s a big job for one person, but I don’t put it off,” Jerry said. “I have a lot of passion, energy and ideas.”
House Creek sprawls across the middle of a five-acre allotment and with no upstream planting, providing clean water to the property.
“The man who built the castle built a suspension bridge under the creek where it was cut off by the floods, so that the residents could cross, but the towers were washed away during a great flood several years ago,” Jerry said.
Irene is an avid swimmer and the 25m long swimming hole, up to 2m deep in some places, is just a minute’s walk from the castle.
“This is a beautiful place my grandchildren will come to,” Jerry said. “We are really enjoying it and we are not isolated.”
There are plans to install a traditional concrete balustrade outside the front of the castle, forming a 35-meter-high curved wall and a splendid Georgian portico, to mark the grand entrance to the massive front door.
Erin is the mastermind behind the garden design and shapes the beautiful decorative spaces around the house as well as the raised vegetable garden beds in the back.
Erin is also the primary interior designer, who has real flair and imagination.
The castle’s distinctive stonework has been put together using a mixture of local rocks as well as some rocks from East Gippsland.
Jerry Theodorakis stands at the main entrance to the castle, where a colonnaded portico in the Georgian style will soon be built. Photo: Lea Zantou
Jerry loves to use reclaimed materials where possible, and he’s had many stunning additions to both the dwelling’s structure and the decor inside, including carved tiles, French-style lighting, and handcrafted antique wood furniture, most of which are heavy-duty. decorated.
“I hate waste and always use as much recycled materials as possible,” he said.
After keeping the cost of improvements so far impressively low, Jerry said that the bulk of the expenditures have been allocated to excavation work around the castle, which is “completely bypassed,” making access, maintenance and parking an issue.
“I imagine that in the next 18 months most of the internal work will be done as well,” he said.
“I enjoy what I do. It fits me perfectly.”
- Please note that this is a private residence, not open to the public or visited without the express permission of the owners.