Related: Nanga Gnulle has been sold
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A former Strathdale wedding venue, getaway and conference centre with award-winning gardens is set to be developed into a housing estate.
Rob and Peg Green spent more than 40 years converting a two hectare, bare block into the Nanga Gnulle estate until age forced them to sell in 2014.
The prospect of their lives’ work being cleared fills the couple with grief.
Nanga Gnulle gardens set to go
For more than four decades, one family converted 40 Harley Street from a boggy paddock into a sprawling garden and a Bendigo icon.
Now the defunct wedding venue, conference centre and cottage getaway formerly known as Nanga Gnulle is set for another transformation.
The mud brick former homestead of the Green family will be demolished, along with all other buildings on the site. Its two dams will be filled. Many of the trees and much of the vegetation will be cleared.
In its place, 15 new homes will cover most of the 1.9 hectare block.
That is the future, at least, outlined in a development application lodged with the City of Greater Bendigo last week.
Rob and Peg Green built and ran Nanga Gnulle until they were forced to sell the Strathdale property when its maintenance become too much for them about three years ago.
Mr Green said he was unaware of the specific proposal, and had no contact with the new land owner but had heard rumours it was destined for development.
“We really want to stay away from it all as it has already caused a certain amount of grief for us,” he said.
“My wife and I had a painful period where we couldn’t get anyone to take it on the way it was.
“But it was just became too much physical work for us.”
The land’s former owner has tried to remain philosophical about its fate but was unable to contain his emotion upon learning of its potential future.
“If it’s 15 homes that suggests that everything is going to have to be cleared,” Mr Green said.
“It’s been recognised as a Bendigo icon and the thought of that happening is pretty ordinary.”
Listed as the applicant on the development application before council’s planning department is Jing Ying Pty Ltd.
That company was listed with the Australian Security and Investment Commission in 2012 in Kennington but does not offer contact details.
Managing director of Bendigo-based civil engineering company Terraco, Paul Bowe, is listed as the contact on the development application. Mr Bowe was unable to be contacted before deadline.
The application – available for public inspection – said the main, mud-brick residence, built in 1974, was in “poor condition”. It said all but one of the new properties would be accessed by a new internal road.