The final chapter in farming family’s history closes, as the homestead is listed for sale

On the back of the sale of “Chain-O-Ponds”, a 828.1-hectare property in the Yass Valley, the final chapter in this farming family’s history is coming to a close, with the property’s last remaining portion holding the main homestead listed for sale.

Last month Geoff and Michelle Fountain sold the farm – which was one of the last remaining large-scale properties left in the area - for $1,650,000 to a Sydney buyer.

Now the property’s main homestead on 16 hectares, which was subdivided from the rest of the farm when Geoff took over from his parents Elizabeth and John, has hit the market as 94-year-old Elizabeth moves to Sydney to be closer to her daughter Carolyn.

Elizabeth and John bought the property in 1969, making the tree-change from Sydney. Initially they lived in an existing cottage before John built the main homestead with a builder from Yass.

With six teenage children, the Fountains built a large home designed with the family in mind. Incorporating open plan living, a billiard room, three bedrooms and study, the standout feature has to be the slate tiles throughout.

“Dad laid the tiles himself,” Carolyn said. “They also made sure they could make the most of the country views with every single room in the house opening out via glass and timber French doors to the garden.”

As the next generation came into the picture, a gable pitched granny flat, housing a loft, living space and bathroom, was built next to the homestead to accommodate the growing family.

“Mum taught at the Gunning school and dad, an engineer by trade, ran the farm and was the Managing Director of Goulburn Wool Scours,” Carolyn reflects on her parents’ history on the property.

“We had been living in Sydney, but they wanted to give up the busy city life for a quiet life in the country.”

“If I was ever stressed out from Sydney, a weekend at ‘Chain o Ponds’ would do the trick; it was just so great to visit and go for walks in the bush and enjoy the peace and quiet.”

“It was great we had the opportunity to have somewhere like that to take my kids and grandchildren. They loved helping Grandpa in the paddocks, working with the sheep and taking turns on the back of the motorbike.” 

“We have such fond memories of the kids making rafts on the dam next to the house, taking canoes out and picking fruit from the orchard.”

“You hear of city kids who don’t know where milk comes from or for that matter many of the foods that come from farms, they think it comes from the supermarket, so it was special and important they could have that regular exposure to country life on weekends.”

Agent George Southwell said it was the end of an era for the Fountain family who had been an integral part of the community for 50 years.

“'Chain o Ponds’ was a wonderful place for the Fountains to raise their family, but the time has come for a new generation to take on this special homestead and create a new book of memories.”

“Located only 30 minutes from Yass, 1-hour from Goulburn and 1.5 hours from Canberra, ‘Chain-O-Ponds Homestead’ offers peaceful, country living at its finest.”

Agent: George Southwell  +61 429 838 345 george.southwell@raywhite.com