Ocean Grange Homestead

Gippsland’s Ocean Grange is an idyllic, off-grid beach house located on a narrow strip of land between Lake Victoria and the famous Ninety Mile Beach, surrounded by national park. And it’s only accessible by boat from nearby Paynesville (or another town connected to the lake). You can use your own craft, or arrange a charter boat.

The historic two-hectare property has been in David Byrne’s family since 1986. He grew up here, before inheriting the site and converting it into accommodation with his wife, Tia Byrne, in 2016. The original Grange House, or “Front House”, was built in 1889 and contains a queen bed, bathroom, living room and study. Over time three more buildings were added to the vast homestead, which now has a total of nine bedrooms, 16 beds, five bathrooms and two kitchens, and room for up to 22 guests.

The six-bedroom Back House is a kids’ delight, with a pool table and boating paraphernalia on every shelf and wall, including a single scull rowboat hanging in the main living area. The Flats is a quiet parental retreat with two-self contained suits, while the central Kitchen House – with a commercial kitchen, walk-in cool room and 16-seat dining table – is strictly for entertaining, with a private chef available on request.

Byrne’s parents are responsible for the property’s most iconic and unusual feature: a 15-metre-high tower incorporated into the house, granting 360-degree views of the surrounding lakes, beaches and national park.

Spend the days swimming in Ocean Grange’s pool, hiking the trails that weave throughout said national park, and fishing in the surf or the quieter lake. The lake’s placid waters teem with birds and marine life, including dolphins, which can occasionally be spotted frolicking near boaters.