By Alesha Capone
A Werribee house which was constructed by a prominent local family, and has been home to a well-known artist for more than 45 years, is on the market.
Husband and wife Platon and Kathy, a painter who works under the professional name of Kathleen Vafiadis, have lived at 6 Scotsburn Grove since 1975.
The pair are selling up because they want to downsize and move to the beach.
Kathy said their four-bedroom home, which was constructed in the mid-century modern style, was originally built by the Beamish family.
The surname is famous in Wyndham, with John Beamish establishing the first irrigation plant on the Werribee Plains in 1886.
His brother, Francis Beamish, was a Werribee Shire councillor in the 1880s, and several Beamish family members served in World War I.
Kathy said the house was designed and built by Lloyd and Sonia Beamish around 1959-1960.
The home still features hardwood floors, wide skirting boards, a bathroom and light switches installed by the couple.
Kathy said that Lloyd, a landscape gardener, planted a number of trees on the property which are still flourishing today.
“A lemon-scented gumtree out the front is listed on Wyndham council’s Significant Tree Register,” she said.
Kathy said the house also features a cedar door which originally came from a 40-bedroom Werribee house known as The Manor, which was built by Percy Chirnside during 1895-1896 and burned down in 1966.
Kathy said that as an artist, she loves the Scotsburn Grove house’s light and high ceilings.
A portrait that Kathy painted of former Prime Minister Julia Gillard was named a finalist in the Archibald Prize in 2006.
“I have a lovely photo of her (Ms Gillard) coming to the house to see it for the first time,” Kathy said.
“When she came to the front door, I said: ‘Who’s more nervous, you or me?”
The bathroom of Scotsburn Grove features colourful tiles near the sink, which Kathy has painted with pictures of Queen Elizabeth.
She has also painted walls in the garden in the Mondrian style, with clean lines and bright colours.
Michelle Chick from Ray White Werribee said the house would be auctioned on July 31.
It is priced between $600,000 to $660,000
“It’s a beautiful warm home, it’s quirky, in a brilliant location and feels wonderful,” Ms Chick said,
