By The Seaside

This Beautiful Family Home on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula Is Filled With a Sense of Calm and Serenity

- Jackie Brygel

Relaxation comes first in Melanie and Peter’s home in a sleepy pocket of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. Basking in space and sunlight, and embraced by coastal greenery, this is an idyllic hideaway that gently engages the senses. There’s the hypnotic call of birdsong during the day, the fragrance of flowers and herbs sprinkled through the garden, and glimpses of a deep-turquoise sea beckoning just across the road – simple delights Melanie always takes time to enjoy. As the founder and CEO of the Endota Spa network, she is a firm believer in the importance of replenishing the mind, body and soul. So when the time came to design a dream home for herself, husband Peter, and sons Fergus, eight, and five-year-old Jimmy, the most important criterion was that it should be a true haven.

“We feel so lucky here,” says Melanie. “We love the fact that you can’t see much of the home from the street. There are holiday homes on every side of us, which means that during the year it’s lovely and quiet.” Indeed, Melanie can feel her shoulders drop the moment that she steps through the front gate. “I do get a sense of calm every time,” she adds. “It’s almost as good as a massage!”

Born and bred on the Peninsula, Melanie and her family were living just 400 metres up the road when they spied this perfectly positioned block. At the time, it laid claim to a house that had seen better days. “There was a typical fibro shack that had been built in the 1960s and hadn’t been touched since, so it was in a bit of a state,” says Melanie. “But Pete really had the vision, and we loved the fact that the beach is literally right across the highway. He talked me into it pretty quickly.”