A peek inside Mintaro at Monegeeta after 78 years of family ownership

Mintaro, the mansion at Monegeetta, near Sunbury, has had its internal photos now uploaded as it nears it November 15 auction.

The photos afford a peek inside the private 9.9-hectare estate, which has been listed for executor's sale and set to conclude 78 years of Rae family ownership.

"It's a once undeniably grand and gracious homestead, now in need of total restoration, and with outstanding future use potential," says listing agent John Keating.

The Monegeetta property set at 2137 Melbourne Lancefield Road was designed by James Gall of Frognall and Noorilim fame for Captain Robert Gardiner.

Mintaro has been variously described as being “a small replica of Melbourne’s Government House” to “that crumbling mansion on the road to Romsey,” the marketing notes.

The mansion is set within a passive English park-like grounds featuring mature oaks, cedars, monkey puzzles, pines, sequoia and cypresses.

"A setting just awaiting designer garden enhancement," says Keating.

The grazing licence for the original 12,800-acre run of Mintaro was reputedly first held by John Pascoe Fawkner in 1844, before being taken over by Robert Gardiner in 1860.

The Mintaro design was influenced by Osborne House, Queen Victoria’s summer residence on the Isle of Wight.

The property was listed with $3 million-plus hopes.

It features in the work by Miles Lewis entitled Victorian Interiors.