In 1895, Coolart homestead was built by Fredrick Sheppard Grimwade as his family’s country retreat which sits on 87.5 ha in the Western Port coast of the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. Between the years of 1907, it was owned by Thomas Armstrong, James Balmain and John Sylvester Feerhan. In 1937, Tom Luxton purchased the property and had it declared a sanctuary for native wildlife and a program of habitat development. When he passed in 1968, it was purchased by the Victorian State Government for conservation and education. The Homestead is now run by Park’s Victoria, and has been since 1996 is and free to view. The bottom floor is furnished, however the upper level contains empty rooms. The previous section of the house which was the servants quarters is off limits to the public and is used by employees for storage and offices.
