A Wangaratta couple has celebrated the completion of multi-million dollar renovations to the 'forever family home' they've established in the homestead which previously served as the clubhouse for Wangaratta Golf Club.

Alan and Kim Sturzaker purchased the two-storey 1880s-era building in Waldara Drive at auction in 2020, and took over in 2022 when the golf club moved into its new clubhouse, off Yarrawonga Road.

Over the ensuing years, the couple worked to restore 'Waldara House' to its former glory, in what Kim said was "an absolute labour of Alan's love, and a career challenge".

A qualified carpenter, Alan - who owns Ultra Project Services - worked with architect Wade Jones, sketching out his vision to restore the historic Trotman homestead, and the Sturkazers employed all-local tradespeople and businesses to carry out the work and style the home.

"We started doing 'soft' renovations until our permits came through, and then it was full steam ahead," Kim said.

Working with stencils of the original skirts and architraves, the renovation was completed in keeping with the building's architectural design.

The Waldara homestead was originally owned by Joseph Trotman, who arranged for bricks to be burnt on the property, and fine white sand to be carried by train from Port Melbourne for the construction.

On completion of the homestead, a train known as the Trotman Special was chartered to bring the family, household goods, farm implements and livestock from Somerton, with the family arriving in May, 1884.

After the Trotmans, the building had seven other owners, before the golf club took it over in 1963.

"We wanted to keep the original Trotman homestead, so pared back the add-ons to the original home," Kim said.

"Everything we then added on was in keeping with the original home; we didn't want to modernise it."

There were plenty of challenges along the way, as is the way when dealing with a historic building.

"We found a big water tank, which we turned into a beautiful wine cellar," Kim said.

A historic pandemic was also among that myriad of challenges, which Kim said were too numerous to mention, but the Sturzakers say it was all worth it.

They moved into the house in mid-October, when there was still some work to be completed.

Though she'd been warned there were ghosts in the home, Kim said she could confidently say there were not: "Though I did sleep with one ear open on that first night".

Last week the couple held an open day, enabling locals and those involved in the development to see the finished project.

Kim said she and Alan were pleased to be carrying the historic house through to its next chapter.

"It's like we're leaving this legacy for the next generation," she said.

She said she loved the grandeur of the home: "It's just a beautiful old place, and when we have the gardens completed, which is the next project, it will be even more special.

"It's been an emotional rollercoaster for us, and we are so emotionally attached to it."

Leading into the festive season, Kim is looking forward to making use of the kitchen and butler's pantry, as well as the commercial grade cool room, for family gatherings - and the backyard pool will be a drawcard over summer.

"We are so impressed with the support from local trades - we couldn't have done it without what everybody's done," Kim said.

"We forget how much has been done, because we're living in it now, but when you go back and look at photos, it's been quite a transformation.

"When the golf club committee came through, they were amazed because of the way they remember it."

* To view the finished house and its progress since the start of the project, follow the Instagram page at waldarahouse_wangaratta