A FORMER swamp in Western Sydney has been transformed into a magical “Asian oasis”, complete with moon bridge, lotus lake and man-made cave.
The estate also has its own island and sports a wishing well and water tunnel.
Owner Tan Southideth, nicknamed “Mr Pond”, bought the Horsley Park property in 1997 for $260,000 and lives on site in a caravan.
The property is currently listed with a price guide of $5 million to $7 million.
Mr Southideth said he built the gardens on his 20,000sq m plot to showcase his skills as a landscaper.
“My passion is to live in and around nature,” Mr Southideth said.
“In the past ... I lived with the plants and the river so I created this as somewhere I could remember (that).”
The materials used to make the gardens were sourced from his home country of Laos, in Southeast Asia.
Other features include a waterfall, bamboo gardens, Asian-style rock sculptures and lanterns and a private beach with tropical trees.
Mr Southideth introduced various rare bamboo species and hundreds of coloured koi fish to the property, but said he was most proud of his earthmoving work.
“My favourite part is the cave. It is amazing how nature creates caves and how beautiful they are so I tried to recreate that,” he said.
Listing agent Sam Nguyen of Wiseberry Campbelltown said the property was one of a kind.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Mr Nguyen said.
“Find me a home in Sydney with a cave and a waterfall on top of it. It’s insane.”
The gardens have attracted local church groups and temple organisations, who use the grounds for cultural and religious purposes.
It has also been used to host meditation sessions and Chinese New Year celebrations.
“The owner doesn’t charge people to use the property. He just lets them come into his back yard and often has them around for a barbecue,” Mr Nguyen said
The site has intrigued prospective buyers and attracted a substantial level of interest, Mr Nguyen added.
Mr Southideth said he plans to move to Queensland once he sells the property, but will miss the tranquillity of the estate.
“It’s very peaceful. Every day there is like a holiday,” he said.
Originally published as This tropical gem has a cave and a beach
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