WITH a pine forest in the backyard, the vendor of this Kardinya home counts it a bonus that her littlies wake her at the “crack of dawn”.

“You can see the sunrise,” she smiles.

Birdlife, including cockatoos, is pretty awesome too, “and you can hear the trees whooshing,” she says.

Built in the 1980s the four-bedroom home has had two lots of renovations, including one by the vendor.

Tasmanian oak floors give a pleasant honey-gold contrast to crisp white walls, while the soaring, raked ceiling in the formal living area has huge timber beams.

A massive wall of glass frames a fairytale forest view, and there’s a raw-brick open fire to snuggle up in front of when the mercury drops.

A tumble of toys in the mezzanine overhead tells the story of a great play area for kids. But it could just as easily be a second sitting room for grown-ups, or hangout for teenagers.

The formal lounge/dining flows into an informal living area, where huge windows look out onto the heavily treed parkland.

From the kitchen sink you can watch the kids play on the swings in the park, and there’s plenty of work space on the soft-grey caesar stone benches to whip them up a snack when they return tired and hungry.

A raised and roofed timber deck is a delightful alfresco area with built-in-barbecue and wok-burner.

With soaring pines over the fence and a huge raw-brick fireplace it’s like being in a German fairytale scene.

“We use [the patio] 80 per cent of the year, even in winter we sit out here with the fire going,” the vendor says.

The deck overlooks a swathe of artificial lawn and a huge spa, where the kids learnt to swim.

But when it comes to exploring nature, simply open the gate in the rear fence and let them roam.

Close to schools and shops, and within easy reach of the city, this is a delightful family home.

5 Battye Road, Kardinya
from $899,000
Sue Rayner 0416 160 094
Jordan Linton 0438 902 790
Pulse Realty 9310 1600