Sandy Verschoor: When the Lord Mayor needs to get out of the city, this is where she goes

An old transportable house – only slightly modernised– is our haven at Goolwa beach, writes Adelaide’s Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor.

Nearly 18 years ago, my husband Gregg and I bought a shack at Goolwa Beach. Just over one hour’s drive away, it was a converted transportable. It was tiny. It had no mod cons. It was perfect.

Nestled behind the dunes and with open reserves on two sides, it affords us the privacy and open space to recharge.

Goolwa Beach is nearly always windy, the waves constant and much loved by body boarders and surfers. The beach is wide and sandy with dunes all the way to Middleton.

And beach life for me? Long walks, a stack of books, anything I feel like eating, family coming and going, good friends stopping by for long, long lunches; sunshine and fresh air.

Sometimes, when the week at work has been fast and furious and I need time out, we come for the night. Falling asleep to the sound of surf is like nothing else. We sleep deeply and wake rested, ready to start a new week.

Over the years the shack has changed somewhat – mainly as projects of my husband with local builder and now good mate Steve.

First, he constructed the “pod”. Meant to be his dream studio (for his art) and my study space (for my writing), it no sooner was built than it became the main lounge and our bedroom.

The pod was then connected to the house by a corridor, now filled with books, a long wooden deck out the back and then, by taking the other side of the house off and extending out, a new entry, bigger kitchen space, and a side deck – or reading pavilion, sheltered from the wind.

Our dingy little transportable slowly transformed. Louvred windows, walls of glass for views for the dunes, decks to lounge and lunch, the house reclad in locally sourced and milled white cypress. It was a labour of love.

So many books, so little time. Picture: Sandy Verschoor

Sandy Verschoor’s shack at Goolwa. Picture: Sandy Verschoor

And then there was the entry. Gregg loves recycling and spends hours at the local Goolwa dump and other depots. He found the remains of an old jetty from Port Vincent and used them to construct our own jetty-like entrance. Just like he found an old canoe, stripped it bare, reworked the wood and hoisted it up on the wall!

For my part? I bought my old Adelaide Fringe office doors when fringe outgrew its East End offices – ’60s frosted glass with boats, perfect. I scoured second-hand shops for vintage mirrors, lamps, crockery and cutlery. Oh, and lots of board games from the local market.

The walls compete for our art treasures and purchases. An annual Victor Harbor art show piece, Balinese batiks, black and white photos from our Moroccan adventure, Pro Hart and street art, charity auctions and exhibitions.

Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor with border collie Scout at Goolwa. Picture: Sandy Verschoor

Yep, it’s a complete mash-up of all things we love. Our antique hall stand is littered with hats of all shapes and sizes: church pews for the dining table, my grandfather’s roll-top desk all the way from Rotterdam in the ’60s and the world’s smallest combustion heater – another treasure Gregg reinstated.

I love it. The kids love it. Our dog Scout loves it.

Still no mod cons. No dishwasher. No internet. No streaming services.

I love every bit of it … except the bathroom.

Still in its original 1960 condition, Gregg has promised that 2022 will be the year we finally do up the bathroom. And maybe even get an oven that works?

After 18 years I’m not going to hold my breath. I’ll just go for a long walk and find another good book to read.

Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor relaxes with a book. Picture: Supplied