Home renovation: How I turned my old shed into a gold mine

Home diversification could be the key to success in the post-COVID world as Aussies seek a new balance in their lives.

When Asia Upward fell pregnant with her first child she and her husband Sam Edwards were over the moon.

But they were also a little worried. Asia, a photographer, travelled extensively for work, often driving hundreds of kilometres from Logan Brae, the couple’s apple orchard in the country, into the city for jobs.
If everything went smoothly she could continue to do that while pregnant, but with a newborn under her arm?

Asia and family living the country dream

Asia and Sam had their doubts. And even if she could make it work she wasn’t sure she wanted to.

“At that stage I was driving in and out of the city five days a week,” says Asia. “As the months went by it became pretty clear to me that something needed to change. I couldn’t keep going back and forth the way I had been, but we also needed to make money so that we could support a family.”

Sam worked the land and successfully too. But the couple needed Asia’s income if they were to live comfortably. Because, as anyone who was ever farmed will tell you … it is anything but a reliable beast.

“Right when you think you’re on top of things something will happen,” says Asia.

“There’s weather to contend with, then it’s birds or insects, or a new disease that’s affecting fruit. You name it, we have had to contend with it. We have learned it all the hard way and we’ve loved it. But once you have kids to support … well things change.”

The Romantic Orchard Escape in The Blue Mountains. Picture: Asia Upward/Airbnb

The couple knew they had to diversify and fast. They mulled over how they might tap into another source of income when Asia had an idea. An old machinery shed on the property might, with an enormous amount of work, make decent holiday accommodation.

“It was just sitting there,” says Asia. “It was full of tools and machinery that was outdated and no longer usable, and we never went in there. And yet, it was built on a section of the land which has the most spectacular views. It was such a waste of an amazing location so I decided to invest in it and turn it into an Airbnb.

It seemed a decent plan, but transforming the shed into something liveable was considerably more challenging than Asia had anticipated. It had been used as a machinery storage shed for a century and every inch was full, meaning it took Asia close to 12 months just to empty it.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” she says. “Honestly, it was a monster job. We removed 20 skip loads of rubbish.”

Once was a barn full of junk. Picture: Asia Upward/Airbnb

Next, Asia and Sam hired some local builders and got to work. They put in new floors and had the building re-clad. They updated the old septic tank and ensured everything was up to code as far as plumbing and electrics were concerned. They installed a freestanding bath which overlooked the mountain view.

The outdoorsy couple collected stones while strolling the 25-acre property and built a fireplace by hand. And they hired landscapers to replace the overgrown thickets of blackberries that surrounded the shed with a traditional country-style garden.

Eventually the machinery shed was ready to be opened for business and Asia listed it on Airbnb and got ready to field calls. At first business was slow and Asia and Sam began to think they had made a mistake.

“I was thinking ‘What is going on? Why aren’t we getting more bookings?’ But then the reviews started to trickle in and that made a massive difference.”

Now a popular destination. Picture: Asia Upward/Airbnb

Roughly eight months after they opened, Asia and Sam’s Airbnb was one of the most popular in the country. Asia was able to quit her job as a photographer and instead spend her days on the farm caring for her guests while also being close to Sam and their newborn daughter Grace.

Now, four years later and with Isla, another daughter added to the brood 12 months ago, Asia and Sam’s old shed has turned into a legitimate goldmine with guests lining up to visit. Asia puts the holiday accommodation’s huge popularity down to the incredible beauty of the mountain location and also the history of the building.

“It has an old world charm to it,” she says. “And staying here, on a working farm, is a unique experience for many people. I used to live in the city and it’s absolutely chokkas. Your neighbours are right there. There’s no space to just breathe and I think people have a romantic notion about life on an orchard.

Asia Upward at home.

“People want to experience it for themselves and the location is stunning. The views … and not a person for miles. It’s quite magical.”

The experience of renovating their unused shed and turning it into holiday accommodation has been so successful that Asia and Sam are about to expand.

“We’ve just exchanged contracts on another property and will soon be launching Logan Brae Retreats,” reveals Asia.

“It’s a dream come true for us and I can’t wait to share it with the world.”

Originally published as Home renovation: How I turned my old shed into a gold mine