How these old relics became charismatic holiday homes
These buildings could have been left to rot. Instead, a combination of hard work and imagination has turned them into gorgeous getaways.
These buildings in NSW could have been left to rot. Instead, a combination of hard work and imagination has turned them into gorgeous holiday homes.
1. The Ark Coolamon
When two retired visual arts teachers decided to restore the heritage-listed Methodist church they had purchased 15 years earlier, they weren’t counting on Covid sweeping the world. They saw the grand vaulted ceilings, the beautiful floorboards, how the light danced across the space through the arched stained-glass windows. Happily, they stumbled upon a cast of tradespeople who wanted to be a part of the project. One by one, the windows were removed and restored, a raised section of flooring was repurposed into wardrobes and shelving, and soft furnishings and bathrobes were sewn from recycled natural fabrics. The end result is an homage to quality craft; everything is original except for the hardware attached to the sinks and the utilities. Guests arrive through beautiful gardens to a welcome platter of Coolamon cheese, salumi and homemade condiments, all a holy precursor to a soak in the clawfoot tub.
2. Old Brick Pub, Young
Pub patrons can be rough, but so can vandals when a building is left fenced off for almost two decades awaiting rescue – and a builder willing to take on the gig. Susan and Craig Hardy were finally able to renovate in 2020, when their builder son Sam had a gap in his schedule. They found the chimneys kicked in, floorboards ripped up, plumbing torn from the walls and graffiti sprayed throughout what had been known as the Burangong Hotel in the 1870s. The restoration became a rebirth for the whole community during Covid lockdowns. Locals called encouraging words through the wire fence while Susan kept Sam fuelled with toasted sandwiches and coffee. Opening to guests in September last year, The Old Brick Pub is an adults-only bolthole with glimmers of gold rush history. The crumbling brick walls have become showpieces, infused with warmth from the wood-burning fireplace. Kick back with a glass of local wine or porter.
3. Stringy Bark Hut, Tallong
When James Tait’s parents purchased the property next door to their Southern Highlands farm, a dilapidated bark hut was a large part of the land’s appeal. Built in the 1890s, time had not been kind to the structure. The rear and separate kitchen had collapsed and cows and wombats would often wander through what remained. James and his wife Amanda tasked local builder and passionate preservationist Willy Hall with the restoration. By the end of 2018, Stringy Bark Hut was ready for its next innings, with most work completed using traditional hand tools. Some of the original peppermint bark cladding was salvaged while the pressed mud floor was relaid and mod cons installed. The solar-powered, well-insulated hut is now a rustic luxe retreat for four.
4. The Barracks, Tocal, Patterson
Standing on the traditional lands of the Wonnarua people, now home to the Tocal Agricultural College, The Barracks transports guests back to one of Australia’s oldest working farms. It was built to house convicts and free workers then abandoned for 80 years, and its journey back to being habitable was lengthy and expensive. Timbers were rotting, the walls were filthy and a tree was poking through in one corner. Restored in two parts, first in the 1980s then between 2014 and 2017, the result is four individually designed guest suites with views over bucolic scenery. A stay here means cosy fireside nights and wholesome local breakfast supplies enjoyed while watching the farm animals.
5. St Joseph’s Guesthouse, St Albans
Built by convicts and with a foundation stone consecrated in 1839, St Joseph’s is the oldest Catholic church on mainland Australia, predated only by its counterpart in Richmond, Tasmania. A bushfire ripped through the imposing edifice less than 10 years after it was completed and it gradually fell into ruin. In 2009, Steve Kavanagh took up the considerable challenge of re-roofing it and restoring its crumbling sandstone walls. His efforts have resulted in a five-bedroom, five-bathroom guesthouse and wedding venue. Downstairs is a vast living area with gas fireplace, couches and smart TV; the kitchen-dining is on the mezzanine. Fire – without brimstone – can be enjoyed in a cosy nook under the refashioned church spire, plus there’s an entertaining deck and a plunge pool created from an old water tank.
PENNY HUNTER
