Simple pleasures
This CUTE 1960s motel has been given a SPRUCE UP and makes for a PERFECT BASE to explore BRUNSWICK HEADS on the NSW North Coast, finds CELESTE MITCHELL.
THEY’RE A DYING BREED, our retro motels. Being bulldozed to make way for townhouse developments, or languishing in a state of disrepair – less nostalgic jewels, more the types of places you’d want to BYO sheets.
But on the drive into one of the east coast’s most underrated beach towns, Brunswick Heads, the motel is alive and kicking. No less than three have been given the modern touch while retaining their low-line vibe.
It’s amazing what a difference paint can make and while the navy blue of the Chalet Motel was already dabbed over the bricks before the dotted line was signed in early 2019, the clearly design-minded new owners have upped the ante. A Palm Springs-style cactus garden draws rubberneckers – like me – to the motel’s signage, but it’s only once we’ve pulled into the white gravel car park, checked in, and stepped past blooming bougainvillea into room three that the new aesthetic can be truly appreciated.
Compact as can be expected of a motel room, this one is punctuated by lots of lovely soft furnishings – baskets, tasselled cushions and a mustard-coloured linen throw create a calming atmosphere. Above the bed, a photograph of children leaping into the river from the old wooden bridge in town captivates my attention more than the smart TV on the opposite wall could.
There’s a built-in desk and a stack of mix-andmatch crockery above a small fridge. Just as all good motels should, this one provides a kettle and toaster along with basic tea and coffee supplies (save your caffeine hit for Ethel Food Store, a four-minute walk away). And as well as a small hanging space for clothes, a spare blanket and hair dryer, there’s a neat sitting area outside the en suite, which we reposition to make way for our son’s portacot.
As much as I appreciate the decor, we’re here to explore. After filling my stainless steel bottle from the sparkling water tap in the barbecue area that neighbours the saltwater pool, we walk a couple of blocks for burgers at Old Maids then to the river for a swim. The popular all-day burger joint sits next to Sails Motel, the first to kick-start the makeover chain reaction on this strip.
We leave our swimmers and towels on the balcony rail to dry while we head off on foot again for tacos al pastor and margaritas that evening at La Casita, opened by the duo behind Bruns’ two-hatted tiny diner, Fleet.
There’s simple pleasure in turning in at nightfall with a sleepy baby in our room at the Chalet; it’s precisely what this town is all about.