STAY: SOUTHERN CHARM
A LOCAL COUPLE TURNED AN OLD FARM COTTAGE IN TASMANIA’S HUON VALLEY INTO A PEACEFUL HOLIDAY RETREAT.
Sit on the verandah at The Farmer’s Cottage and you
can see all the way to the mouth of the Huon River.
FROM THE VERANDAH of their cottage in Lucaston in the Huon Valley, Abby and Josh Mckibben can see undulating farmland all the way down to the mouth of the Huon River, where it meets Tasmania’s D’entrecasteaux Channel. “We fell in love with the view the moment we saw the property,” says Abby. “There’s a feeling of space and openness, and lots of fresh country air.” The Huon Valley gave Tasmania its reputation as The Apple Isle and there are still lots of working apple orchards in the area. The beauty and charm of the region, and the fact that it’s only 25-minutes’ drive from Hobart, has also made it a film and TV favourite: the movie adaptation of Richard Flanagan’s The Sound Of One Hand Clapping was shot here, as was the ABC comedy series Rosehaven (starring one of Tasmania’s favourite sons, comedian Luke Mcgregor). Despite its idyllic location, the cottage, which was built in the early 1900s, had not been well maintained. “When we bought it in 2016, it was unliveable,” says the 37-year-old. “It actually had some orphaned Highland calves living in it, because the weatherboard back wall had rotted through and fallen down! Grass was growing up through the floorboards and there were four possums living in the roof. There were no photos of the inside of the cottage on the real estate listing.” However, Abby immediately saw its potential. “It had great bones,” she says. “I’d been eyeing off a few of these old, rundown farmers’ cottages near my in-laws’ place and when this one came up for sale I jumped on it.” The first time she walked through, Abby saw the convict-brick fireplace in the bathroom and envisioned a vintage claw-foot iron bath next to it. “That fireplace was the focus of the whole renovation,” she says. “One of the jobs convicts were given back in the day was to make bricks. When you pull them out, a lot of them have still got the initials of the convict who made them. They’re a bit of a treasure.” Today, The Farmer’s Cottage is available to rent and Abby always leaves out a bottle of red wine for guests, and suggests they light the bathroom’s fireplace and have a glass while relaxing in the tub. “The bath fits two people comfortably,” she says. “We found it in Josh’s gran’s apricot orchard. It was full of old tractor parts and we cleaned it up.” When Abby and Josh, also 37, bought the cottage it had sat abandoned for 20 to 30 years and needed a complete internal rebuild, including new electrical wiring and plumbing. They had renovated a couple of properties before, but never on this scale. “In these old houses, the first thing I do is see what’s behind the wallpaper and under the carpet,” says Abby. “Here, we were lucky to find beautiful timber panelling on the walls and dark Tasmanian oak floorboards.” The couple have balanced the cottage’s rustic style with modern conveniences. Insulation was a priority and they >
“It’s so silent. I have the deepest sleeps when I’m here.”
chose hard-wearing black cabinetry for the kitchen. “We thought we’d save money by installing a flat-pack kitchen ourselves, but because nothing in this old house is square or flat, we should’ve got a joiner to come and do it,” says Abby. The couple wanted the renovation to honour the heritage of the century-old house, and Josh’s grandmother’s advice was invaluable. “She let us know what cottages in the area looked like in their heyday. Also, a few locals who used to live in these houses called in and told us what they were like during their childhoods.” Based on their recollections, Abby and Josh decided to create a traditional eat-in kitchen. “Workers on the apple orchards used to come in for a cooked lunch and all sit around talking,” says Abby. “The person cooking could be part of the conversation because the kitchen and dining table were next to each other. It’s a really relaxed and connected way to enjoy a meal.” When Abby and Josh stay at the cottage with friends, one of their favourite things to do is light the fire pit and share a bottle of red wine. “We sit there on the timber stools Josh made, just looking at the fire — it’s like nature’s TV.” When night falls, the cottage and surrounding area are extraordinarily peaceful. “It’s so silent,” says Abby. “I have the deepest sleeps when I’m here.” Follow @thefarmerscottage on Instagram.