RETREAT TO SPLENDID ISOLATION
Picture one of Salamanca’s sandstone warehouses plonked on a green lawn with a fountain, and surrounded by parkland gardens, an orchard and a hazelnut grove. Inside are three big bedrooms, two bathrooms (one of them ridiculously opulent) and a huge loft-style living space. And you have the whole place to yourself.
The Granary at Cressy’s Richmond Hill is a new luxury farm stay offering the ultimate escape to the country.
Richmond Hill is one of Tasmania’s oldest farms, dating back to the early days of British settlement. To the west lie the Great Western Tiers, to the east Ben Lomond, and the Macquarie River flows through the Green Fields.
In 1809, the property now known as Richmond Hill was granted to former British army officer James Brumby, who was put in charge of a handful of soldiers as the special constable to guard the crossing on the Macquarie River.
Later purchased by the Cressy Company, the property became home to the first Hereford cattle brought to Australia. Nowadays, it is home to cropping and fat lambs.
The main house and private residence dates back to the 1820s.
About 150m from the house is The Granary, which was originally built as an enormous barn from sandstone and brick that was carted by bullock from a property 20km away.
Over the years it has been used as a granary, stable, workers’ quarters and shearing shed.
More recently, the building has been restored, evidently at great expense, by a previous owner of Richmond Hill. Until now, these extravagant quarters were only for private guests.
When Sydney tree-changers Nick and Fiona Moses bought the property, they saw its potential as a tourism venture. “Wherever you look you have a beautiful view,” Fiona says.
She grew up in the Cressy area and says moving back to Tasmania to such a stunning property is a dream come true. “We didn’t know if we wanted the kids to grow up in the big smoke,” she says.
The Granary is also proving the stuff of
dreams for interstate and international city dwellers, who have so far made up the bulk of guests, since opening in January.
Fiona says a couple of local bridal parties have also used the Granary as the base for their wedding day preparations, a trend she hopes will continue.
Two hours is a long way to drive for a sleep-in but, as parents of a busy toddler, this is our main mission at The Granary. We couldn’t have found a better place.
The bedrooms are made up with luxurious linens and electric blankets and there’s a view from every window.
As infrequent visitors to the state’s North, we decide to have a good look around the area. Though The Granary feels like a secluded sanctuary, it’s close to Launceston, surrounding towns, wineries and the edge of the Wilderness World Heritage Area.
We take a 45 minute drive west to Liffey Falls. A rainforest walk of less than an hour takes us to the falls, which are flowing freely after recent rains and snow.
We drive back east to Evandale to stop at the Clarendon Arms for a bite. The 1847 watering hole is renowned for its British pubstyle menu and offers late lunches on weekends.
Back at the The Granary, we savour the romantic isolation on this wintry weekend. With low grey clouds flying across the paddocks and wind whistling outside the immovable sandstone walls, it is magic hiding inside by the wood heater.
In spring and summer, the place will transform. With mature oak trees, box hedging and a mix of formal and cottage gardens with an emphasis on herbaceous borders, the parkland of Richmond Hill will soon be at its best.