Historic houses
THE MANY HISTORIC HOMES OF TASMANIA MAKE FOR DREAM HOLIDAY LOCATIONS.
CALSTOCK ESTATE Taking on the ownership and total restoration of a vast and historically significant property might have made even a commercial builder with more than 50 years of experience quail. But Trevor Evans isn’t the quailing type. When he bought Calstock Estate, in Deloraine, Tasmania, two-and-a-half years ago, he was determined to do the right thing by the grand old lady, which dates back to 1831. “There’s too many heritage properties we’ve lost over many, many years, and that’s the truth of it,” he explains. “I wanted this property to go on.”
Protecting Calstock’s future involved a top-to-toe renovation that required skilled tradespeople to spend years working at the property. Extensive water damage required replastering and careful restoration (and in some cases, recreation) of elaborate cornicing and ceiling roses. “Every single corner has been looked at and redone,” says Trevor. “The joiner’s been magnificent; he’s been here nearly two years.” Trevor’s wife Debbie adds: “Mark the painter and his daughter have been here over a year – they did the whole exterior of the main house and the stables. They’ve all become part of the family.”
A team of arborists also spent a year working to restore and replant the 13 hectares of mostly gardens. As we speak, a carpet-fitter is hammering in the background, installing a stair runner and classic brass stair rods. But Trevor is probably proudest of the stables, once rubbish-filled, dirt-floored structures and now an elegant lounge area, dining rooms, workshop, laundry and kitchen.
The ethos was not to transform, however, but to preserve and protect. “We haven’t lost the age-old patina,” says Trevor. “I haven’t tried to make it picture-perfect; I’ve tried to restore it and let it show its lives.”
Calstock’s many lives began with convict labour, with which it was built. It became a premier racing stables, >
“I haven’t tried to make it picture-perfect; I’ve tried to restore it and let it show its lives.”
and was at one time Australia’s largest stud property (with all the accompanying legends of horses being ridden up the manor’s stairs). It has an iconic status among locals, too: “I get people saying, ‘Oh, my auntie was a jillaroo there,’ or, ‘My uncle was the farrier,’ or, ‘My grandmother remembers working there,’” says Debbie. “We’ve had quite a few people come with old photos and stories
– it’s so interesting.”
And Calstock is still creating stories. Debbie and Trevor had been married for 10 years, but had separated amicably. When Trevor bought Calstock, he drew on Debbie’s styling expertise (she ran an interiors shop for years) to decorate and furnish it. As they worked on the property together, they fell back in love and now live there together, hosting their guests.
“When I walked in here it welcomed me,” says Trevor. “It’s got a comfortable feel about it.” And now the hotel guests feel welcome, too, as they roam the magnificent estate and soak in its history, as well as its future.
For more information, visit calstockestate.com.au
RED FEATHER INN On the banks of the South Esk River, just outside Launceston, is the little town of Hadspen. And in the little town of Hadspen is the Red Feather Inn, a collection of historic buildings carefully restored over the past 14 years by owner Lydia Nettlefold. One of Tasmania’s first ever coaching inns, the main building dates back to 1842 and needed a lot of love. “The entire property was basically derelict,” remembers Lydia. Over the years she has bought and renovated other historic properties around the town to add to the options for guests. The main inn building has plenty of rooms, including a two-storey Garden Suite and the Hay Loft. You can also choose between Pearce’s Cottage, which sleeps six, and Murphett’s Cottage, which sleeps eight and was originally the officers’ quarters for the jail. The Watchhouse Cottage served the same function, and nowadays sleeps six. The cottages are perfect for those seeking a little seclusion, and have their own gardens – but the inn’s garden is also worth a visit, its manicured lawns, edged with lush flowerbeds, surrounding a majestic willow.
Lydia’s penchant for elevated rustic style means all of the inn’s rooms are beautiful as well as comfortable. But it’s not just the furnishings that are a treat for guests: Red Feather Inn is famous for its cooking school and in-house restaurant. Lydia is also noticing that travellers are more interested in experiences than ever, and so she’s begun offering seasonal events, like this month’s Ultimate Truffle Weekend. It’s the perfect Tasmanian retreat.
For more information, visit redfeatherinn.com.au