Once Upon A Time
Old Leura Dairy was our vision.
Rather than have a little piece of history destroyed we created an integrated property around it – old with new.
For more information see our Eco Ethics page.
...there was a rundown shack that nobody loved. What was to become of this poor old shack??
The vision of Old Leura Dairy has been a journey (and a half!). The Worker’s Cottage was the first to be realised. A little dilapidated cottage full of stories, memories, and friendly ghosts, reeking of history it had to be saved. With all its whims and eccentricities it was restored to a new glory.
Soon to follow were the newly built Straw Bale House and Studio. “I wanted to create a place that would nurture the mind and spirit as well as shelter the body.” Cafes hosted the many creative brainstorming sessions with napkins providing perfect flipcharts. The caffeine inspired frenzy yielded a wish list of features. An eco friendly architect helped design the skeleton around which I created the body.
The Milking Shed was the most fun of all, a real project of the heart. It had so much ambience (and odour!!) wafting out the windows it inspired to new heights. The crooked walls, old hay loft and sloping floors only added to the overall charm.
My most recent artistic endeavours were Moo Manor and Buttercup Barn. Our "Naming Competition" saw 2 thrilled winners christen the cottages with their new names. Buttercup Barn was the first to be born; our excited guests arriving to christen it while the door knobs were still being installed! Moo Manor came next and was transformed from a very plain project home into a delightful, sunny retreat.
Old Leura Dairy was a vision. Rather than have a little piece of history destroyed I created an integrated property around it – old with new. I took a very run down, old ex-dairy and created a cohesive, intimate retreat nestled amongst regenerated and landscaped gardens. The end result is a luxurious, creative, and ever surprising sanctuary.