Emma westward once again is on her horse and into the outback. But this ain’t no ordinary outback, this is the redefined, luxurious but authentically 1860’s variety. Luxury accommodation from a by-gone age.

Text by Emma Westwood

If someone was to mention they’re planning on staying in an original timber slab hut from the 1860s, that great Australian colloquialism – “roughing it” – is the first thing that would spring to most peoples’ minds. Indeed, even looking at this property from the outside conjures thoughts of a rustic bygone age, which is why proprietors Gina Bladon and Matt Pfahlert probably added ‘luxury accommodation’ to the title.

Upon stepping inside 1860 Luxury Accommodation, it’s immediately apparent this is no ordinary bushy’s hut. With its exposed, roughly hewn timber walls, there remains the ambience of 19th century rural Australia – assisted by the inclusion of quirky details, such as an original blacksmith’s bellows as the coffee table – but it’s unlikely an Aussie cattleman would have possessed a plasma high definition TV, stainless steel appliances and Syrian olive oil soap in the bathroom.

“Guests have told us they expect a façade from 1860 and the rest of the building new. Reading between the lines, they are sometimes cynical about ‘claims’ of authenticity,” explains Gina of the response to the property. “I guess they seem to feel there is very little that is authentic any more, so they’re delighted when they actually see 1860 and realise we’ve tried to remain true to the building, but also that we have tied in luxury with the integrity of the building.” The 1860 hut began its life in Emerald, approximately 60 kilometres outside Melbourne, and, through a twist of fate, landed in Gina and Matt’s possession. The couple relocated the hut to their home in Beechworth in North East Victoria where they proceeded with what would become a four-year labour of love: creating their take on self-contained holiday accommodation, combining the old with the new.

“The reconstruction of the building after pulling it down and numbering the pieces was a mighty jigsaw,” says Gina. “The building has dovetail joins on the corners so we had to match the dovetails back again so the building would fit together. This took considerable time and skill.”

Gina admits their main hurdle, though, was finding the appropriate materials from that era. “We pulled down many buildings to get timber flooring, enough slabs for external walls, roofing iron, ceiling boards… so we could rebuild 1860,” she continues. “Given that we did most of the work on weekends while both working and having two small children, the strain on family time was significant. However, the kids did what they could. They oiled timber, played in piles of sand and stones for hours on end, tried to climb every ladder – to my horror – and Eadie (now five years of age) is still very upset that people don’t thank her in the comments book for all the work she did on 1860!” As well as help from the smaller hands in the family, Gina and Matt drew on the expertise of a local builder, Mark White, who they describe as having, “a feel for timber that is not like your average builder.”

“We sourced all the materials ourselves, did all the interior design and colour schemes,” Gina proudly declares. “We were very clear on our vision for the look of the building – elegant, simple, timeless. Because we had this clarity, it was ultimately not difficult to marry the old with new. Natural materials were important, so stonework around the fireplace and stonework behind that glass splashback, leather for couches and bed head, woollen rugs, good quality curtains and a great king-size bed. The ingredients were simple… but expensive!”

It’s hard to imagine someone not being seduced by the exquisite romance of 1860. Not only that, but the aesthetic of colonial Australia comes without any of the functional setbacks. When yanking on the chain of the old toilet
cistern, it flushes perfectly every time. There are no banging pipes when turning on the taps of the bathroom vanity, which flows into an old converted laundry trough. Fresh meat can be kept cool in the refrigerator rather than air in the two meat chests that now double as a home for the DVD player and entertainment system.

Unlike many accommodation owners, Gina can boast, “There have been no negative responses to 1860. The only comment that we were surprised about was one couple wanted bars on the windows for security reasons. I guess they came from a city where security is a big issue. It doesn’t seem appropriate to bar the windows in Beechworth.”

“What makes it worth it for us is how much our guests love it,” she concludes. “We are like little kids at Christmas when people write comments in the guest book. The response is so overwhelming that it gives us an amazing buzz. To have created this space and have people want to experience it gives us a real sense of satisfaction.”

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