ITS OWN TALE
Australian House & Garden Magazine|August 2022
Stories of people and place have informed the warm approach the owners of this home in country Victoria took to their renovation.
Yvette Caprioglio
ITS OWN TALE

A Melbourne couple knew from the moment they drove through the gates of this property, and beneath its stately 100-yearold cypress trees, that there was great potential in what lay before them. The secluded 1880s cottage Donna and Darren had set out to see might have been badly rundown, but it was nestled among towering bald hills and offered a beautiful, expansive outlook.

Bought in 1999, the house – located in the Central Highlands of Victoria, on the traditional lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung peoples – was surrounded by a smattering of characterful outbuildings but had sat vacant for 10 years. There were holes in the floorboards, where the clawfoot bath had fallen through rotting floorboards, no plasterwork or insulation, and the occasional nest of tiger snakes. It presented the couple with quite a challenge – and they knew from that point on it would be an ongoing project.

“The reason we moved to the country was to raise the kids in a rural community,” says Donna, who’d spent a lot of time in her childhood with extended family who lived in the region. “That sense of community was missing in the city for us. I’ve always had a strong connection to the country; for me it was important to get out of the city and reconnect.”

With a family that would grow to seven members, the couple set out to create what was first and foremost a comfortable family home: a place where everyone could be together yet also have their own space. The garden was approached similarly, with spots created to sit and gather or to quietly solve a problem under a tree. “Overall, our vision was to create a world that was ours,” says Darren.

This story is from the August 2022 edition of Australian House & Garden Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the August 2022 edition of Australian House & Garden Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN MAGAZINEView All
Megan Morton's - RURAL IDYLL
Australian House & Garden Magazine

Megan Morton's - RURAL IDYLL

The stylist and author reveals the secrets to her decorating journey with Mimosa Moon, her home in the Northern Rivers region of NSW.

time-read
4 mins  |
August 2024
RURAL RETREAT
Australian House & Garden Magazine

RURAL RETREAT

A Colonial-look 1970s property on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria is gently renovated with an English-country aesthetic in mind.

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
Michael Reid OAM
Australian House & Garden Magazine

Michael Reid OAM

The renowned art dealer and entrepreneur, who runs a congregation of creative businesses across the globe, shares the moments and muses that have shaped his extensive career.

time-read
3 mins  |
August 2024
MASTER peace
Australian House & Garden Magazine

MASTER peace

Gallery owner Michael Reid has created his own living paradise, a rambling garden he keenly shares with fellow art lovers who visit the Murrurundi, NSW, gallery location.

time-read
3 mins  |
August 2024
GARDENS of the world
Australian House & Garden Magazine

GARDENS of the world

Up close and personal with the most memorable gardens in Morocco and Spain.

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
INTO the wild
Australian House & Garden Magazine

INTO the wild

Three words inspired the rework of this Kangaroo Valley, NSW, home among the gum trees: embracing, vibrant and Animalia.

time-read
2 mins  |
August 2024
COUNTRY kitchen.
Australian House & Garden Magazine

COUNTRY kitchen.

Flavourful and warming dishes from The Cordony Kitchen with seasonal vegetables as the stars of the show.

time-read
4 mins  |
August 2024
HOLIDAY at home
Australian House & Garden Magazine

HOLIDAY at home

Missing the Indonesian villa they enjoyed on a recent holiday the owners decided to recreate their own retreat at home.

time-read
1 min  |
August 2024
STATEMENT piece
Australian House & Garden Magazine

STATEMENT piece

For a holiday home that embodies the coastal beauty of Bermagui, NSW, minimalist bricks were the natural choice, inside and out.

time-read
1 min  |
August 2024
EFFORTLESS charm
Australian House & Garden Magazine

EFFORTLESS charm

With a discrete street frontage, this home fulfils the brief to keep its visual impact on the lush surrounds to a minimum.

time-read
1 min  |
August 2024