Country Style celebrates the diversity of modern Australian living, from the country to the coast and is a trusted source of information for Australians who are driven by the dream of a beautiful regional lifestyle.
My days of checking into youth hostels are long gone. I briefly upgraded to chain hotels, but soon moved on from those too. There’s nothing I enjoy more than staying in a holiday house. It feels special to stay in someone’s home, one they’ve decorated and added their own personal touches to. You’re entering their world and getting a sneak peak into how they live. I recently stayed at Mulberry Cottage in Bumbaldry, New South Wales (see page 76), and had the privilege of getting to know Natalie and Robert Caruana. Natalie took me on a tour of their farm and we had dinner together – such a hospitable couple who shared so much of themselves. Staying in a house with all the creature comforts makes you feel instantly relaxed…
TAMBORINE MOUNTAIN QLD This wholesome cottage, perched on a ridge of south-east Queensland’s Tamborine Mountain, was originally built in 1921 as a wedding present for Helene Manitzky and her new husband William Woolcott by Helene’s father. However, shortly into their time as newlyweds, William was sent to fight in World War II. Helene stayed behind, becoming the first of a long line of women who would own and operate the cottage. Today, its current owners have restored the home to its former glory, creating a space where new memories can be made by lovebirds from all over the world. As you approach Woolcott Cottage, you will be greeted by the sight of lush greenery and stunning views of the mountain ranges. The quaint cottage is built in a traditional Queensland…
BASKET RANGE SA Every day, at dusk and dawn, Pickers Hut comes alive as flocks of black cockatoos glide through the valley to roost in the nearby trees. Black Angus cattle graze in the surrounding paddocks, the nearby wildflower gardens are swarming with birds and insects and you may even spot a koala or two in the branch of an old gum tree. It’s a picture-perfect setting for a romantic escape or small family getaway, and the Adelaide CBD is conveniently only 25 minutes away. The original hut – which is located in Basket Range in the Adelaide Hills, on the traditional lands of the Peramangk and Kaurna peoples – was built around 1940, and originally used by the Australian Women’s Land Army (AWLA), who filled labour shortages in the…
Wisteria trees and sunflower fields are just the icing on the idyllic cake that is The Nesting Post. Nestled just outside of the quaint village of Allora in Queensland, this dreamy 1929 cottage invites guests to slow down and relax. The charming country home was originally built as a market garden overseer’s residence on the outskirts of Toowoomba. In 2021, husband and wife Roy Nott and Ros Hibberd put the cottage on a truck from Toowoomba and brought it to their property to renovate. In an effort to honour the home’s humble beginnings, the couple used mainly recycled and repurposed materials to spruce her up and in the instances where this wasn’t possible, they sourced locally wherever they could. Over the next 18 months, the duo breathed life back into…
MILLTHORPE NSW The heritage-listed town of Millthorpe in the central west of New South Wales is known for its historic buildings and cobblestoned streets; a time capsule of 19th-century Australia. Just down the road, stylist Ainsley Sullivan and her husband James have created the perfect bolthole from which to explore the region – a luxurious two-bedroom cottage inspired by classic American style. Ainsley is a long-time fan of interior designer Shea McGee of Studio McGee’s work and aimed to incorporate elements of Shea’s signature traditional-meets-modern style into the new build on their 121-hectare sheep farm. Starting from scratch was a treat for the couple, who painstakingly renovated their 150-year-old house on the same property in 2017. “With a renovation, you’ve got to make someone else’s choices work for you,” Ainsley…
There’s a palpable sense of history and tranquillity at Old Cobbin Homestead, which draws guests in with its warm, inviting interiors and convenient location in the Snowy Mountains close to the New South Wales ski fields. Nestled into the landscape and overlooking farmland and a century-old orchard, the two-bedroom homestead is the perfect place to hunker down with your nearest and dearest. Commissioned by James Thompson as a home for his wife and nine children, Cobbin took three years to build at a cost of £300. “The homestead has walls several feet think and a history that we’re still unearthing,” say its current owners Bliss and Gavin Jackman. “What we do know is that the property had remained in the same family until we became its custodians, and that the…
