A local couple has brought a shot of New York chic to their hometown, one reimagined, sheep-influenced accommodation offering at a time. It is also one influencing factor that landed Bathurst at no. 39 on your list of Top 50 Aussie Towns.
Find the complete list of the Top 50 Aussie Towns here.
First impressions
I have the feeling that I am being watched. I’m sitting in a giant bay window looking out to uninterrupted rolling countryside, its subtle green and taupe shadings muted by the corpulent clouds that hang low in the sky.
I’m utterly alone and yet I can sense a watchful gaze against the back of my head. As I wait for the rain that is promising to come, a slightly damp yet sprightly sheep meanders across the expanse of glass, as if walking across a big-screen television, pausing momentarily to throw me a quizzical look as if on cue and then exiting, stage left.
Another sheep follows in exactly the same manner, then another, and another stretching in a conga line across my line of sight. The last sheep trots into vision a step or two later, as if its role is as the comic full stop on the scene, throwing me a ‘That’s all folks’ look before trotting off to catch up with his friends.
The whole thing played out as if scripted, but it is exactly the kind of delightful randomness of a farm stay that makes them so irresistible.
The location
I had arrived at Wilga Station, a 105-hectare working sheep farm just 12 minutes’ drive from the heart of Bathurst (at Evans Plain) in the NSW Central Tablelands, an hour or so before, navigating my way past the home of owners Mez and Hamish Keith to The Farmers Hut, one of two accommodation offerings on the property.
The Farmers Hut
The designer ‘hut’ is at once architecturally arresting and completely sympathetic to its surroundings. Old cattle gates form a maze at the front of the building, speaking to the rusted metal elements used on the wood-panel exterior.
The modernist effect is brought back to place with a lushly grassed roof that blends into the surrounding landscape. Giant solar panels sitting nearby are tangible evidence of the hut’s 100 per cent off-grid status.
Inside, the expansive space is dominated by the aforementioned bay window. It also includes a king bed oriented for countryside views, a luxurious bathroom with rain shower, and a fireplace.
There’s a kitchen tucked around a corner stocked with the ingredients for a hearty country breakfast in bed and late-night hot chocolates while stargazing.
The vision
The interiors are reflective of Mez and Hamish’s shared background and vision: the couple spent five years working in New York before returning to the family farm, intent on building an accommodation offering that was “distinctively Australian with an easygoing sense of luxury and hint of New York glamour".
They have succeeded spectacularly, creating a snug and chic getaway that has the added bonus of treading lightly on its location.
A sustainable offering
The couple reused and repurposed as much material as possible in the construction of both The Farmers Hut and the nearby Shearers Hall, once a hub of activity during shearing season, now transformed into a luxurious five-bedroom country retreat that is perfect for families (The Farmers Hut is for adults only).
“It was incredibly important that all our accommodation offerings were as environmentally sustainable as possible," says Hamish. “Not only is it in line with our values, but we want to protect our property for future generations, and ensure the business is as financially sustainable as possible. Both the Farmers Hut and Shearers Hall are 100 per cent off-grid, solar-powered and rainwater fed, and all structures are insulated to European standards to minimise power usage (not to mention the grass roof on the Farmers Hut, which keeps it a comfortable temperature all year round)."
Once in residence, the tranquillity of the location is intoxicating – the almost absolute quiet is only interrupted by birdsong as crimson rosellas and sparrows flit this way and that, occasionally taking up position on the granite boulders that dot the outlook. And by sheep of course, whose constant presence is betrayed in distant bleating and up-close encounters as they roam the property with lambs in tow if you are lucky.
Exploring Bathurst
Wilga Station’s proximity to Bathurst, population 42,000 give or take, marks it as the perfect base for exploring the rural settlement, which is technically the administrative hub for the surrounding district but has the feel of a large, prosperous country town. Its wide streets are lined with grand civic buildings, with the lovely late-Victorian era Machattie Park at its heart.
A visit here should be taken at strolling pace, past churches and the Town Square, up Keppel Street and down George Street, with their ornate street lamps installed from 1872 to 1924 and cafes and boutiques.
A secret gem to add to your self-guided walking tour is the Begonia House and Fernery in Machattie Park, where rows of vibrantly coloured and generously proportioned (read: huge) begonia flowers form a glorious display (during the autumn months from February to the end of April), and the adjacent fernery is a vivid and lush diversion. The Bathurst Regional Art Gallery is also a must.
The Wool Station
The latest addition to Mez and Hamish’s offering in Bathurst tracks full circle back to Wilga Station, with the launch of The Wool Station.
The charming red-brick building was originally built in 1875 as a bulk-delivery store for selling grain and wool, and under the couple’s artistic vision has become a CBD bolthole of five NY loft-style apartments. And there’s more to come from the indefatigable couple.
“We’re exhausted, but we’re too excited [to rest]," says Hamish. “We are adding experiences to both accommodations, from walking tours around Bathurst’s heritage precinct (tying in the best of Bathurst cafes and bars), to a floating jetty and fishing wharf at Wilga Station dam to allow guests to start fishing and enjoying the water."
