|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
| Rustic Cottage |
| A Victorian couple turns a run down dairy farm into a rustic cottage. |
|
|
|
|
About 25 years ago Mandi and Ron Heath found a former dairy farm on 20 hectares near Maldon, Victoria. When they first got there, they had very little to work with - just one room, an old ruin of a dairy, no power and no water.
The couple said the idea had terrified their parents at the time, knowing their kids had moved from quite a substantial home to one little tiny room where they slept in the roof with their own two children. "But for us it was an adventure," Mandi says.
Over the years a lot of changes have been made. The main house adjacent to the dairy is divided into two sections: four bedrooms and the living area in one, a master bedroom suite in the other.
1
Where possible, recycled materials were used in the construction. The shell and most of the interior walls were made from mud brick and local bluestone. The family spent 15 years collecting the bluestone by hand and transporting it in their trailer. Some walls were made from beer and wine bottles. The bottle theme was so cheap it was used again and again to great effect, especially in the bathrooms.
2
The Heaths have a lot to be proud of, including their self-sufficiency. All the power is supplied by 14 solar modules, making theirs one of the largest domestic solar set-ups in the state. This is supplemented by a small petrol-driven generator and LPG. This system would have cost thousands to establish but with minimal running costs, it is cheaper than connecting to mains.
3
The old stone dairy still has a vital function - as home to the Heath's rug-making business. They have a loom, which is said to be the largest in Australia, used for weaving rugs up to 2.5m long. All the rugs are made from local wool and come in natural fleece colours only.
4
The rugs are available in the Heath's art and craft shop in Maldon. The Heaths run group tours of the property, including the rug-making, for $3 per person. It's a great way for kids to learn about recycling and reliance on natural resources, as well as what it's like to live in the heart of the country.
|
More Info
Mandi and Ron Heath run tours at their property, rug workshop and shop, and around Maldon. Contact them directly to arrange group bookings and school excursions.
Ph: (039) 5475 2368
E-mail roham@netcon.net.au
Web page http://www.bendigo.net.au/roham
Post c/o Wheel and Loom, Maldon 3463 VIC
|
Disclaimer
All Fact Sheets and other material on the Our House website are provided as a general information service only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for the advice of a properly qualified tradesman. Neither ninemsn nor its licensors (including the Nine Network) assume or accept any responsibility for, and will not be liable for the accuracy or appropriate application of any information whatsoever in any Fact Sheet or other material on the Our House web site. Your use of the Our House web site is governed by this disclaimer and the ninemsn's Terms of Use.
|
|
|
|
|
