This is the life

Owners Merrilyn and Tony have four children – three sons and a daughter, aged 15 to 24 – and all travel to the property whenever they can. If not relaxing or helping with improvements, they take care of stockhorse Mouse (below left) and warmblood Mackenzie, who are agisted elsewhere during the week. Though it’s a lot of work, the rewards are many. As Merrilyn puts it: “We finally got the farm Tony’s always talked about!”

Built to last

Cooranbong Valley is a mixture of weekenders and local residents, some with a long history of farming and logging in the area. Cedar, mahogany, turpentine and blackbutt are the most common timbers. This house is mostly cedar, a beautiful softwood. Aside from its warm honeyed tones, the low density makes it an ideal insulator inside and good cladding material outside. Its pleasing fragrance can also linger for years.

ABOVE THE CURVE | Resolving the layout and style shortcomings of this tiny ensuite proved to be a rewarding challenge for interior designer Lynne Bradley. “Jarring right-angle geometries were replaced with curves to usher a gentler f low and unify spaces, while pattern was introduced through new, hexagonal marble-mosaic tiles.

This is the life

Owners Merrilyn and Tony have four children – three sons and a daughter, aged 15 to 24 – and all travel to the property whenever they can. If not relaxing or helping with improvements, they take care of stockhorse Mouse (below left) and warmblood Mackenzie, who are agisted elsewhere during the week. Though it’s a lot of work, the rewards are many. As Merrilyn puts it: “We finally got the farm Tony’s always talked about!”

Built to last

Cooranbong Valley is a mixture of weekenders and local residents, some with a long history of farming and logging in the area. Cedar, mahogany, turpentine and blackbutt are the most common timbers. This house is mostly cedar, a beautiful softwood. Aside from its warm honeyed tones, the low density makes it an ideal insulator inside and good cladding material outside. Its pleasing fragrance can also linger for years.