12/06/2026
Our first coffee table was a keeper. We’ve still got it, we just use it for ironing these days. Well, occasionally …
We’ve had lots of great conversations about the Cottage lately, so I thought we’d share a little of how it all came together. Built by my beautiful Dad, with Andrews’s very capable help, and to plans drawn by me. I can’t recall the program I used now but it was all on a little USB key, on a long since lost laptop.
We house sat during most of the build, at various homes while we both still worked in Armidale. As wonderful as that was though, there’s no place like home so we were pretty keen to move in as soon as we could, hence the ironing board and slightly dodgy couch / doona set up. This was all pre curtains, blinds and heating so it was pretty cold!
We’d worked every weekend and night, managed a burst pipe and a whole lot more - and it was so worth it.
Andrew cut all of the pressed tin you see in the kitchen and bathroom, including cutting out all the power points, before it was powder coated and returned to us ready to install. A labour of love that has stood the test of time, adding so much character to the Cottage for our guests too.
My clearest memory of ‘dining at the ironing board’ though, is seeing the face of a wild cat / bear / lion (it was huge, we’ve never seen anything like it before or since) at the French doors on to the verandah, right opposite where we were sitting. We all paused for a moment, before it disappeared in to the night, most likely through the neighbour’s farm and on to the travelling stock route adjacent to our place.
So, on that note 😳, if you’re ready to book your next visit, we’d love to welcome you to our now very cosy Cottage 🔥. Lions not included 😉.
Head online to find out more about our B&B - www.aureliasfarm.com.au, email Tara on [email protected] or call 0434 408 163.
We are also on Airbnb and we always welcome bookings through this platform … but booking direct will always be cheaper … and leaves you with something left for dinner at the pub .