Kookaburra's Joy

Kookaburra's Joy is one of Oberon's original, hand-built colonial cottages. The current lounge, dining room and one of the bedrooms are constructed from pisé, a French technique involving compressing mud inside frames. We restored the pise walls of the fireplace and then rendered them to show the beautiful irregularities in the corners and edges that give it a unique character, along with the revealed original hardwood beams. The house was then extended using local timbers in the early part of the twentieth century. The only contemporary extension is the large, open-beamed kitchen that leads onto a new, covered deck with barbeque that opens onto the large backyard and hosts views of the hills beyond. The property has a generous master bedroom hosting a queen bedroom, character furniture, television and ensuite (including separate shower and full bathtub). A second bedroom contains a single bed and single bunk beds. A trundle is available on request for this room. The third bedroom is tucked away at the back of the cottage and is next to the main bathroom. This can also be closed off to form a second master suite if desired, and features a queen bed with electric adjusting functions for comfort and a fireplace converted to an electric fire. The master bedroom has plenty of space for a portable cot. A high chair can be provided at request. The shower in the main bathroom has no hob (only a 10mm water retention bar) and a static shower chair is available on request at no additional charge. Hairdryer and paraben free toiletries provided. A third toilet is available attached to the outside of the rear of the cottage. In restoring the cottage we used low VOC paint options in colours similar to those featured in the 19th century layers we uncovered. The carpets are pure wool. We choose not to use synthetic perfumes or air fresheners in the property. The walls are extremely thick and provide wonderful natural insulation. In winter, they hold and release the warmth of the fire, and in summer the rooms are around ten degrees cooler than outside. Using passive ventilation and thermal/insulating the blinds aids in maintaining comfortable temperatures year round without air conditioning. Fans and electric heaters are provided for more extreme weather conditions. Staying at Kookaburra's Joy gives you the opportunity of exploring local forests, creeks, fossicking, hiking, mushrooming, arts, crafts and culture from the convenience of a town property, with the sense and quiet of being away from it all.