A whisper on the community grapevine inspired an opportunistic approach to acquiring a dream property for this north-west Tasmanian family.

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Kerry & Alastair Houston and family (image: Jo Lovell)

When Kerry and Alastair Houston moved to the tiny village of Stanley on Tasmania’s upper west coast, their pursuit of a quieter life seemed to have found its geographical match. With a population nudging just 600, and a laidback lifestyle centred around the water, Stanley presented a compelling case for easing into semi-retirement. In the years since they relocated, though, the Houstons have renovated a heritage-listed 1849 pub into seven luxury suites at the highly awarded Ship Inn Stanley, an 1892 beach house into boutique short-stay accommodation, Little Talisker, and a mid-19th century commercial building into their own family home.

“We were living in the two-bedroom apartment at Ship Inn Stanley, and thinking that it was a little bit of a tight squeeze with us and the kids,” Kerry says. “The old stone bond store across the road wasn’t technically for sale, but we’d heard through the grapevine that the Sydney-based owners were thinking of selling. When Alastair approached them, they agreed to sell to us because they liked how we had cared for Ship Inn Stanley.”

Kerry & Alastair Houston’s home (image: Monika Kulon)

The Houstons’ care for the guest spaces that they’ve created, each of which honours the original sensibilities of its context alongside lush furnishings and modern conveniences, can be seen and felt in the renovation that they’ve painstakingly undertaken - and continue to undertake - on their own seaside cottage.

Designed by colonial architect John Lee Archer, whose portfolio also included Hobart’s Parliament House and St George’s Church in Battery Point, the premises originally served as a bond store for the Van Diemen’s Land Company, before operating variously as a dairy factory, fish-processing plant and produce merchant throughout its early years. Now, as a residential sanctuary for the first time in its history, the building retains its picturesque stone exterior and original internal structure, and has been further enhanced with a sensitive renovation fit for a family.

“We put in a kitchen and butler’s pantry, removed a set of internal stairs, and turned a bedroom into a TV nook,” Kerry says. “We also restyled the home with organic paint colours, feature wallpaper, linen and natural textures to make it softer and more relaxed. It has made the space feel more personal to us, and showcases our collection of family artworks.”

The nook has become a favourite place for the family to come together, as has an open-plan lounge area, with its outlooks onto Stanley’s iconic Moo-Nut-Re-Ker/TheNut - an ancient volcanic plug whose peak is accessible by chairlift or a cardiovascular system-spiking uphill walk - and the dynamic oceans beyond.

“We love to have coffee and breakfast together in the lounge room on the weekends. It feels very grand and old-world, even though it was once an industrial space,” Kerry says. “It’s the most calming space to sit and enjoy the views of the landscape, which are forever changing, as well as the dimensions of the room itself.”

Alastair’s background as a career landscaper and stonemason is evident outdoors, where a new timber shed features a living succulent roof, and an ongoing garden development highlights the original architecture.

“We’re working with a local Smithton lady who is very clever with plants and design, to create a beautiful symmetry which will enhance the clean lines of the home,” Kerry says. “We can’t wait for it to get established, although a lot of it involves giving Alastair more jobs, like building stone walls, creating large wooden benches, and relaying turf from one area to another.”

While the Houstons’ seachange to Stanley hasn’t necessarily restrained their natural bent towards hard work, it has made good on a promise to bring a new sense of belonging and calm.

“One of the things we love most about living here is the strong community that we are able to be a part of,” Kerry says. “I would like this to be my forever home, but an old friend once told me you can never see into the future and nothing is forever, so who knows?!”