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australia street cottage - comments
media reviews - click here
guest comments
We loved the blend of modern décor against the aged stone walls. Great visual pleasure.
And so thoughtfully fitted out. A most enjoyable holiday, balmy weather and easy access to
the shops, buses, etc. We admire your initiative in ‘recycling’ the cottage and recommend it
to anyone as an alternative to a ‘predictable’ apartment.
- June, Perth, May 2007
A wonderful place to stay and recuperate after much sightseeing. A place to linger in and reflect
on life in early Sydney. The bakery and supermarket on King St nearby provide for the best
breakfast back in the cottage. Thank you for an enjoyable few days. We’ll be back again!
- John, Adelaide, Apr 2007
Thank you for letting me discover and appreciate the cottage. The residents of Australia Street –
and Sydney for that matter – have you to thank for unearthing one of its hidden colonial treasures.
- LH, Apr 2007
We really loved our stay in your place. Very beautiful home and very nice neighbourhood –
we stayed longer than we planned. Thanks for all the extra help, we will certainly recommend
your place to our friends.
- Carin + family, The Netherlands, Mar 2007
Although my time here in your lovely home-away-from-home was too short, it was ever so sweet.
I will be back. As an industrial design professional travelling the world for over 20 years, your
B+B is one of the coolest places I’ve stayed.
- Maureen, LA, USA, Mar 2007
You’ve done an exquisite job with the restoration of the cottage – well done! It’s an extremely comfortable ‘home’ in Sydney. I hope I can stay here again. Thanks.
- Caroline, Bowral, Mar 2007
Australia Street Cottage is ideally situated for all that Sydney has to offer. A beautifully restored
19th-century cottage with fascinating features. Excellent accommodation. Thank you both.
- Pauline, Cheshire, UK, Feb 2007
A very interesting and comfortable stay. The house is very well equipped with thoughtful personal touches. Will certainly come again if the occasion arises.
- Geeta, Feb 2007
We came to Sydney for the 5th Cricket Test at short notice, hotels impossible. Found this cottage, and we are truly glad all the hotels were full. Spotlessly clean, loads of history. We will recommend
it to anyone who may be coming to Sydney.
- Richard, Shropshire, England, Jan 2007
Veramente una bella casa… e che bella presentazione! Elegante, sobrio ma caldo ed accogliente.
- Lino, Italy, January 2007
Thanks so much for a lovely time in your house. We really appreciated the information you gave us and all the extra touches.
- Mary, Canada, January 2007
Everyone should experience this place and cute house! It’s close to everything – really handy and easy. Thanks!!
- Lily, Melbourne, December 2006
Newtown, inner city Sydney, ideal for the visiting working man’s place to stay. Comfortable, clean
and private house. Thank you.
- Stan, Melbourne, December 2006
“Thank you for providing us with such a clean and comfy place to stay. We have really enjoyed
our stay in Sydney and would recommend your place to anyone.”
- Maureen, USA, November 2006
Time Out Sydney, 2009
Sydney's 10 Best Boutique Hotels
This 19th century sandstone building was once the family home of one of the best stonemasonry families in town, but the intricate detailing and elegant courtyard give it away. Self-contained with everything from cooking gear to yoga mats, it retains the warmth of a family home in an urban setting.
Visit Time Out Sydney site here.
Inside Out, September-October 2007
AUSTRALIAN MADE: Australia Street Cottage, Newtown, NSW
Australians rejoice! For, in the heart of Newtown, one of Sydney’s colourful inner-city suburbs, lies Australia Street Cottage. This true original, with the front half of the house built in 1858 with sandstone quarried from the nearby suburb of Pyrmont, may evoke thoughts of a bygone era, but the interior is nothing if not modern. Providing accommodation for four, the open-plan house features a queen bed and sofa bed, spacious living area, private courtyard and all the comforts of a big-city hotel (flatscreen TV, broadband internet). This Aussie beauty is a homely option for those wanting to discover what lies beyond central Sydney.
A minimum two-night stay applies and prices start from $160 per night (for seven or more nights).
Call (02) 9519 7509 or visit www.australiastreetcottage.com.
The Sunday Telegraph, June 24 & The Sunday Mail/Courier Mail, Escape, July 1, 2007
Bedding down colonial style - Ellen Connolly
WE all love making accidental discoveries: the $20 note you find as you slip your hand into an old coat; the pair of heels you've been eyeing off for months that suddenly appear on sale.
For Jane Johnson, her "accidental discovery" was of much greater significance, with far reaching consequences. While repairing an "ugly white rendered dump" she had bought at Newtown, Jane unearthed a colonial treasure.
"The builder was just chiselling away some of the rendering and saw these big sandstone blocks," Jane said. Intrigued, she began fossicking for clues to number 227 Australia St, and learned the cottage was built in 1858, its sandstone pillars hewn by convicts. Suddenly, what was to be a simple renovation turned into a major work as Jane and her partner, Brian Murphy, set out to restore the historic house to its former glory. Ten months later, when the work was completed, the couple decided to make it accessible to all. And so Australia Street Cottage opened last December.
The couple never intended it to become a bed and breakfast business, but as I step inside, I'm glad they changed their minds when they realised its potential. The cottage, which sleeps four, is a pleasant alternative for visitors to Sydney, many of whom would normally find themselves in stuffy and sterile city hotel rooms. The colourful and eclectic King St is less than 50m away and trains and buses can have you in the centre of Sydney within 15 minutes.
Inside the cottage, the old adage "the old with the new" certainly rings true. The contemporary design has been delicately integrated into the original structure. Exposed sandstone walls blend perfectly with the polished floorboards and modern furnishings. There are all the 21st century luxuries: an MP3 player, flat-screen television and mood lighting – minimalistic but stylish. A long desk in the living area was fashioned from a single piece of wood from an old bluegum tree near Dungog in the Hunter. The benchtop in the kitchen was made from timber from the house's 1950s false ceiling. The rest of the kitchen has all the mod cons: coffee maker, gas stovetop, microwave, wine and champagne glasses, cookware, dinnerware and placemats.
The pantry is stocked with essentials for the stay, such as coffee beans, a variety of breakfast and herbal teas, good olive oil and il fornaio jam. Jane has forgotten nothing. There's a folder packed with maps, restaurant guides, sights, history and events.
Unlike in a hotel room, which I normally treat like a place to bed down, it is easy to linger here, particularly in the sunny courtyard, which soon became my favourite spot. The stone bench outside was made from the cottage's original hearthstone, and there's beautiful ornate wrought-iron lace on the stone wall, which was part of the original front veranda fence.
While I loved breakfasting in the courtyard (try the sourdough from Rise bakery) it is nice to get out and explore the many cafes and shops in the area.
A block up, in the same street, is Barmuda, a cafe that serves enormous breakfasts.
On the way I stopped at Stacks Of Wax, where owner Andrew McKerman makes his wares on the premises, including magnificent wax lanterns. Candles here are cheaper than many shops and I left with a boxful. Deli On King is the place to stock up on olives, prosciutto and cheeses. There are several clothes shops, including Quick Brown Fox and Yoshi Jones and the jewellery store Eastern Flair.
Our first dining option was booked out, so instead we repaired for a drink at Madame Fling Flong's – where we slunk back on retro couches – then wandered along King St to Kammadhenu, noted for its authentic Sri Lankan food rather than its haphazard service.
Visitor books are always an eye-opener at any hotel. In fact I saw one recently where there were pages missing. There is no need for that at Australia Street Cottage. Recent guests, which include a family "in between" houses, and a couple in town for a sporting event, raved about its homeliness and the location.
As one wrote: "We admire your initiative in recycling the cottage, and recommend it to anyone as an alternative to a predictable apartment".
I can only agree.
The writer was a guest of Australia Street Cottage
The Daily Telegraph, 19 May 2007
Location for fashion shoot.
Sydney Uncovered, Tourism NSW’s monthly media bulletin, 30 April 2007
“Australia Street Cottage is located in the heart of Sydney’s funky Newtown. The 150-year-old cottage has been recreated to offer boutique self-contained accommodation and is a great base from which to experience the groovy Newtown vibe.”
The Weekend Australian, 21 April 2007
Unearthing a nugget in Newtown - ROOM AT THE INN, Lex Hall
IT is 5pm and I wonder if I should drive across Sydney or take public transport. But it's Earth Hour weekend, Nicholas Stern, author of the British government report on the economic effects of climate change, has just been in town and I'm headed to the bourgeois bohemia that is Sydney's Newtown.
The train it shall be. Besides, try parking in Newtown on a Friday night.
I'm a little early so I decide to have a quick ale at the Bank Hotel, one of Newtown's many lively pubs.
It has been renovated since my last visit: the new minimalist decor is hip but rather soulless.
All these cold hard surfaces seem to have robbed the pub of its original raffish charm.
I cross King Street and head up Australia Street. The traffic noise fades and minutes later I'm standing outside Australia Street Cottage, a small welcoming residence that announces itself like some new-age traveller's rest. But it's not until I meet the owners that I can appreciate the history behind this interesting bit of real estate.
The cottage is owned by Brian and Jane Johnson, who live next door. The couple bought the place
in December last year, narrowly saving it from demolition. When I see what they've done with it, I'm glad they did. The before and after photos tell the story of how the origins of the cottage – "a white rendered dump", as Jane describes it – were unearthed.
Through her meticulous research, Jane, former deputy editor of Gourmet Traveller magazine, found the cottage had been built in 1858, when the gold rush was in full swing. Immigrants were arriving, unsuccessful prospectors were returning to town and houses had to be built.
Jane has created a contemporary interior that preserves and highlights original features.
The parquetry floor may be new but the sandstone walls keep its sheen in check and underscore
the natural harmony of wood and sandstone. This is original sandstone, found in the quarries of Pyrmont, known as Paradise, Purgatory and Hellhole, names that reflect the arduous task of quarrying the stuff. Running my hand over the walls, I realise I'm surrounded by what novelist
Peter Carey has called "part of Sydney's DNA".
While there are splashes of red in the form of a large hand-woven rug and stylish disc-shaped
ceiling lights, the look is, as Jane intended, muted but warm. Low-rise chocolate-coloured bookcases hug the walls and sit well in relation to the low ceiling, making it cosy without being claustrophobic.
It's sleek and clutter-free but certainly not impersonal.
From the way Jane talks about her project, I soon discover much of what she has achieved is a
simple reaction to "everything I hated about the B&B stays I remember as a child".
Compared with surrounding terraces, the cottage is wide and the Johnsons have cleverly exploited the space, installing a large, well-equipped kitchen.
From the Russell Hobbs kettle to the wooden, hand-made German scrubbing brush, you sense
a stylist has had a hand in filling the shelves and drawers.
The cottage was originally going to be a simple investment property for the Johnsons: a studio for
a student, perhaps. Surely this would have been a more lucrative option? But when Jane scurries
off to get me copies of the 1893 sewerage diagram – the document that eventually established the date of construction – I realise how much the couple enjoyed tracing the cottage's history and how sincere they are in wanting to share it.
Lex Hall was a guest of Tourism NSW.
Checklist
Australia Street Cottage, 227 Australia St, Newtown, NSW. Phone (02) 9519 7509; .
www.australiastreetcottage.com
Tariff: From $160 a night, depending on duration of stay. Minimum two nights.
Getting there: Fifteen-minute taxi ride from Sydney airport; three-minute walk from King Street's restaurants, cafes, shops, buses and trains.
Checking in: A queen bed and queen sofa bed can accommodate up to four, although the cottage
is equally suitable for singles, couples or small families. The cottage's guestbook shows visitors
from the US, Canada and Europe.
Bedtime reading: 30 Days in Sydney: A Wildly Distorted Account by Peter Carey.
Stepping out: In the neighbourhood: King Street, Enmore Theatre, Camperdown Memorial Rest Park (site of St Stephen's Church and Camperdown Cemetery) and cafes and shops along Erskineville Rd.
Brickbats: Jets flying in the vicinity can be frequent and noisy.
Bouquets: Large and well-equipped kitchen and laundry; sunny courtyard is roomy enough for entertaining.
Vogue Entertaining + Travel, April/May 2007
Home away from home
Not everyone who comes to Sydney fancies staying in a big city hotel. For those people, we’ve found this one-bedroom sandstone cottage just a few minutes’ walk from Newtown’s funky King Street, where there are more bars, cafes, shops and restaurants than you could possibly explore in a short break. The interior is modern and minimal, with a fully equipped kitchen (if you can be bothered), large living area, dining room, flat-screen TV and MP3 sound system.”
Qantas in-flight magazine, The Australian Way,
February 2007
“For something completely different, a combination of historic 1858 sandstone and a stylishly contemporary fit-out make the newly opened Australia Street Cottage in lively Newtown the perfect city pied a terre.”
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