COTTAGE industry

A smart makeover equips a Tasmanian sandstone cottage for modern living, while respecting its precious history.

- Chris Pearson ]

If walls could talk, these sandstone marvels would have fascinating stories to tell.

And, as this 1840s cottage in central Tasmania enters an exciting new era, it weaves a fresh narrative, with the signature sandstone remaining a leading character.

Named Raffah House, the three-bedroom property was bought by Sophie and Nick Weeding in 2017. Originally from Victoria, she moved here to be with her husband on his family farm. “When we welcomed our first son in 2017 [the couple now has two children], my parents were visiting and walking down the main street, when they spotted this sandstone beauty for sale. They hinted it could be a wonderful interstate base for my family - and the rest is history,” she says.

Seduced by what she saw, Sophie was easily persuaded. “The sandstone fireplaces in all the rooms especially caught my eye.” That, along with the fact that the couple discovered the land was originally owned by Nick's direct ancestor, James Weeding, from 1828. “It seemed too serendipitous to pass up such an opportunity to renovate.” And there was a lot of work to do - extensions through the '50s and '70s had introduced “lots of linoleum and treated pine not in keeping with the original building”.