Goonoo Goonoo Station restoration complete | Drone, photos & video

The station’s village has been turned into guest accommodation, its chapel restored and the giant wool store transformed into a function centre.

A new restaurant – The Glasshouse – has unhindered views of the rolling hills, and is now open from Wednesday to Sunday. It has already been inundated with bookings.

Established in 1831, many of the property’s buildings had become derelict – but the station got a new lease on life when owners Simon and Sarah Haggarty fell in love with it after attending a wedding in 2012.

The whole station is heritage listed and the pair were conscious to retain as much of its history as possible.

Sketches and stencils have been left on walls, old beer cans are displayed proudly and glass floor panels show off the original foundations.

Mr Haggarty said while there was “major pressure” to retain the station’s history, he saw it as an asset rather than a burden.

“There are so many people in Tamworth who have got a history here,” Mr Haggarty said.

“It’s not just the place’s history or the story of Goonoo Goonoo Station, it’s all of the families that lived here, worked here, born here, buried here.

“Those families are still in the area and they will quite often get in touch. Many have been remarkably helpful in filling in the gaps about the buildings and their uses.”

The restoration came in “close” to budget, and slightly behind on time frame. “A lot of that is owing to heritage issues that you encounter when you restore these buildings,” Mr Haggarty said.

Ms Haggarty said the restoration had turned out better than the couple envisioned. “All the buildings are beautiful,” she said.

Only the restaurant is open to the public, while the other areas are reserved for guests – but there are plans to create a display room showing off the station’s significant history and there could be tours of the village in the future.

STEPPING into the Goonoo Goonoo Station village feels like stepping back in time.

Owner Sarah Haggarty was responsible for much of the fit out and wanted to stay true to the station’s historical roots.

Guests check in at the old butcher’s store – where they are greeted by a receptionist (who enters through the freezer door), complete with a butcher’s hat and apron.

A framed photo of the original butcher, Ozzie Fitzsimmons, is proudly displayed on a nearby counter, while his butcher’s hook hangs nearby.

“We tried to put little bits and pieces to pay homage to the people who lived and worked here,” Ms Haggarty said.

“Any of the historical things we found on the property I put into glass cases and made a feature of them. Everything from packets of old baking power to old beer cans. There wasn’t a lot of original pieces when we took over, so I had to go through antique centres in Newcastle and Sydney to bring in things that would have been here back in the day.”

This story first appeared on The Northern Daily Leader.