HARWOOD’S Cottage saved an important part of Busselton’s history with the restorations of 155 year old buildings.
A finalist in the state heritage awards the cottage sits on 40 acres of land in Quindalup and contains colonial buildings from the mid to late 1800s.
Owner Norma Andrews said it was fabulous to find out she was a finalist in the individual and conservation award categories.
“When I told some of my friends in Perth about my idea to renovate the site they were convinced I was really mad,” Ms Andrews said.
Ms Andrews said she faced a monumental task in restoring the buildings, as some were on the point of disintegrating.
“The encouragement I needed came from the WA Heritage Council, with whom I worked closely restoring the buildings,” she said.
Ms Andrews moved back to the farm, previously owned by her father, in 2000.
This is when she began renovating the property in three stages which took just under two years to complete.
She said the first stage was renovating what used to be a cottage into a café.
“Four generations of the Harwood’s family had lived in the cottage for 100 years with up to nine children and their parents sharing the home at one stage,” Ms Andrews said.
“Once the builders started work on the cottage it took three months to complete.”
When the café was built Ms Andrews opened for business and used the income to renovate the other two buildings.
The second stage saw the government buildings and the Harwood’s separate kitchen building renovated into a commercial kitchen.
The government buildings consisted of the Quindalup post office, a customs facility and the lockup.
The third stage of the renovation saw what was used as a blacksmiths, shop and stable turned into short stay accommodation.
“Four generations of the Harwood’s family had lived in the cottage for 100 years with up to nine children and their parents sharing the home at one stage."
- Harwood's Cottage owner Norma Andrews.
Ms Andrews said the project was very different to anything she had done before.
Busselton Historical Society committee representative Rob Bennett said Ms Andrews had saved an important part of the region's history, as the buildings formed a satellite settlement for Busselton, which served the important Yelverton timber industry.
“The buildings would have been lost if Norma had not restored them. By doing the restorations progressively,” Cr Bennett said.
Member for Vasse Libby Mettam said Ms Andrews had made a significant contribution to the heritage of the region with the redevelopment of the old Quindalup townsite and to be a finalist was a marvellous achievement.
“It is pleasing to see Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse is also selected as a finalist for these awards as one of the region’s most iconic sites of heritage value,” Ms Mettam said.
“I wish the Geographe Bay Tourism Association, of the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse and Norma Andrews of Harwoods best wishes for a good result at the awards in April.”