Narracoorte Homestead

27/08/2026

Blue-tongue lizard reminding me whose garden this really is 🦎

Cherry blossom in bloom..! (who needs to go to Japan..!) 🌸

Aaaand, my French Riviera “Mosquito Creek” view 🖼️

20/08/2026

This is the face of a happy Heritage-listed building owner.!

The upkeep on these beautiful old babies here is sometimes a little overwhelming, hence the SA Heritage Conservation Fund provides 50% of total works cost towards successful grant applications each year.

This small roof section which is the original breakfast servery & kitchen area, will get a new tin roof & guttering (& structural beams checked/replaced, chimney flashing repaired) once the weather becomes roof-climbing friendly again this year.!

Not a moment too late as there was a small tree sprouting from inside the room as I wrote the grant application in March this year 😆 (…maybe that helped the application.?)

Lots of lovely visitors coming through in August - it’s the first August I’ve been open so it’s been nice to see people enjoying the tranquility of the property & the open fireplace of the gorgeous Ormerod Cottage🔥

16/08/2026

Tell me you’re a farmer / gardener without telling me you’re a farmer / gardener….

“..today I am…..”

13/08/2026

Grateful for the continued community support in keeping Naracoorte’s most historic property true to its historical past.

This handsome young fella used to live at The Homestead when he was a wee little’un (just a mere few years ago), & he has kindly donated a fire grate fitting of the large fireplace in the old “Grain Store”. The building was built circa 1859 by the town of Naracoorte’s founder, William MacIntosh.

The whole property, previously known as Dartmoor Homestead, has been re-opened to the public since 2021 offering bed and breakfast-style accommodation (catering to groups up to 5 couples), history tours, and unique events.

The property was originally known as “The Narracoorte Run”, and is the premier sheep station of the town 🐑

We look forward to hosting your group here soon..!

31/07/2026

Lots of birds visit the Homestead 🤗

30/07/2026

I enjoy updating my blog on the ‘Happenings at the Homestead”

This one is about recent history events.

It’s a short 5-minute read

Enjoy! 🏡

Stay warm, tash 🤗

And don’t forget - mention this post/blog when making an accommodation booking & I’ll give you a 10% “Friends of the Homestead” discount 👍👍👍

During the month of May each year, South Australia hosts 'History Month' with a multitude of 'one-off' events to welcome curious minds to share historical venues/places/spaces that are not usually accessible to the public all year around. Narracoorte Homestead is dedicated to hosting on-going events...

19/07/2026

14/07/2026

We are now stocking a range of hand-spun, knitted woollen beanies to keep your noggins warm during winter.

Come and experience a “Winter Warmer” exclusive accommodation package at the oldest Cottage in Naracoorte including use of our infrared sauna 🛀.

Call Natasha 0448 393 595 to book. Or, link in bio

01/07/2026

Another one for the history books 📕

…and, the possibility of a Magarey wedding, perhaps…?!

Thomas Magarey junior, fifth-generation descendant of Narracoorte Homestead’s original owner, Thomas Magarey, visited for the first time over the weekend, with his new fiance, Jacqui, and 2 more family members visiting for the first time, (cousins Pira & Jessie), his mother (Kirsty Magarey), 2 uncles (Paul & Joel Magarey), and cousin (Finn).

Descendants of Thomas & Elisabeth Magarey’s 5th (of 9/10 surviving) child(ren), they would surely be keeping their ancestors proud with studies & careers in history, health, law, parliament and social justice.

What an honour and a privilege again to host such an interesting family in the town of Naracoorte that would have looked very different when the Magarey’s first purchased the station property in 1861, from William Macintosh.

Was the large Moreton Bay Fig tree already there then?

That would date it at circa 165 years old - most believe the tree to be older but who then would have planted it.?

Image below, is taken in front of the Moreton Bay Fig tree on the property, Sunday 28 June, 2026.

*source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Magarey

19/06/2026

Lucky ducky today..! Stories of stalactites & caves ..! (…& we all thought that Don had lost his marbles..! 😆)

I had a surprise visitor today in Malcolm Taylor, who lived with his wife + 3 children at The Homestead for about 10 years in the mid 1970’s. They had 3 horses on the property & also built a tennis court 🐎 🎾

Malcolm was then a painter & decorator who spent the equivalent of 2 Full-Time years re-painting the property.

He told me today that he was first introduced to the property when he was hired by the previous owner, Beth McInness to paint the bathroom.

I got out the ‘gold box of history’ & found photos with pictures of Malcolm’s paintwork (below images) with hand-writing on the back saying ‘painter unknown’ ..! It was Malcolm!!

Malcolm has also confirmed that caves DID exist on the property (the previous boundary was much larger than today), & yes, there was a stalactite..!

More to come..!

Now, I really have to write that history book 📕

Lordy me…, when will I find time for that? Anyway, I DO love it when people who have lived at the property come to visit. Thanks for visiting Malcolm!!