New life for Ellemara
Ellemara is a property that anyone travelling the Golden Highway between Sandy Hollow to Merriwa will know, and thanks to dedicated team it is getting a new lease on life.
Ellemara is the site of the settlement of Giants Creek, and features the original post office, general store and homestead that date back to the 1860s.
Simon Rorke purchased the property in December last year and has engaged a number of historical, landscaping and building consultants to make the most of the mammoth project of restoring and renovating.
His vision is to create a wedding destination like no other, but also a space that families and community groups can enjoy.
Some of the features the site will boast once complete will be a custom-built dam with an island for photos, the retention of a 200-year-old old tree for ceremonies and natural amphitheatre areas that could be used for movie screening and musical performances.
This is in addition to the work being done to rebuild and restore the buildings on site to accommodate around 30 guests in self-contained units, as well as a communal bar and kitchen area.
Retention of historical charm from the site has been at the forefront of the project, with different timber being repurposed across the project and at least two buildings kept as they are for visitors to view.
Mr Rorke said they plan to have the development application lodged with Muswellbrook Shire Council by the end of this year and that the community support he has already got for the project will help get it approved.
Once that is done the final stages of construction should be wrapped up and Ellemara will be ready for business come March 2021.
With a background in a number of community support industries Mr Rorke said he plans on giving away at least 26 bookings in the first two years to people deserving of a break, be they couples who have had wedding plans devastated by covid or families that have had a rough time and just need some time away.