We stayed at Bowhill Grange, that beautiful accommodation just outside Oatlands, and finally had the chance to slow down and really explore. It was the inaugural year of Open House Southern Midlands, the global architecture event’s first venture into Tasmania’s heartland, and it gave us a proper reason to dig deeper into places I’d only ever glimpsed in passing.
For those unfamiliar with it, Open House is something special. It started in London back in 1992 and now happens in over 50 cities worldwide. The concept is beautifully simple: buildings normally closed to the public open their doors, letting you inside to have a proper sticky beak at how others live, work, and have lived for centuries. You get to peer behind Georgian windows, run your hand along sandstone walls, and see how contemporary custodians have adapted these heritage spaces for modern life—sometimes with remarkable sensitivity, sometimes with bold, unexpected choices.
Over the November 1st and 2nd weekend, more than 40 buildings across Oatlands, Kempton, Melton Mowbray, Mangalore, and Dysart threw open their doors. What struck me most wasn’t just the buildings themselves, though they’re remarkable, but the stories layered into them, and the people who’ve poured themselves into preserving and restoring them. The perfectly preserved 1840 Cantwell Store in Oatlands still has its original cedar counters and hooks, evoking the days of general store bustle. In Kempton, Glebe House sits remarkably unchanged since 1842—you can almost feel the generations who’ve walked those rooms. There’s Lonsdale Homestead near Kempton, which Alan Townsend has spent two decades carefully restoring, complete with historical journals documenting the daily operations of this 1821-built estate. Even the churches tell stories, St Peter’s Anglican in Kempton from 1838 and St Peter’s Church in Kempton from 1918, both showcasing the craftsmanship and community spirit of their eras.
What I found most compelling was seeing the intimate decisions people make with old homes. How someone might restore a heritage cottage while keeping the quirks and imperfections that give it character. How a contemporary family breathes new life into a 200-year-old sandstone cottage without erasing its history. How a passionate restorer documents every detail because they understand that these buildings are living records of how Tasmanians built, worked, and made homes in the Southern Midlands.
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