23 years ago, David built a country cottage.
Over two decades later, this wonderful weekender brims over with special memories of quality time spent with family and friends.
“It was a weekender and we spent a lot of time up there…we made a lot of use of it.”
A Weekend Escape: Private and picturesque
An hour and half drive west of Greater Sydney and on the other side of the Blue Mountains is the cutest country cottage.
One kilometre from the main drag and down a winding unsealed road, the Cedarspan cabin is set on over 100 acres of rolling countryside. The remote location offers complete privacy with spectacular panoramic 360° views of the mountain ranges overlooking the Jenolan State Forest.
It’s no wonder that this quiet retreat created more than 22 years of cherished memories for the Wadsworth family.
“It was a weekender and we spent a lot of time up there,” David fondly recalls, “Family and friends were over all the time. Even my son and daughter, as well as their friends. It was just a fun thing to do”.
Cedarspan: The appeal
It was the turn of the millennium when David began his journey with Greenspan, working with second-generation family owner, Doug, to bring his property to life.
When asked why David chose a Cedarspan, his answer was quite simple. “Doug’s a great guy. And the cabin is a good design, very solid. It was within our price range and was neat and tidy – we thought it was good value,” he tells us.
And we can’t argue with that!
But there was further appeal. A PreCrafted cabin made life for David so easy, especially when it came to the challenge of the site’s remote location. With all of the modular parts handcrafted and assembled in Sydney, David’s new country cottage was essentially delivered in kit form, ready to install.
“Plus, it fitted the block where we wanted it and gave a good aspect,” David explains of the cabin’s positioning high on a hilltop. The piers and elevated floor system meant no costly, environmentally damaging earthworks and positioning exactly where he wanted it.
DIY Installation: A family (and friends) project
What’s more, the precision-crafted panels ensure our buildings go together with ease. So, there were no expensive builder costs for the Wadsworths, who all chipped in to assemble the cabin as a family project over several days. David looks back on this time, remarking, “That was when I was a bit younger and could do all those manual things!”
The hands-on family took pride in building their new weekend home themselves, but with such a big project to tackle, they did need to call on some extra hands at times. “Once the foundation and flooring were there, we bolted the walls and it took a few more days to install the roof trusses. We had to get a couple of people to help us,” recalls David.
And there were other challenges to contend with too, being on top of a hill! “It all depended on the weather. One day it was fun, the next day it was very windy!” he recalls.
The finished result: The cutest country cottage
And it was all worth it!
The Wadsworths’ Cedarspan became a cherished place for making memories over 22 years of gatherings and relaxation. From birthday celebrations to holiday weekends, the cabin hosted many get-togethers and quality time with friends and family year after year. “We made a lot of use of it,” David reflects.
“At one stage, it was lived in for a couple of years,” he confirms. And with cleverly optimised space we can see the appeal of that!
Abundant space: Eat, sleep, enjoy, repeat
The heart of this charming country cottage is the huge open plan living, kitchen and dining space with its high vaulted timber panelled ceilings and 3m walls. Picture windows at every turn make sure to frame the 360° view. And of course, no cabin in the country would be complete without a cosy wood burning stove.
This room leads on to two bedrooms, a laundry and a bathroom, all exuding just as much cedar charm. Naturally, a wraparound verandah to soak up the surroundings and connect with nature was an essential.
And if all of this wasn’t enough comfortable room for living, sleeping, relaxing and entertaining, there’s even a generous loft space!
Moving on: A solid investment in the memory bank
After building so many memories within its walls, last year, the Wadsworths made the difficult decision to part with their beloved cabin. “After 22 years, you know, it was time unfortunately,” David declares.
With a lifestyle opportunity like this on offer, it’s no surprise that this property was snapped up in just six weeks. Meticulously built and cared for, resilient to the elements, and remaining as solid as the day it was built, the cottage is sure to bring the new owners many years of joy.
With the resale, David’s initial purchase proved to be a wise financial investment. But there’s something more important than money. You can’t put a price on memories, this Cedarspan has certainly paid dividends over the last two decades.
The Wadsworths’ Cedarspan is a Series 3 Verandah, now known as a Cathedral 30CHL60 modified to measure 10.8m x 7.5m, with a 1.8m deep wraparound deck.
It features Cedar cladding, aluminium colonial windows in “Harmmersley Brown” and Colorbond® roofing in “Rivergum”.
All measurements are approximate.
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