Best of Australian Homes 2014 · Tamsin Carvan and Family

Today we’re revisiting another truly memorable Australian home, which won so many hearts when we first shared this feature back in October! This sweet and supremely photogenic little farmhouse set on 113 vivid green acres in Poowong East, halfway to Wilson’s Prom in Victoria’s South East belongs to Tamsin Carvan, her daughter Martha (8 years old) and partner Allan Walker.

Tamsin moved here almost eleven years ago, after many years living in Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra. She has since created an almost entirely self sufficient lifestyle, growing her own produce and raising her own chickens and livestock to feed her little family – and the visitors who frequent Tamsin’s famed long lunches!

Written

Lucy Feagins

The home of Tamsin Carvan of Tamsin’s Table. Tamsin’s beautiful old dining table is on long term loan from her neighbours, the Olsens, direct descendants of the original Danish settlers in this area. ‘It was made over a century ago by a local Swedish ship builder, so that stock agents who came from all around the district to the horse sales once held here could lunch together when business was done’ says Tamsin. Photo – Eve Wilson, production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

The Gippsland farmhouse of Tamsin Carvan of Tamsin’s Table. The kitchen was designed and handcrafted by Tamsin’s partner Allan. The cupboards and shelves are made from old Baltic pine floorboards, while the workbench has a mixed local handwood top and ironbark legs. The stools were found at a recycled garbage depot ($10 for 6) – Allan replaced the vinyl seats with soft, worn Baltic pine and painted the legs black. Photo – Eve Wilson, production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

One of two oven / stoves in Tamsin’s kitchen. ‘The wood stove is a Rayburn and it burns pretty much constantly for nine months of the year’ explains Tamsin. ‘The old cream can is where we empty the ash each morning before it goes to the chooks to dust bathe in. Al made the workbench next to the stove from an old painters plank, Baltic pine lining boards, legs from a salvaged 1920’s cedar door frame, and hand made steel brackets’. Photo – Eve Wilson, production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Living area details. Photo – Eve Wilson, production – Lucy Feagins / The Design Files.

Writer

Lucy Feagins

29th of December 2014

Tamsin moved to Gippsland and established her farm almost eleven years ago, after many years living in Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra. The inspiring story behind Tamsin’s big move to the country struck a chord with so many of you when we first shared this feature back in October! Though it must be said, this big move didn’t happen by chance. Tamsin’s is a carefully crafted lifestyle, evolved from a nagging desire to return to a simpler way of living.

‘For many years I knew I really wanted to try my hand at farming, and get out of the city where I always felt cramped up and claustrophobic’ explains Tamsin. She opened up an atlas and marked all the places across Australia within a two hour drive of a major airport, and where rainfall exceeded evaporation (she was particularly conscious of drought). ‘Once we laid our eyes on this part of the world we were completely sold’ Tamsin says. ‘The hills were so green that I cried. We found this farm on the internet while still in Canberra, and I hadn’t even seen it in the flesh when we made the offer on it. I just knew it would be right”.

From here, Tasmin now runs her amazing little business, Tamsin’s Table, which sees her host an ever changing schedule of Sunday lunches, harvesting and cooking workshops, and other seasonal events.

For the full story and many more pics of Tamsin’s beautiful home, do POP BACK and revisit the original post!