This secluded bush cabin buried in the Vaughan Springs parkland (19km from Castlemaine) was built by florist Katie Marx and her husband, Greg Hatton. This endlessly creative pair definitely know a thing or two about creating magical spaces! Katie is the founder of Flowering Now, and also runs the heavenly regional event space, Butterland, with her Greg, who is a stonemason, landscaper and furniture maker.
The pair of expert handcrafters are specialists in finding the beauty in the natural world, evidence by the secluded Vaughan Hideout they have been building for the last two years – which is now on the market!
Located just 40 metres from the Loddon River, this serene riverside cabin is a true oasis. When the pair bought the plot of land, the original structure upon it was a flimsy, flat-pack construction from the ‘80s (‘the worst house in the prettiest location!’). It was originally meant to be a fix-up job, but the more work they put into it, the more Katie and Greg realised there was to be done! So they tore the place down, and Greg designed and built a new house by hand, enlisting help from a local builder and a crew of labourers. Many of the materials from the original pre-fab home were recycled into the new, sturdier structure (including the roof!).
But the exterior isn’t the only thing about this place that’s handmade. Once he was finished with the structure, Greg began building many of the furniture, fittings and finishes! Everything including the bathroom tiling, kitchen table, outdoor stonework, joinery, staircases and the shower drain hole (!) has been custom designed and crafted by Greg.
Despite all this artisanal glory, Katie says she’ll miss the peaceful energy of the place the most. ‘The area has a very quiet and restful feel about it,’ she says. I suppose it’s hard to beat a bath under the stars while you listen to the river…
Hello, paradise!
3 Ball and Welch Lane, Vaughan is for sale now. See here for the listing! Or, take a tour via the video below by Nathan Kaso.
