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When Jenni Draper and Jennie Wilmoth came across a crumbling former pasta factory in Hepburn Springs, it was clear the curious property had an allure worth preserving.
The old Macaroni Factory was built in the 1860s by brothers Giacomo and Pietro Lucini, immigrants who had left northern Italy for Melbourne as political refugees amid the 1848 revolution.
They found their feet as pasta makers in regional Victoria and built the factory and their family home on a one-acre block in Palladian style — inspired by the ornate Italian architecture from their homeland.
While the macaroni business ceased operations in the 1930s, the property remained in the Lucini family and fell into a state of disrepair. Until now.
The new custodians, affectionally known as ‘The Jens’, have spent the last three years lovingly restoring the factory. Soon, certain rooms will be used to host special events, and they’ve also built their own home on the country acre.
But the rear dwelling, which once served as younger brother Pietro’s residence, has recently been transformed into an enchanting accommodation with new interiors by Max Copolov.
‘The old Macaroni Factory was in a state of dereliction with no heating, no water, and rudimentary electricity,’ says Max of the unique project.
‘The clients and I both felt that a traditional approach to the renovation would not be enough to do the building justice. It boasts so many eccentric design elements that I felt we had to match this in our own approach.’
Despite its condition, the property has been heritage-listed by the Victorian Heritage Council. Mostly for its evidence of non-British migration to the goldfields, in addition to the beautiful murals hand painted by Giacomo inside — from charming vignettes of rural life to international flags and floral motifs.
‘As stipulated by Heritage Victoria, the brief was that no harm could be done to the fabric of the building. That said, the spaces needed to be updated to suit accommodation for travellers,’ Max adds.
Unable to add any built-in elements, Max proposed a clever work around to create a newfound bathroom as a ‘pod’: comprising a raised platform placed on the original dark floorboards with the basin, toilet, and shower neatly tucked within.
The freestanding structure appears like a monolithic sculpture, covered in duck-egg blue tiles with a pink terrazzo floor.
Next door, the bedroom lies beneath another intricate fresco on the ceiling. In the living room, a new kitchenette made from brushed aluminium stands in contrast with the flaking paint and carefully curated furnishings.
‘The main objective was to highlight and contrast the ornate original details of the residence with a sharp contemporary flare, by introducing materials that typically wouldn’t be associated with a heritage building,’ Max says.
Even the sheer curtains — which Max commissioned his aunt to embroider floral details, inspired by Giacomo’s murals — now help tell the building’s story, visible to passersby outside.
The retreat feels like something you’d expect to see in the European countryside, rather than in regional Victoria, with a special patina only obtained after 165 years of history. And now, the residence is ready for its next chapter.
The Old Macaroni Factory and Pietro’s Residence will open this October.
