An alpine-style home in Brookfield, QLD, is deeply connected to its idyllic surrounds

When Brisbane couple Louisa and Al Harvey began planning a forever home for their family, including children Elsie, 14, and Oscar, 12, their checklist was fairly typical. They dreamt of a block with a north-facing aspect, room for a pool, and a short commute to schools and Al’s work. Perhaps less typical was space to raise a herd of stud bulls. “Although we both grew up in Brisbane, Al had spent time jackarooing in central and western Queensland and always wanted his own property to work,” says Louisa. “So, when we found 25 acres 30 minutes from the CBD, it ticked all the boxes.”

Enamoured from the get-go by the sprawling ridge-line property in Brookfield, Qld, which lies on the lands of the Jagera and Turrbal people, Louisa and Al, both 45, would often bring their kids to camp on the site before the house was built. “Waking up to the sunrise from our swags gave us a full appreciation of the view, the natural space and our infrastructure requirements,” says Louisa.

“This included water tanks, a bore, another dam, irrigation, road access, cattle yards and sheds.” Adding to the property’s appeal was an avocado orchard, which inspired Louisa to delve into permaculture, regenerate the plot and, eventually, develop a range of organic avocado oil skincare, Carbine Ridge.

When it came to designing their home, Louisa and Al envisioned a simple form built from Australian materials, with a nod to New Zealand alpine architecture. “We’re obsessed with alpine architecture, but our home needed to have an Australian heart; anything less wouldn’t pay respect to this special little slice of heaven,” explains Louisa.

To bring their vision to life, they enlisted architect Shawn Godwin of Base Architecture, who was so committed to the project that he, too, camped at the property periodically. With a strong sense of the land, and the feeling the family wanted to capture, Shawn took inspiration from rural homesteads in his twin pavilion design, complete with wraparound verandah and breezeway ‘dogtrot’ entrance.

“We’re obsessed with alpine architecture, but our home needed to have an Australian heart; anything less wouldn’t pay respect to this special little slice of heaven.”

Incredibly, the home was completed in just seven months. “The civil works took three months, with the steep block presenting several access and logistics challenges,” recalls Louisa. “Yet thanks to our little Antonio Carraro tractor, a lot of these issues were resolved quickly.” Enveloped inside and out in a rustic palette of timber, tin, stone and weatherboard, the home is beautifully immersed in the landscape. And with seemingly more windows and doors than walls, there’s a connection to what’s happening outside, which is important for Louisa, who works as a freelance writer from home. “I have a view that inspires,” she muses.

The ridge is often shrouded in morning fog; once it lifts magnificent views through the valley and out to Mt Coot-tha are revealed, as well as an array of wildlife. “Visitors who have stayed have joked it feels like they’ve woken in an aviary as there’s such a symphony of birdsong in the morning,” says Louisa, who, along with Oscar, takes part in the Aussie Bird Count each year, documenting the black cockatoos, wedgetailed eagles, kookaburras and other species on the farm.

Although life is a constant juggling act for the Harveys, Louisa says they’ve been wholeheartedly embraced by the local community: “I joke that we’re part-time everything; a Jack and Jill of all trades.” On top of Al’s full-time job as a property and construction developer, he “looks after the cows on the weekend with the kids,” while Louisa tends to the avocado orchard. “But we’ve had so much help from neighbours; from advice on trees to plant, to borrowing excavators and calling in support to retrieve naughty cows that have escaped through broken fences,” Louisa adds.

Louisa reflects on the unexpected, but profound, impact the move to semirural Brookfield has had on the family. “We didn’t foresee the deep spiritual connection we’ve developed here,” she says. “We have found an idyllic combination of country life and agriculture mixed with our day jobs and the kids’ schooling. I never want to leave.”

“Visitors who have stayed have joked it feels like they’ve woken in an aviary as there’s such a symphony of birdsong in the morning.”

Shop the look

Related stories

Previous

Lucy Folk’s romantic weatherboard Queenslander offers a subtle Mediterranean vibe

Native ad body.

Sponsored by %%sponsor_name%%

Tour The Love Garden, a flourishing flower farm in rural Queensland

The best Queensland farm stays that capture the heart of the country

Next

---