No-one actually knows when it was built, or by whom. It used to be surrounded by an orchard of Democrat apples on three sides, from back in the day when there were apple orchards all the way back to Huonville. It was often the person whose job it was to pick that orchard, who lived there.
It is now a fully-renovated one-bedroom cottage sitting in the heart of Valleyfield farm. We named it “Tiny’s” after the local nickname of the much-loved, diminutive (and likely longest-tenured) tenant.
It was nearly falling down already, in places. Joists were rotting. Weatherboards were back to bare timber and unpainted for over 20 years. A tacked-on bathroom with a too-low ceiling and off-kilter floor gave the most recent ‘wing’ of the place a “crazy-house” feel.
We considered tearing it down, but we’re so glad we didn’t. It’s been a struggle, but we’re thrilled to have preserved this link to the past.
Locally, this little house has been known as “Miss Havisham’s” (referencing the neglected abode of the Great Expectations character), “the Mustard Pot” (it was once that crazy colour), and most recently, simply “the hovel”, as it decayed under decades of neglect.
Valleyfield has seen six generations of the same family since it was established in the 1860s by pioneers living on the southern alluvial flats of the mighty Huon River, before there was even a bridge connecting them to the north.
What you can expect @ Tiny’s
The Flash stuff...
- Heating via wood fire and panel heater (wood for fires provided).
- Laundry with washing machine, iron and ironing board.
- Smart TV and 100mbps↓ wi-fi internet on NBN wireless.
- Bluetooth speaker
- Outdoor sheltered area with BBQ and open fireplace
- King bed, with additional bedding and electric blanket.
- Spare set of linen.
- Soap, shampoo and conditioner.
- Mod-con and well-equiped kitchen with dishwasher, electric oven, induction cooktop, quality cookware, utensils, glassware and crockery.
- Basic pantry provisions including; Olive and vegetable oils, salt, cracked pepper, balsamic vinegar, black and selection of herbal teas, ground coffee, 1L Tasmanian milk.
- Chemical free cleaning supplies.
Minimum stay:
the minimum stay at Tiny's is 2 nights.
Longer stays:
We encourage longer stays, and offer a discount of 10% on weekly stays and 20% on monthly stays. Please talk to us directly about stays longer than one month.
Children:
We welcome children to Tiny's, but please note that there are no safety features in place for babies or younger children. A port-a-cot, highchair or rollaway for a child are available on request. We charge a one-off fee of $60 for babies and children.
* Acknowledgement.
The Melukurdee people used to take a trail through what is now Valleyfield, over Lane’s Hill at the top of the farm, to Franklin. This relatively short walk gave them access to different food sources at opposite ends of the journey, as the river snakes around those hills and changes from freshwater to tidal, salty waters along the way. Our family’s history includes stories of the Melukurdee people stopping by the houses to ask for pins, which they would fashion into fishing hooks.
We’re proud of the farm’s heritage. We’re not proud of the fact that this is stolen land.
