Restoring a property that has stood since 1801 is not a quick or inexpensive undertaking. Every stage of the work — from the front garden through to the homestead itself — takes time, care, and funding that has to come from somewhere. We're now working on a plan that we think can help with both of those things at once: opening parts of Chelsea Farm up for public hire.
What we're planning
The idea is to make the homestead, the gardens and grounds, and the barn and outbuildings available to hire for private and community events — things like small gatherings, workshops, photography, and celebrations. Each of these spaces has its own character, and we think there's real value in letting people experience them rather than keeping the property closed off while restoration continues around it.
Rooms like the front parlour — with its original marble fireplace and period furnishings still in place — are exactly the kind of spaces we think people would love to gather in, whether that's a small celebration or simply an afternoon among the history.
Why we're doing this
Two reasons, really. The first is straightforward: hire fees give us a sustainable way to fund ongoing restoration work, rather than relying solely on other sources. The second matters just as much to us — we want Chelsea Farm to feel like it belongs to the community it's been part of for over two centuries, not like a property people only glimpse from the road. Opening it up for hire is one way of turning that from a nice idea into something real.
Where things stand
To be upfront: we're still in the planning stage. Bookings aren't open yet, and there's work to do before they are — figuring out logistics, access, and how to do this in a way that respects the heritage significance of the buildings and grounds. What we are doing now is gauging interest, so we have a sense of what people are hoping to use the space for as we finalise the details.
If you'd like to register your interest, or just want to be kept in the loop as this develops, email us at info@chelseafarm.com.au. Let us know roughly what kind of event you'd have in mind and which space appeals to you — it'll help us shape the offering around what the community actually wants.
We'll post updates here as the plan takes shape. Thanks for being part of it.