If you’re searching for a holiday getaway that strikes the perfect balance between kid friendly and adult luxe, we’ve found it. Get ready to explore Summerholm House. This is a luxury family friendly farm stay that is fun for the kids and utterly gorgeous for the grown ups.
We chat to new co-owner, Megan Denton, about the history of this stunning property and enjoy how she has styled this AirBnB to absolute perfection.
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Tucked away in the Lockyer Valley in the Queensland countryside, Summerholm House offers a relaxing escape from the grind of the city.
“We love how close the property is to Brisbane, where we’re based. It’s not too far to get away for a weekend… when it’s not booked out by visiting guests of course!” laughs Megan.
“Summerholm is part of the Lockyer Valley region which is 30 minutes from Toowoomba, and just an hours drive from Brisbane.
“The property itself is divided into several, separated paddocks. It makes it ideal for families as it’s secure to let the kids go exploring within the contained spaces. It gives the littles ones a chance to run around and enjoy the country air, while the adults can watch on and soak in the peaceful surroundings.”
Keen for an investment property they could also use for their own family getaways, Summerholm House ticked all the boxes for Megan and her husband Tim.
“Buying this holiday home was never our original plan!” says Megan with a smile.
“My husband Tim and I are mortgage brokers and we work closely with real estate agents. Tim was speaking with an agent who mentioned he needed to sell his farm investment property quickly.
“We had been toying with the idea of buying something rural, but nothing ever really stood out. There was either too much land, or the house needed way too much work. We didn’t want to overcommit ourselves to a farm that would end up being a full time job.
“When we had a look around Summerholm House, we could envision what we wanted it to be and knew it was perfect for our AirBnB plans. It was actually already listed as a holiday home, so it made it that much easier for us to just inherit everything as it was.
“We basically swapped the keys and that was it! Everything was left exactly as it was. The old owner walked away without having to do much work to get it ready for sale. And we got to keep bits and pieces that were already in place so we could continue to let it out straight away while we made some quick plans to renovate.”
The ideal family friendly farm stay, this property is modest in size but big on luxury.
“The cottage has 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom and a third converted sleep-out space. I’d call the inside style minimal, luxe. There are no frills or expanse of decor.
“We kept the interior furnishings to a minimum to allow more space and flow between the rooms. You can see into each room from the main living space, so it was important everything worked together and no space felt too loud.
“It’s simple in its style, but there are gorgeous textures to bring warmth and high end linens to soften the space.
“We’ve considered children in all aspects of the farm. We really wanted to create a family friendly farm stay, to cater to those looking for more elevated places to stay with their young families.
It’s still a rustic farm, but inside we wanted it to feel a little more luxurious for guests. Just because you travel with children, doesn’t mean you have to miss out on luxury!
With its mix of country charm and luxe interiors, the making of Summerholm House was all about paring back.
“When we first viewed the cottage, the internal aspect had a great feel to it. We knew that once we stripped out all the clutter, we could really let it shine.
“The previous owners had filled it to the brim with old homewares. And I mean every wall and every surface!” Megan recalls.
“There were old plates, statues, ornaments… I think we removed almost 50 frames from the walls!
“The floors, indoor fireplace and VJ walls were in such great condition, you just couldn’t see much of them through the abundance of furniture and decor.
“Once we took everything out, we realised that by keeping the space clean and luxurious, those beautiful key features would really stand out.”
Adding to its beauty is the rich, heart-warming history behind the property.
“As you enter to property there is an original sign that says ‘Summer School’. This cottage was actually built in 1887 and was the local school of Summerholm,” Megan explains.
“One day, as we were renovating, an older couple drove past and stopped on the driveway. We noticed them having a look, so we introduced ourselves.
“They said a family member had attended the original school and wanted to see how it looked today and asked to take some photos!
“There are still some residents that live locally who attended the school back when it was still operating as a school.
It’s so special that this little cottage was such an important part of the local community for so many decades. We hope it continues to be loved for many years to come, now as a holiday destination.
No family friendly farm stay would be complete without adorable farm animals!
“We most definitely have some animals!” smiles Megan.
“It’s often peoples favourite part of their stay! Guests are welcome to interact with them as much — or as little — as they like. There are 2 goats and a sheep who live in one shed, and free range chickens who occupy another shed.
“Our chickens are 100% free range. They’re happiest roaming around the property and guests are welcome to help themselves to their eggs as much as they like.
“But if animals aren’t really your thing, there’s also a large fire pit, fenced off dam and several paddocks towards the back of the property.”
Summerholm House allows for a real country escape.
“We love being outside at dusk as the country sounds come alive. It’s when you can really appreciate the beauty of having some space to yourselves. Once it’s dark, the cottage provides that cosy, intimate setting that’s a real change from how we operate day to day in the city.
“What we love most is the property’s accessibility to all the amenities you could need, yet it still feels remote and quiet. It’s the perfect balance for people or families who want to escape but don’t want to venture out too far.
“And with the abundance of land that we have, we really hope to transform even more of the property to include additional luxury areas to elevate our guests experience.
“We can’t decide between an outdoor pool or external glass walled sauna/bath environment! So stay tuned!”
Thank you so much to Megan for showing us around Summerholm House. If you’re looking for a luxury country getaway, with (or without!) the kids, this family friendly farm stay could be just what you’re searching for.
You can find Summerholm House on AirBnB and also on Instagram.
More home tours here
