Beechworth is rightly known as the “Elegant Dame.” Taking in the historic sites, the stunningly preserved examples of Victorian architecture – you can almost hear the swish of crinoline, the ‘pop’ of a parasol opening up in the dappled sunlight. Now the capital of a burgeoning food and wine district, there are many reasons to drop in.
The jewel of Beechworth is the former Oriental Bank. It was designed and built in the 1860s by architect Leonard Terry whose other notable buildings include The Melbourne Club on Collins Street and Trinity Chapel at Melbourne University. After a stint as a convent, a bank and a private home, the grand red brick lady was reborn as a luxury bed and breakfast – Freeman on Ford.
The only five star rated B&B in the area, Jennifer Hawkins and Sigrid Thornton are among the assembly of A-listers who’ve paid her a visit. But as accolades roll in and with the recent inclusion of the B&B in Barry Stone’s Great Australian Historic Hotels – the owners recall it wasn’t always so peachy. Purchasing the building in 2002, Heidi Freeman and Jim Didolis were in for two years of hard work.
‘We were very naïve,’ explains Heidi, ‘I had a budget to renovate… and I think I spent the whole of that initial budget just on the carpet .’
The building had seen better days; everything down to the skirting boards had to be replaced or restored.
Born and raised in Beechworth, Heidi fell in love with the building, though converting it into accommodation wasn’t necessarily always the plan.
‘Initially we looked at it as an investment property rented out as office space.’
Heidi, like many of us, discovered that falling in love can be a painful experience. Though it’s one experience she would not take back. Her painstaking efforts to maintain the building’s integrity have garnered her numerous awards.
Gliding freely through the 1930s style parlours, powder rooms and dining hall (literally, it is the size of a hall?) there is a relaxed, elegant ease to the rooms downstairs. You could be in an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel; everything is sleek and creamy. Cool jazz or French chanson add atmosphere to your exploration. A spacious lounge overlooks a sun drenched veranda, recently added Versace palazzo-type pool, and matching symmetrical gardens.
There is none of that stuffiness, potpourri ad nauseam that is often encountered in country B&Bs. What you will find is a balance of masculine and feminine touches. The fireplaces are left intentionally rustic, while a vintage chiffon dress on a dressmaker’s dummy perfectly complements the rich rose-coloured upholstery on a divan.
Upstairs there are four Victorian-era bedrooms, each with a well appointed ensuite and views over Beechworth’s tin rooftops and streetscapes. The décor here is in a darker, more regal palette; the mod cons are hidden from view. You haven’t had a neuron misfire; we are now in a Brontë novel.
‘We’ve got to have it all the way or no way. That means tremendous details.’ Just some of these details include hand-decorated clothes hangers, the crystal chandeliers, individually designed windows, even the cutlery and napery is worthy of comment. ‘As much as possible I try to source things that are unique,’ says Heidi.
In 2013 and again recently (2015), Heidi and Jim were rewarded for their uncompromising standards by winning Trip Advisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards – Top B&B in Australia.
It may sound a bit clichéd but the biggest drawcard to Freeman on Ford is its invitation to escape the every day. Bring Tender is the Night or an Austen novel if you are so inclined. Or just write your own story here.
97 Ford Street, Beechworth, Victoria
Tel 03 5728 2371
www.freemanonford.com.au
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