The Barn Development 2009 : Construction Diary

First SIX suites await our guests....

2009-07-18T22:42:00.000-07:00

After digging the first holes in February, the first 6 suites are now ready for the discerning traveller, as can be seen above.

Complete with plush KING beds, 42 inch high definition LCD TVs with Austar, iPOD docks, large desks and superb ceasar stone bathrooms, we could not be more happy with the superb accommodation.

The suites offer a seamless blend of comfort and style.

Ready now for guests are 3 King Suites, 2 King suites with spa and a Twin suite featuring pillow top Queen and single beds. Another 4 suites will be completed by Mid August, with the final 8 expected to be finished a month or two later.

We look forward to welcoming you to The Barn...we know that you will be impressed.

Reception development : steel frame installed.

2009-06-29T22:21:00.000-07:00

As can be seen in the photo above, the scale of the new reception development is now here for all to see. The roofline for the building will be at a height of 6.5 metres (20 feet in the old money!), which will give the building a grand and imposing presence.

To the left is the entrance to the Steakhouse, which will remain a separate building from the new construction, in order to to retain its unique ambience and charm. Guests will in future make a grand entrance through the new reception and Piano Bar, before entering the Steakhouse.

Let there be light!

2009-06-28T01:11:00.000-07:00

It's now two weeks away before the first block of 6 suites will be open, and there's still a fair bit to do!

The photo above shows a imperious 6 metre high lamp that will be the centre piece of the car park area at the rear of the rooms. Not only is it very attractive, but it sheds plenty of light to assist those arriving in darkness.

Huge 42 inch TVs have been installed in the first 6 suites, as well as the joinery. Bathrooms are almost complete and the carpet will be laid on Wednesday. After that it's a case of installing all of the fixtures and fittings and landscaping around the block of 6, including laying all of the paving. So really it will be a walk in the park to have the rooms ready!

.....and the winners are...

Drum roll please....we've now after a little bit of toing and froing settled on the names for our new rooms adjacent to reception.

The Piano Bar
Tipping our hat at the musical heritage of the Cleve's family, the cosy lounge will feature a grand piano. Hopefully we'll be able to entice Dale to tickle the ivories from time to time.

The Oak Tree Room
The new conference/function room will be known henceforth as The Oak Tree Room, recognising the highly regarded gardens that surround the property. More specifically guests will look out onto a magnificent, stately and very rare Algerian oak tree, that is one of the hallmarks of The Barn's garden.

The things that you don't see!

2009-06-06T22:47:00.000-07:00

This is Andrew and new recruit George working on the new accommodation's storm water, just in time for another deluge.

An elaborate maze of trenches have been dug to carry rainwater to the large tanks that will store over 300,000 litres of precious rainwater for our guests to use. There's nothing like the smell and feel of fresh rainwater to wash with!

These trenches will also house the electrical, TV, internet and phone networks. We're installing the latest Voice over internet protocol (VOIP) telephone network, which will provide for many great features for our guests. It costs a little more, but it's the little touches which turn an overnight stay into a memorable visit.

In a few weeks when the rooms are complete and the landscaping commences, you won't see the trenches, but what has gone into them will help make the property function seamlessly. We hope that you appreciate George and Andrew's efforts in the future.

It's the little things that you don't see that matter!

It's all happening.......

2009-05-23T20:51:00.000-07:00

This photo shows the great progress that has been made since the last entry in this blog.
The roof is now on all 18 suites and thankfully we beat the weather, so most of the stone has remained very dry which is ideal for plastering. the rain that was forecast for the 18th did not eventuate and the builders have been enjoying delightful warm autumn weather.
All of the rooms feature double cavity Mount Gambier stone walls on the outside and internally, ensuring that guests will not hear their neighbours. The outer stone leaf has almost been completed on the first six suites as shown in the photo. We are very pleased with our decision to build the outer leaf with this honey coloured limestone.
The internal walls of the first block of six suites have been plastered and the ceilings have been installed. So we are not too far off commencing the internal fit out. The paving and building of verandahs is still to be completed, but with any luck the first rooms should be ready in FOUR WEEKS!!! Not before time, as we've been booked out most of the week!!

In the foreground of the photo is the slab for the reception complex, which was poured on Friday. The steel work is expected to commence in about a weeks time....so all is going to plan.
We've been having some fun planning the fit out of the lounge bar area.......it's rumoured that there will be a pretty quirky bar installed!! Watch this space.

Full steam ahead........

2009-05-02T21:31:00.000-07:00

The development is progressing on schedule, despite a drenching 50mm of rain last week. Fortunately all of the stone is being stored under cover and the plumbers worked hard to have the roof on the first 10 suites before the heavens opened, so the rain only really caused minor anguish. Special thanks to Dale, who routinely swept out water from the unfinished rooms after each shower....no small task, but absolutely imperative to protect the limestone walls from soaking up the moisture.

Next week the slab is to be poured for the reception/bar/conference room development. Plus the race will be on to finish the internal stonework of the block of 8 suites, so that the roof can be put on before another expected rain event around May 14th. The weather gods really are our masters at this time of year!

Our interior designer has been busy finalising colour schemes for the new rooms, and we're excited by the city smart interiors and high quality fittings that will greet our guests. As the rooves have gone on and now that the walls have been plastered, we've been blown away by the large size and scale of the rooms - the high ceilings really giving the rooms a sense of grandeur!

We have taken bookings for the new suites in August, but it looks very likely that the rooms will be ready well before this date.

We have received a number of enquiries for conferences and expect the reception and conference area to be completed by October/November.

So all is going to plan.......

Let the building commence!

2009-04-19T23:14:00.000-07:00

Well here it is, the inaugural post of our new online diary...

There are some big, exciting changes happening at The Barn, and this section of our web site aims to keep you up to date on all of the developments.

So what exactly are we up to?

We have been delighted with the response to our major refurbishment and rejuvenation of the accommodation over the past twelve months, so we have decided to keep going! More rooms, more facilities and more places to relax and enjoy the finer things in life.

The erection of brand new luxury rooms has commenced, offering spacious and quality accommodation for the discerning traveler. These rooms will offer true style and stunning views of the surrounding grounds. We will tell you more about the rooms in the coming months, but in the meantime here are some photos of their humble beginnings...

As well, a stunning new reception complex will provide a warm welcome to The Barn experience...

This will be architecturally complementary to the existing historic Barn Palais, and feature the unique domed roof that is the building's hallmark.

The development will incorporate cosy lounge bar area for accommodation guests, restaurant guests (and in fact anybody who would like to call in and enjoy a nice red or cup of coffee!). The
lounge bar will be stunningly furnished and decorated and feature an open fire for those cooler Mount Gambier months.

Also, a new multi-purpose function room will offer garden views while guests enjoy gourmet, country cooked breakfasts, as well as catering for wedding receptions, business meetings and conferences and other special events.

Things are getting very exciting here. Whether you are new to The Barn or you have been visiting us for years, we think you are really going to appreciate the changes we are making.

We will keep this blog updated often, so check back to see the progress!