Glenny Eastwood & Daniel Burgermeister at home in Chewton, Victoria. Pictured standing in front of the Red Brick Barn that Daniel built. Photo/Production – Danielle White/The Countryphiles.
Today’s feature story began 13 years ago – and we are all the LUCKIER for it! When Glenny Eastwood and Daniel Burgermeister went in search of a country getaway over a decade ago, they stumbled upon a neglected 1860s miner’s COTTAGE in Chewton (a little gold mining hamlet just outside Castlemaine). The run-down cottage sits on 3 acres that were overgrown with blackberries & bramble bushes. Fast forward to today and you really wouldn’t believe it! As well as lovingly restoring the little timber cottage (a kit-house shipped out from Denmark around the time of the Gold Rush that is now their permanent home), Daniel & Glenny have created the Red Brick Barn, which can only be described as a MAGICAL retreat. Standing like an imposing sentinel that has always been there, the Red Brick Barn was in fact built by Daniel! The attention Daniel has paid to detail, the care they have taken to make the barn feel authentic is IMPRESSIVE to say the least and a testament to Daniel and Glenny’s passionate, caring and mindful way of being in the world.
The wild 3 acres have been tamed & transformed into a tranquil terraced garden with majestic shade trees, delightful outdoor rooms, stonewalling and intriguing paths – all complimented by adorable outbuildings and a couple of friendly Irish donkeys grazing on a grassy knoll in their paddock right next door. The Red Brick Barn, which offers boutique accommodation to guests hoping to get away from it all, is decorated with some of Daniel & Glenny’s quirky antiques & eclectica, which they variously buy from overseas flea markets, the annual Fryerstown Antique Fair as well as their friend’s store in Newstead, The Red Store, which you might recall featured on The Countryphiles a couple of weeks back and Bell’s Belles Vintage in Castlemaine (which we’re excited to feature in a few weeks’ time).
Daniel also creates the most WONDERFUL copper water features (fresh country air must be conducive to industrious creativity!). Inspired by Nature’s forms, Daniel turns copper into the most delicate, functional & soothing pieces. {Sigh} It must be wonderful to be so GIFTED and to have a way to express it that can be shared with others.
While Glenny grooms the donkeys, the three of us soak up the winter sun and chat about what matters most. Spending time with Daniel & Glenny in their slice of heaven has a way of warming your heart & feeding your soul. It strikes me that luck really has no part to play in the matter; rather, it’s the joy they get from sharing their LOVE of life.
Enjoy! x
The Barn that Daniel built. Look at that DETAIL. The old sleeper above the window; the brickwork, the creeper – such lovely touches. Photo/Production – Danielle White/The Countryphiles.
Entry Hall into the Red Brick Barn. Photo/Production – Danielle White/The Countryphiles.
Looking from the kitchen towards the sunlit sitting room. Photo/Production – Danielle White/The Countryphiles.
Daniel made me a lovely latte with choc-chip cookies! I could get used to this! Photo/Production – Danielle White/The Countryphiles.
Sitting room detail. Photo/Production – Danielle White/The Countryphiles.
Glenny has a ‘thing’ for timber salt holders. The self-contained kitchen has a wonderful view to the north over the garden and towards the donkeys’ paddock replete with dam and a family of ducklings. Photo/Production – Danielle White/The Countryphiles.
Daniel has a ‘thing’ for quirky French lighting. A beautiful example beckons guests to the top of the stairs. Photo/Production – Danielle White/The Countryphiles.
Wow! Upstairs has a charming loftiness with equally wonderful views. There is a Queen bed and a single as well as an adorable ensuite. Photo/Production – Danielle White/The Countryphiles.
The Red Brick Barn basks in the beautiful northern winter sun. Photo/Production – Danielle White/The Countryphiles.
The old claw foot bath is hooked up for outdoor bathing & showering – what a divine way to commune with Mother Nature! Photo/Production – Danielle White/The Countryphiles.
Some of Daniel’s beautiful & IMPRESSIVE copper water feature work. Photo/Production – Danielle White/The Countryphiles.
‘Bossy’ & ‘Bessy’ Daniel & Glenny’s cutest of cute little Cairn Terriers. Photo/Production – Danielle White/The Countryphiles.
Glenny grooms Dou Dou & Ki Ki, their rescued Irish Donkeys, and has a bit of a chat with them while she’s there. Photo/Production – Danielle White/The Countryphiles.
Ki Ki wasn’t at all camera shy! Photo/Production – Danielle White/The Countryphiles.
Daniel’s gift to Glenny – the stunning little ‘Deux Chevaux’ Citroen ‘Dolly’. Daniel took me for a ‘spin’ with the roof peeled back – it is truly intent upon enjoying Nature’s aromatic airs! Photo/Production – Danielle White/The Countryphiles.
Tell us a little bit about your background/s – what path led you to where you are now?
I (Daniel) graduated in industrial design and we both worked in the fashion industry where we met 20yrs ago. Living in inner Melbourne in a terrace house with our 3 small dogs, we often visited and stayed in Central Victoria (Castlemaine) and Beechworth taking our dogs with us. We all enjoyed every minute of country life escaping city living. Instead of increasing the size of our house we decided to look for a country house that was less than 1.5 hrs from Melbourne. We loved Beechworth but this was too far for a weekender! While staying at The Potager in Chewton we accidentally stumbled across our little piece of paradise backing onto the state forest. We quickly purchased the 1860s miners cottage on 3acres without really seeing inside.
Thinking we would give it a lick of paint and hang some curtains, we were shocked when we first took possession…It was basically derelict! We had to learn quickly all the necessary skills to put the cottage back into a liveable state. We came up every weekend working every waking hour… replacing walls and floors and clearing the overgrown paddock. We basically camped in the back room for a couple of years! Showering on black plastic outside and going out for most meals as we had no kitchen.
You not only own the STUNNING Red Brick Barn in Chewton – you BUILT it! Tell us about this amazing project! What inspired its design? How did you go about it?
Over the years, we had many visitors who stayed with us and enjoyed country life and we felt that we could offer our property as a destination for city people who want to get away for a break. So, we decided to purpose-build Red Brick Barn. We took inspiration from old barn buildings we saw in Europe and also regional Victoria. We have travelled extensively and were often disappointed by the quality of self-catering accommodation on offer, especially the lack of generosity of spirit! So, we set about creating something beautiful, unique and specifically designed for a luxury weekend away. Utilising local reclaimed materials Red Brick Barn sits naturally within its heritage landscape and has a European sensibility!
Do you reside full-time in Chewton – or still move between the city & the country?
Glenny has now retired and we both spend most of our week in Chewton popping back to Melbourne for a city fix when the need arises!
Your gorgeous accommodation is filled with antiques & eclectica. Tell us about your collection? What inspires & influences it?
We have been avid collectors of furniture and objects forever, especially on our travels, and love sharing our new finds. We don’t collect anything in particular just eclectic things that speak to us! But, I do have a passion for quirky French lighting, tinware and still-life paintings that I have picked up in European flea markets. Glenny has a thing for salt boxes and Victorian jelly molds at the moment! Red Brick Barn is full of treasures brought back from our travels and also from the annual Fryerstown antique market!
You have two pet donkeys ‘Ki Ki’ and ‘Dou Dou’ – introduce us to them and tell us a little about donkey ownership!
We fell into donkey ownership a couple of years ago by rescuing 2 young donkeys ‘Ki Ki’ and ‘Dou Dou’. Not realising the work involved in providing them with a good home…all trees had to be wired up to prevent them ring barking them! Glenny cleans up the paddock every day, grooms them and has a chat! Their hooves are trimmed every month and they are taken on walks with a lead along our country tracks. They wait at the gate every night for their feed, braying until we respond! If you have animals they must be looked after 100%.
You own a BEAUTIFUL little Citroën ‘Dolly’. Tell us about it!
The Citroen 2cv Dolly is the newest member of our family and has been a dream of ours for many years – ever since we saw them in the French countryside! It’s such a happy car with so much personality. It takes a little time to get used to the gears, but now Glenny has mastered it, it will be regularly driven into Castlemaine and environs!
What does a typical day in the life of Daniel & Glenny the ‘Red Brick Barn Owners’ look like; from when you wake to when you go to sleep?
A typical day if we have guests booked into red brick barn is … Cleaning and preparing the barn with fresh flowers from the garden and breakfast provisions, making sure everything has been attended to! Chat with the donkeys, a little gardening and maintenance. We usually have someone popping by for a coffee and cake then a walk in the bush with the dogs or whatever takes our fancy. There is a lot of work in maintaining a high standard and we are very particular in making sure all is perfect for our guests!
Daniel, you create beautiful copper water features. Tell us about your creative processes? What inspires you?
I travel back to Melbourne when needed to complete orders for my water features, which I handcraft out of copper and glass and supply to select retailers. All my fountains are botanical and take inspiration from nature having glass stamens that the water trickles over. The small fountains are suitable for water bowls and ponds. I do large copper panels covered in copper formed into Boston Ivy leaves, which the water trickles over!
Do you consider yourselves to be ‘Countryphiles’? Do you love country life? Why?
We both love country life and now consider Chewton home.
Tea or coffee? Do you have a favourite country café? Where and why?
Being close to Castlemaine, we pop into Bells Belles or Origini for a light lunch or coffee; both offer fantastic food and coffee with a country atmosphere!
Where was the last great meal you enjoyed/shared in the country?
The last great meal we had in the country was at home around the table with friends sharing a slow-cooked Spanish casserole.
What ADVICE would you give those dreaming of making a TREE CHANGE?
We instantly settled into Castlemaine’s diverse artistic community and have enjoyed every minute of what country life has offered. Doing things a little slower… It’s about the journey not the destination!
Daniel & Glenny
Red Brick Barn
Chewton Victoria
0409 489 573
Totally gorgeous, love the building, love how it is furnished, when can I move in? :)
Ooh, I agree! So very lovely + liveable indeed! xo
Fabulous story and photos. thanks!
Isn’t it an amazing space Cynthia! xo
Looks lovely. i love the rocking horse. I love the how the claw bath is outside.
Hi Kelly, I agree with you! It’s all so very lovely indeed. xo
We stayed here almost 2 years ago. It was sublime. We had just found out my Mum had bowel cancer & were going to cancel, but Mum convinced us to go for the weekend. It was just what we needed. It is close to some many fabulous things to do (& eat) in the Castlemaine/Daylesford etc area, but secluded enough that you wouldn’t have to leave if you didn’t want to. We also fell in love with Daniel’s water feature so we snapped one up for ourselves and we are fortunate that every time we look at it, we are reminded of that fabulous weekend. Two special people that have created a very special space.
How very special Callista. Daniel & Glenny are so very lovely & the space they have created and share is amazing. You are so lucky to have one of Daniel’s water features – they’re superb! I hope all’s well for your Mum – she sounds like a wonderful lady indeed.