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George Clarke’s Homes in the Wild - Season 1 Episode 3 -
Lord Howe Island, Australia
Lord Howe Island, Australia
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06:46I'm exploring places that are either grand, cutting-edge or innovative.
06:52But today's a little bit different and really special.
06:59Meredith's partner Robert has inherited one of the island's original homesteads
07:03and it's absolutely steeped in history.
07:08He's taken on the seriously brave challenge of restoring it,
07:13bit by bit, with his own hands.
07:17This isn't just a renovation, it's a labour of love.
07:23Robert!
07:25Hi, Robert.
07:27Lovely to see you, how are you?
07:28Nice to meet you.
07:29Thanks for having me at your home.
07:31And your phone.
07:31Thank you for coming.
07:33I find it so idyllic just walking past some of the little buildings that you've got.
07:37It looks so cute.
07:38Well, we've got three houses blended together here over time.
07:43The first house behind this one was originally built by my great-grandparents in Moseley Park,
07:48where the airstrip is now.
07:49So how did they get it here?
07:51Well, the story is that they pulled it by a horse and dray...
07:53No way.
07:54...along the beach using pine trees for rollers.
07:57My great-grandfather built this house, which has been closed in over time, and my grandfather
08:05built this extension here, post-war, maybe about 1950.
08:08OK, so you've got pre-1890, 1890...
08:101890, and then 1950.
08:13And somehow it all just works.
08:19I think that's because it's been in your family all the time, and it's gradually being adapted
08:26and modified all the time.
08:27So you tend to do it more seamlessly.
08:29Yes, that could be it.
08:31Which is what you're doing with your restoration project.
08:33It is what we're doing.
08:34We're trying to maintain the character of the place.
08:36We're not trying to modernise it.
08:38It's an old home.
08:40You can't change that.
08:41No.
08:42Just bring it back to life.
08:43We're trying to bring it back to life.
08:44Yeah.
08:45Fantastic.
08:46Yeah.
08:47Can we go inside?
08:48Yes.
08:49Come on, let's go.
08:52Here we are, George.
08:53This is our home.
08:55Oh, beautiful.
08:56This is the beginning.
09:02Do it, you can sense the history as soon as you walk through the door.
09:06I'll leave you to it.
09:07Thank you.
09:11I just think all the carpentry and timber detailing is beautiful.
09:14You've got horizontal boarding at high level, then a lovely little shelf of rail, and then
09:19vertical boarding, and even the skirting board's got lovely details to it as well.
09:23Yeah.
09:24It's a lovely, lovely room, and the railing along there was built up my grandmother's
09:29insistence for her to keep all her knick-knacks, so we've remained true to that.
09:34And I love the joinery and the ceiling, the fact that it's all coming in at different
09:39angles.
09:40It actually feels like a more grand room because of that attention and detail.
09:44Yeah, yeah.
09:45It's a beautiful ceiling.
09:47When I was a kid, this room was the ceremonial room.
09:50This is where my grandfather attended to matters of state.
09:53Yeah.
09:54To matters of state.
09:55Premiers, politicians, he would meet with them here.
09:57What?
09:58He was a very important elder on the island.
10:01He really was.
10:02And this place was the hub of the island.
10:07Everybody came here for dairy, for fuel, vegetables, meat, and there were constantly people pulsing
10:16through here.
10:17I have no idea.
10:18Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
10:19This was the island supermarket and the centre of the business and the politics that happened
10:24on the island happened here.
10:26I'm kind of slightly blown away by that story, to be honest with you.
10:29Yeah, well, there's more.
10:30I could tell you more.
10:31The library was here.
10:32This was the liquor store.
10:33There's so many stories.
10:34You know, it just shows how important a proper work and farm on a small island is staggeringly
10:40important over the years.
10:41Yes, yes, yes.
10:42It was so isolated then.
10:43There was no choice.
10:44There was a ship, if you were lucky, every month.
10:47Just a small community, very closely knit.
10:51It was magic, really.
10:53Yeah, it was magic.
10:57I get the sense that Robert's not just taken on a restoration project.
11:03He's breathing new life into what's almost a living museum.
11:10It's a massive undertaking, but one packed with history and hearts.
11:19We try to keep things that matter, you know, the old tools there that my great grandfather
11:25would have had when he put the place together, you know.
11:28Literally the tools that built the house.
11:30On the shelf.
11:31Restoring an old family home is a big enough challenge on its own.
11:36But this place, it's more like a whole village square than just a single house.
11:41There's history in every corner.
11:44There's the old dairy down there where the milk was separated for cream and butter.
11:49This shed here was built to make soda.
11:52That shed there was the first electricity on the island.
11:56It was a 32 volt system.
11:58They slaughtered here, they butchered here.
12:01So all of this is basically the Lord Howe Island supermarket from back in the day.
12:08It was.
12:09I just love the architecture of the whole thing.
12:12It's so simple, but so historic.
12:15Yeah.
12:16Can we see the butchery?
12:17Yeah, let's go.
12:18Come on, let's go.
12:19It's the butcher shop here.
12:24This is my grandfather's waterstone sharpening wheel from West Bromwich.
12:31That's not too far away from me.
12:34For that to come all the way around the other side of the world to sharpen knives for your butchery.
12:39Yeah.
12:40Is incredible.
12:41Something else, eh?
12:42So was this the shop front?
12:43This was the shop front.
12:46So people would come to the window there and place their order.
12:51So all the meat on there, chopped up.
12:53On there, chopped up.
12:54Had everything weighed.
12:55Bit of transaction.
12:56A few dollars.
12:57All packaged up nicely in some old newspaper.
13:00Have a look at this.
13:01This is the...
13:03This is how they did it.
13:05Oh my god, they're full on fridges!
13:08This is the freezer room.
13:10Full on!
13:12I think this is probably the oldest freezer that I've ever been in in my life.
13:17I would say so.
13:18To put that in context, you're talking about high levels of innovation and kit and machinery.
13:25Yeah.
13:26That's been brought to one of the most remote islands on the planet.
13:29Yeah.
13:30And then built for this butchery.
13:32And there was me thinking I was coming to a simple, humble farm today.
13:36But actually it's a centre of innovation and great technology.
13:40Yeah.
13:41Yeah, it really is special.
13:42It's special.
13:43You can say that again.
13:48I'm on the tiny remote island of Lord Howe.
13:58600 kilometres off the east coast of Australia.
14:05It's a truly beautiful and special place.
14:12Just like the first home I'm exploring.
14:16Showing me around his old family home is sixth generation islander, Robert.
14:22He's taken on a restoration project that's as ambitious as it is deeply personal.
14:31You're not a carpenter, are you?
14:33No.
14:34By trade.
14:35No, I am not.
14:36I am not.
14:37So I'm learning as I go.
14:38And what were you before?
14:39I started out as a lawyer.
14:41You're a big city lawyer.
14:43Were you any good at carpentry back in the day as a lawyer?
14:46No.
14:47No, I never really turned my hand to it.
14:50You've learnt on the job?
14:51I've learnt on the job, yeah.
14:52That's so good.
14:55Robert's family weren't just residents of Lord Howe Island.
14:59This is where they would form the ice in these moulds.
15:03Giant ice cubes.
15:04Giant ice cubes.
15:06They were the heartbeat of the community.
15:09The kind of people who quietly held everything together.
15:15I'm just blown away by all of this.
15:17It's one of the most innovative historic forms I've ever been on in my life.
15:20And to think that had happened on this island.
15:23In the middle of the Tasman Sea.
15:25Miles away from anywhere.
15:31It doesn't matter where you are in the world,
15:34how remote or far flung the place might be,
15:38a family home is still a family home.
15:44And you can just feel it here.
15:46There's so much love in this house.
15:49You can sense the memories in the walls.
15:55So, George, this is our main bedroom.
15:59High ceilings, open, almost as though it just rises as you walk in.
16:08What a beautiful room.
16:12The window seat, that's really beautiful.
16:14I love the way that they've got these tiny little details
16:17where you've got a bit of arched panelling at lower level
16:20and then they arch above.
16:22Yeah.
16:23I remember lying in it once early morning
16:26and the sun was streaming in through the windows there.
16:29I looked up at the ceiling and I thought,
16:31I'm going to get a bit emotional here.
16:35I thought,
16:36my grandfather must really have loved my grandmother
16:40to have built a room like this for her.
16:44How nice is that?
16:46Mmm.
16:51Don't film that.
16:52It's all right.
16:53Don't worry, you'll get me going.
16:54Yeah.
16:55Get me going.
16:56Yeah, I think he must have.
17:02That's like, the fact that you get emotional about it,
17:04I love because it shows how important architecture is.
17:08It's a piece of history, but it's a home.
17:10Yeah.
17:11And the fact that your grandfather's gone,
17:13I'm going to build the most beautiful room
17:15because I love her so much.
17:16Oh.
17:18That's good.
17:19That's how I feel about this room.
17:21Shall we move on?
17:22Because we both cry.
17:24Come on, let's go.
17:25Ah!
17:31I think after that,
17:33some fresh air would be a good idea.
17:36Okay, George,
17:37I want to show you our orchard.
17:39It's a really important part of our farm.
17:42It's very beautiful, I have to say.
17:46Even in the modern era, Thornleigh is still giving back.
17:52Producing for both the islanders and the visitors
17:55who come from all over to experience this special place.
17:59You've got so many things grown here, just help me through it.
18:04So we've got lemons, limes, mandarins, very tasty sugar bananas.
18:11There's pawpaws, we've got guavas.
18:14Oh my God, that's amazing.
18:15Yeah.
18:16And so you're producing so much stuff, particularly citrus.
18:19What are you doing with it?
18:20Well, I make marmalade.
18:22Award-winning marmalade, actually.
18:24Fantastic.
18:25And not only that, we also use things like these limes.
18:29Yep.
18:30We use at the perfumery.
18:32You've got a perfumery?
18:33Yes.
18:34We've got to check that out.
18:35Alright.
18:37You heard right.
18:38Thornleigh even makes its own perfume.
18:45Okay.
18:46Come on in.
18:48It's becoming very evident to me that on Lord Howe,
18:51if you're not doing a bit of everything...
18:54We put the limes in here, water, put it on the heat.
18:57You're not doing it right.
19:01What a beautiful set-up.
19:02The fact that you're using all of these wonderful, natural, beautiful things.
19:07Taking them from the farm, bringing them here.
19:09Yeah.
19:10We want people to be able to take a little of the island home with them.
19:15Could I take that little piece of the island home to my daughter?
19:18Yes.
19:19As a little gift to her.
19:20Absolutely.
19:21She'll love it.
19:22Thank you very much.
19:23That's very kind.
19:24Thank you.
19:25How much is it?
19:28My time at Thornleigh Farm has been something really special.
19:32Robert and Meredith's work here is inspiring.
19:36On a farm that's as humble as it is breathtaking.
19:43One of the real perks of visiting these wild, far-flung islands is the wildlife.
19:50Each island has its own unique mix of domestic and wild animals.
19:55And Lord Howe Island, well, it's got some of the most incredible species.
20:02It's like nature's in full swing here.
20:05Doing its thing.
20:07And you get to be part of it.
20:15This is an experience I've always wanted to do.
20:18I'm off to swim with turtles.
20:23Hello, mate.
20:24Hi, mate. How are you?
20:25Very good. I'm George. Nice to see you.
20:26Anthony, how are you?
20:27The weather's not great today. Are we going to see turtles?
20:29We'll get turtles.
20:30Definitely?
20:31We'll get turtles.
20:32Can you guarantee it, Anthony?
20:33I can guarantee it.
20:34I'll hold you to that.
20:35My guide, Anthony, is another sixth generation islander whose family have been on Lord Howe since 1853.
20:48He's also one of the island's beer brewers and the local gin distiller.
20:56So, Anthony, tell me about the marine life.
20:59So, we are the world's southernmost barrier reef.
21:01There is coral found further south than this.
21:03It's just on the outer-lying structure.
21:05You can see the waves protecting our lagoon there.
21:07So, as the tide goes out today, the reef will be exposed and make this nice and calm.
21:11This is pretty calm.
21:12Oh, I say pretty calm. It's rocking a bit.
21:14But out there, it's unbelievably choppy, isn't it?
21:16Yeah, so Antarctica's out there.
21:19That sounds cold.
21:20It does cold.
21:21Does it make the water really cold?
21:22I mean, I know I'm from northeast England, but I don't want to jump in and for everything to get smaller.
21:31So, we're very lucky here. We're fed by two temperate and one tropical current.
21:34So, we get the mixing. So, our water here is very, very stable.
21:37And that's what is producing the reef here.
21:39Yeah.
21:40So, there's over 100 different coral species, over 500 different fish species.
21:44And we're finding, identifying new species all the time.
21:48Tell me about the turtles. I know very little about them.
21:51So, we get three of the seven different varieties of turtles in the world.
21:54We get green, hawksbill and loggerhead.
21:59They come down from New Caledonia to here.
22:03They don't lay their eggs here because the sand is not warm enough long enough.
22:06They're purely here for a summer holiday.
22:08I mean, you can't blame them coming here for a summer holiday.
22:10It's not too shabby, is it, really?
22:12It's pretty good.
22:13So, just how wild does it get on Lord Howe?
22:18Because that looks pretty wild just there, to me.
22:21It is pretty wild there, but that is nothing.
22:23You can see the height of the vegetation on the cliffs.
22:26That's the size of the waves that we sometimes get on the island here.
22:30Yeah.
22:31No way.
22:32Yeah, yeah.
22:33To that level there.
22:34That freaks me out.
22:35Yeah.
22:38This is it. Turtle time.
22:40What a spot to do it in as well.
22:43Woo!
22:57Now this, this is something I'll never forget.
23:05These green turtles are so calm and elegant.
23:09just gliding through the water as if you're not even there.
23:22That was incredible.
23:23What an experience to be on Lord Howe.
23:28Honestly, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
23:32That was fantastic and the turtles, outstanding.
23:37There's a quiet magic to waking up on Lord Howe Island.
23:56Misty peaks, a glimmering lagoon.
24:01It's no wonder it has UNESCO World Heritage status.
24:06Just like the turtles in the lagoon, plenty of people visit Lord Howe Island.
24:14But only a lucky few get to make it their home.
24:18I'm about to meet a father and son who've done just that.
24:25And they haven't just built one home.
24:29They've built three.
24:32Hey, it's very nice to see you.
24:37George, how are you?
24:38Good to see you.
24:39It's a pleasure to introduce you to my dad, Mike.
24:40Hi, how are you?
24:41Good to meet you. Welcome to Island House.
24:42Thank you very much for having me.
24:44What an outstanding piece of architecture this is.
24:51Really beautiful.
24:52This is like another level.
24:57I mean, talk about a piece of super modernism.
25:02Tell me a bit about your story and why you built this house.
25:05Well, I suppose I first came to Lord Howe when I was about seven in the mid-sixties.
25:10On a flying boat, landing on the lagoon.
25:12One of the most vivid memories of my life.
25:15and I always was in love with the whole idea of Lord Howe.
25:18And kept coming through school, university.
25:21And one day I was sitting in my office in Sydney
25:23and there was a little ad in the paper to say
25:25there was a lodge for sale on Lord Howe, which is unprecedented
25:28because usually it goes to the islanders.
25:32And it was really a privilege to buy the place.
25:35So how long ago was that when you bought it?
25:37It was about 2000, 25 years ago.
25:39Wow.
25:40Which seems like yesterday.
25:41I know what you mean about the moment you first ever fly in
25:44because I've just done it for this visit and I'll never forget it.
25:48It just feels like you're going to a completely different world
25:51in a different time.
25:53Yeah, and I think that's actually a big inspiration
25:55of something that we used when thinking about these houses
25:58and the design is you've got this beautiful island
26:01and it is such a timeless place.
26:03And so that was a real guiding principle for us.
26:07Island House has been beautifully reimagined
26:10from its humble beginnings as a lodge.
26:13Now made up of three stunning dwellings.
26:17This one is Michael's beautiful two bedroom hall.
26:22And just across the way are two luxurious guest houses.
26:26Each with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a serious sense of style.
26:34Yeah, as a piece of architecture, it's very simple and very pure.
26:38You've got this wonderful long rectangular box,
26:41which is the simplest form in the world.
26:43But my word, you've brought it to life with texture and finishes.
26:48The fact that you've got this beautiful,
26:50when it's what, four and a bit metres ceiling height it must be?
26:53Yeah, it's four metres. You're spot on there.
26:55The whole idea was to be able to sit in a room and look out at this amazing sort of borrowed landscape.
27:05We really enjoy being in this room and it's fantastic in winter with the warm sun and these high ceilings lend themselves to art and a changing sort of mood and a fireplace, you know, for winter.
27:19It works for us anyway.
27:20I think, I think it would work for anybody.
27:23When we bought it as a family, this was actually a restaurant, quite a popular restaurant called Aunty Sue's at the time.
27:31We renamed it Pandanus and down the site that we're going to see were some fibro guest houses.
27:38And really for 12 guests, quite simple, but people love staying there.
27:42But we thought as a family that we would redevelop it and build it for the very long term.
27:50Michael and Tim clearly have an eye for design.
27:55And that's evident in every detail of the two guest houses.
28:00So this is another one of the houses?
28:03Indeed, yeah.
28:07This house, South House, really folds into the forest.
28:20Each house at Island House is quite different functionally.
28:23And this one certainly really faces the forest.
28:33So in terms of the kind of big picture architectural design, they've all got high ceilings, they've all got lots of glass and stunning materials.
28:40But you've given them all a unique little twist in terms of position.
28:44And I can see some very unique pieces of design.
28:47Yeah, absolutely.
28:48I think it's important when you've got a group or a family staying here, that there are different variances in spaces.
28:56Because a lot of our guests stay for five to seven days up to two weeks.
29:00So you want that kind of sense of discovery.
29:06Well, for a start, you've got an island bench there that is definitely form over function.
29:14We didn't hold back.
29:15We just said, look, we want to, this is one chance in our Island House journey that we can create something that is architectural.
29:23So we started dreaming.
29:27I mean, that is one of the most unique island units I think I've ever seen in my entire career.
29:33Form over any function.
29:35There's no storage in there or anything.
29:36Although saying that, you've inset a kind of chopping block, a giant chopping block into there.
29:42So it's got a pretty important function.
29:44Bit of a servery, bit of food prep.
29:45Absolutely.
29:46And guests, they love to cook in these kitchens.
29:48And we've made sure that they're filled with things that people can really enjoy a day of cooking and going around the island bench as a group or a family.
29:56They really enjoy it.
29:58This guest house oozes luxury.
30:04But nothing compares to the real masterpiece.
30:08That uninterrupted forest view.
30:10Let's have a wonder outside because I love the way that you've got the L-shaped plan and that door slides back, that door slides back.
30:18You've got this lovely square terrace.
30:22And then, look at that for your backyard.
30:25It's certainly a beautiful view and it actually reminds me of the first time that I saw this place.
30:37Which was seeing it on an old television because Dad came here and saw what he called the borrowed garden.
30:45And it was a voice with a big case of beer style camera and you could hear the VHS whirring away and he goes,
30:51look at this borrowed garden of canopy of trees.
30:56He brings this story up way too often.
31:00From here, you can see, it's a very attractive canopy of trees.
31:05Well, you nailed it because it is a beautiful canopy of trees.
31:10This is a natural forest, you know, on a tiny speck of an island in the middle of the Tasman Sea.
31:16And it bears remembering that because it's not just any old forest.
31:21You really are on a tiny island and even after all these years, it still sends a shiver up my back, honestly.
31:29You've got a very powerful connection with this place, haven't you?
31:32You can just tell when you're talking how much you love it.
31:34You know, even at seven years old, I recognised that I was seeing something that I had never seen before.
31:43That lagoon, I can look at it today and the seven year old who looked at it, they're one and the same people and it makes me feel young.
31:51Michael's deep love for the island has really come across in the design.
32:01And everywhere you look, there's something to discover.
32:06From the striking sculpture done by Michael's partner, Alison, to the beautifully tailored interiors.
32:13And those unforgettable forest views.
32:22I've even been told that Island House has become a bit of a secret getaway for Hollywood A-listers.
32:30And honestly, it's easy to see why.
32:34Beyond amazing.
32:49Alright, George.
32:51So this is one of the bedrooms.
32:54That's a generous suite.
32:55Yeah.
32:56You can see a really beautiful skylight that pays attention to this greybark tree here.
33:00Wood is obviously a big element for us at Island House because there's not a piece of plasterboard on a whole entire site.
33:07You'll see that the walls here are clad only with oak boards on the ceilings, on the walls, on the floors as well.
33:14That's incredible actually.
33:16There's so many houses I would go into where you would have just sheets of white plasterboard, particularly on the ceiling.
33:21But here you've got no, absolutely not.
33:23Timber on the ceiling, timber on the walls, timber on the floor.
33:27And that lovely connection to the trees outside.
33:31I'll tell you what, standing here is a majestic spot because you can see from the bottom of the tree out of the window,
33:38and it goes all the way up, all the way up.
33:39And as you look through the skylight, it keeps going, keeps going until you're looking right straight up at the tree canopy.
33:46I mean, that is fantastic, that. It's like looking at a piece of art.
33:49Yeah, it's a beautiful scene.
33:50It's absolutely brilliant. That is a lovely moment in the house.
33:57I love that so much.
33:59I'm on the blissfully remote Lord Howe Island, home to golden sand beaches and beautiful coral reefs.
34:23But today, I'm a bit inland, checking out Island House, a deluxe retreat, which is the brainchild of Lord Howe residents, Michael and Tim Maxwell.
34:38It's so beautiful how there's these walkways and courtyards and screens, and you just don't feel like you're amongst multiple homes.
34:50And it's so lush and it's so green. Just walking between the buildings is as beautiful as being inside them.
35:00All right, so George, this is one of the first houses for our tourist build, Island House.
35:19What a fantastic build that is. I love the light coming through the top there.
35:24There's a piece of architecture. It's so good.
35:32You've got this kind of lovely monopitched roof, this single sloping pitch, little triangular wedges of glass, and constantly looking out of the tree canopy.
35:42Yeah, it's a special outlook, and we affectionately call this house North House, because North is this way, and so you get a really beautiful level of sunlight throughout the day.
35:50It's fantastic, and I love the little rhythm that you've got there in the skylight, and you've got that lovely dapple light coming through.
35:57But it's a beautiful space. I mean, talk about perfect open plan living with your kitchen, dining, living area.
36:06And these are impressive.
36:08I guess certainly love these speakers. They're made by Mormons in Utah, in fact.
36:12What?
36:15There's some of the better speakers that you can buy today, and they're kind of a symbol to the thought process for all things in this place.
36:22There's really high quality things that tell a story. They're from a time, they're from a place.
36:27And it just adds to that discovery.
36:28And in the colour, we said, let's go for, you know, one of our favourite colours, orange, and guests are here for three days a week.
36:36You know, they mightn't put that colour in their own house, but that's what they remember this place for, is they go, well, we're at Ireland House, and we're in this, you know, lovely place.
36:45And they had these orange speakers, you know.
36:48You're not going to forget those.
36:49And it's not only the statement furniture that draws you in.
36:54The finishings in every room are of the highest calibre.
37:00Each space meticulously crafted to impress.
37:13The bedrooms are so elegant and very chic.
37:17A beautiful palette of materials.
37:23You've got this gorgeous skylight over the top flooding the space with natural light.
37:28High-spec wardrobes.
37:30And then Italian Carrara marble everywhere in the shower room.
37:43Including the ceiling.
37:47And if you're wondering where the bathtub is, well, it's right out on the deck.
37:58Look at that bath.
38:00Look at the colour of it.
38:01So that's actually copper.
38:05But it's been oxidised and it's become this really deep burgundy red.
38:12Do you know what, I've just noticed, it's not just the bath.
38:16They've used the same copper for all the cladding on this side of the house.
38:21That's really cool.
38:22A spectacular house in the most unbelievable location.
38:35But you're so remote.
38:37How hard was it to build?
38:38It was tough, honestly.
38:40I think that when Dad and I really launched into this process, you're carrying your dreams with you.
38:47And you're hoping that, you know, you can have your creative expression on everything.
38:50But sometimes, some months, we'd be in the depths of winter and it would just be time to use grit.
38:56Did you have to bring everything, literally everything, to the island?
39:01Absolutely. That's the nature of this place.
39:03I suppose not just the base materials, but you've got really fine architectural things.
39:09You've got fine art.
39:11And then you've got all of the small knick-knacks.
39:13And especially when we've taken an international approach, you know, we imported all of the furniture from Copenhagen ourselves.
39:18So clearing customs and then getting it on a ship to Port Macquarie, which is two and a half days away from this island on a small ship.
39:27So it was a process.
39:30How much longer do you think it took and how much more would it have cost compared to building the same house on the mainland?
39:38From a spatial and also a remote sort of sense of thinking about it, it was probably three times as complex and probably the most expensive thing is time, right?
39:48And so it was probably three times the amount of time as well.
39:51That's amazing, actually.
39:52That just shows the commitment that you've got to building a house on the island when it's taking three times as much time.
39:59Yes.
40:00And probably even three times the cost.
40:02There's definitely a cost premium.
40:04What do they say?
40:05Long after you've paid the price, you remember the value, you know, or you remember the quality.
40:11It is some years now and this building is kind of holding up really well.
40:16But here's the thing with the materials that we've used.
40:19We actually want them to age.
40:22We want to see that the floor, you know, has wear marks because their people have hopefully had a great time at Island House.
40:30It's not a static showpiece.
40:32It's like your own house.
40:34These buildings are easing into hopefully a very, very long term life.
40:39The craftsmanship here in Michael's home and the two guest houses is truly exceptional.
40:52Built to last and to be loved for generations to come.
40:56But Michael and Tim haven't stopped at luxury.
41:01Just a short walk away, they're working on something that's all about giving back.
41:07Creating a space for everyone on the island to share.
41:13This is pretty cool.
41:16A lot of greenery.
41:17Welcome, welcome.
41:22Palm trees are a part of everyday life on Lord Howe.
41:27But behind their beauty lies a unique history and a vital connection to the island's culture and economy.
41:36What a set up you've got.
41:39Thank you.
41:40Tell me all about it.
41:41This site historically was where the Kentia palm operation was.
41:46And the board, which is like our council, used to own the nursery business where they grew these endemic Kentia palms that surround the island.
41:53After the palms found their way to the mainland and people could propagate it themselves, this place fell into disrepair.
42:00Which is a real shame actually in some ways, but you've brought it back.
42:02Absolutely.
42:03And so my dad got together with a Dutch bloke and they thought, how can we activate this site?
42:07And so we thought.
42:09I just looked at you and said that, my dad got together with a Dutch bloke.
42:12Yeah, well it happened over a barbecue on the lagoon.
42:15You're joking.
42:16Yeah.
42:17And they had a chat and thought, should we bring it back?
42:19This site could be a real community hub.
42:21They put in to the authorities saying, we'd love to do a brewery.
42:27We'd love to keep the palm business going.
42:29We'd love to grow beautiful vegetables for the island.
42:32And then we want a place where everyone can come and enjoy all those things.
42:35So a restaurant with a bar, put some pizzas on that we can sort of put on what we grow.
42:41So tell me a bit more about the palms.
42:42Yeah, so the Kentia palm has a fascinating history.
42:46When the island was discovered in 1788, obviously the thing that really struck out was this common Kentia palm here.
42:54As they did back then, they would take the species and deliver it back to the UK.
42:58And Queen Victoria was fascinated and enamored by this beautiful shape of this palm.
43:05Following there, there was this beautiful love obsession that started with the Kentia palm.
43:10And today it's now one of the most common indoor plants in the world.
43:14And usually when I'm standing somewhere, I can usually find one.
43:17Obviously here it's a lot easier.
43:20Thanks to the dedication of people like Tim and his dad, Michael, the humble Kentia palm has had an incredible revival.
43:29Once at risk of fading into obscurity, it's now been shipped to homes and gardens all over the world.
43:36And all from this very nursery.
43:42It's a much bigger operation than you might think.
43:46George, this is where we've got the Kentia palms that are growing at a bit of a more mature size.
43:53You're growing a lot. There's a huge number in here.
43:56Well, these guys are going to be put into the permanent park preserve.
43:59So the Lord Howe on board will have different people go into the mountain areas and things and they'll pick out plants that are not meant to be here.
44:09And to replace them, these plants will go in so that the vegetation on the island is all consistent.
44:16In fact, I know you're probably going home at some point soon.
44:19So I'd love to give you one of these.
44:21You're going to export one of these to the UK to my living room?
44:24Yeah, as long as you're happy to carry the freight with you.
44:25I'm going to carry it like that all the way back on the plane.
44:29It's only about 27, 28 hours. I'll be fine.
44:32They make a great indoor plant, really.
44:34That's such a lovely gesture by you because I love indoor plants and to have this from Lord Howe Island in my living room when I get home, that's pretty special.
44:43Beauty. Don't overwater it. They like to be not too much, not too little, just the Goldilocks.
44:48How much is that? I'm not scared I'm going to kill it.
44:50And it's just as well that Kentia Palm has a reputation for being hardy.
44:57Because this one's about to face its toughest challenge yet.
45:01Michael and Tim at Island House have created something truly special.
45:14Through a mix of vision, hard work and real ingenuity, they've built not just beautiful homes, but a community hub that feels like the start of a legacy.
45:26One that will outlast all of us.
45:32And maybe six generations from now, a descendant like Robert at Thornley Farm will be here.
45:40Carrying it forward and keeping the spirit of this place alive.
45:45Lord Howe is a really special blend of outstanding natural beauty, cultural heritage and diverse architecture.
45:59It's a place where the tiniest number of people are on the tiniest island, growing, making and building so many of the things they need from scratch.
46:08Their levels of ingenuity and self-sufficiency are as high as that peak.
46:38And that's the place where the tiniest number of people are.
46:44Amen.
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