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00:00from the windswept cliffs of Australia's coastline to the ancient silence of the New Zealand bush
00:10I'll venture to places where the landscape still calls the shots
00:23every decision is shaped by the elements and the isolation look how beautiful this is that is
00:38unbelievable what I've discovered isn't just clever design it's passion this is a healing house
00:49it's saved our marriage it's creativity looks like some alien ship that's landed from outer space
00:58and it's survival on an island that doesn't have a corner store you can't just shoot down and get a
01:07little side of something because out here you need a different kind of person definitely friends daring
01:19I want Pat's house I want her house I want her shower and I want her bathroom innovative
01:28and deeply connected to the land they live on my grandfather must have really loved my
01:36grandmother to have built a room like this for her to move on join me George Clark and together we'll
01:48discover some of New Zealand and Australia's wildest halls
02:07high above the vast blue expanse of the Tasman Sea far to the east of Australia
02:12Lord Howe Island suddenly comes into view and what a sight it is
02:22flying in it appears almost otherworldly towering peaks cloaked in ancient forest rise dramatically from the sea
02:37even from this height I can make out the seabirds gliding effortlessly on the winds
02:44it's like nature's own masterpiece wild simple and exquisitely formed
02:54just phenomenal what a spectacular sight that was I just can't wait to explore the island itself
03:13it's people and of course it's wild homes
03:17I've flown 600 kilometers from the Australian mainland to get to Lord Howe Island it's properly remote
03:28first spotted way back in 1788 Lord Howe has always had a bit of magic about it
03:37back then it was all about survival it became a vital pit stop for ships making the long haul
03:46between Sydney and Norfolk Island
03:49but fast forward to today and it's a completely different story
03:57this place is stunning lush green peaks turquoise waters and a laid-back charm that just pulls you in
04:10hi Meredith yes welcome to Lord Howe Island lovely to see you how are you yeah good thank you yeah thanks
04:20have me gorgeous day yeah no bags I'll just trick it in there don't worry go in the window
04:25warmly welcoming me to Lord Howe is one of its few permanent residents Meredith Dunford who moved
04:34here to live with her partner Robert in 2021 I'm hoping she can give me a crash course on what I need
04:41to know about this incredible place so the island is 11 kilometers long and two kilometers wide
04:50that is small yeah
05:00what's the population of the island 380 and what about tourists tourists kept at 400 I'm assuming us to
05:10protect the place yes yeah I wish like they did that in London there's too many people where I live
05:20it's a really dramatic place I mean when you look at how it's kind of formed as this volcanic eruption
05:31however many millions of years ago yeah yes that's right strong looks where's no yeah so UNESCO World Heritage Island
05:40that's impressive yeah it is with over 200 species of plants and animals unique to the islands
05:51Lord Howe's a rare hotspot for biodiversity and what makes it even more special is the little local
06:04community who are putting conservation at the heart of everyday life why are you driving so slow by the way well we
06:14we have a 25 kilometer an hour limit and that is mostly to protect the wood ends oh really
06:28and how did you arrive here what's your story I arrived here end of March 2021 my partner Robert has
06:36bornly farm it's been in his family since 1890 amazing hey whoa now usually on homes in the wild I'm exploring places that are either grand cutting edge or innovative but today's a little bit different and really special
06:57Meredith's partner Robert has inherited one of the island's original homesteads and it's absolutely steeped in history he's taken on the seriously brave challenge of restoring it bit by bit with his own hands this isn't just a renovation it's a labor of love
07:21Robert
07:24Robert
07:26Hi Robert
07:27Hi
07:28Lovely to see you how are you?
07:29Nice to meet you
07:30Thanks for having me at your home and your farm
07:32Thank you for coming
07:33I find it so idyllic just walking past some of the little buildings that you've got it looks so cute
07:38Well we've got three houses blended together here over time the first house behind this one was originally built by my great grandparents in Moseley Park where the airstrip is now
07:50So how did they get it here?
07:51Well the story is that they pulled it by a horse and dray
07:54No way
07:55Along the beach using pine trees for rollers
07:58My great grandfather built this house
08:00Yep
08:01Which has been closed in over time
08:03And my grandfather built this extension here post war maybe about 1950
08:08Okay so you've got pre 1890 1890 1890 and then 1950
08:14And 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 and modified all the time
08:27Yeah
08:28So you tend to do it more seamlessly
08:29Yes
08:30Yes that's that that could be it
08:31Which is what you're doing with your restoration project by the back of things
08:34It is what we're doing we're trying to maintain the character of the place we're not trying to modernize it
08:38It's an old home you can't change that
08:41No just bring it back to life
08:42We're trying to bring it back to life
08:43We're trying to bring it back to life
08:44Yeah
08:45Fantastic
08:46Can we go inside?
08:47Yes
08:48Here we are George this is our home
08:54Oh beautiful
08:55This is the beginning
08:57Yes
08:58Yes
08:59Yes
09:00Well do it you can sense the history as soon as you walk through the door
09:05I'll leave you to it
09:06Thank you
09:07I just think all the carpentry and timber detailing is beautiful
09:14You've got horizontal boarding at high level and a lovely little shelf of rail and then vertical boarding
09:21And even the skirting boards got lovely details to it as well
09:24Yeah
09:25It's a lovely lovely room and the railing along there was built up my grandmother's insistence for her to keep all her knickknacks 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 angles
09:40It actually feels like a more grand room because of that attention and detail
09:44Yeah yeah it's a beautiful ceiling
09:47When I was a kid this room was the ceremonial room this 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?
09:58Yeah he was a very important elder on the island he really was
10:02And this place was the hub of the island
10:07Everybody came here for dairy, for fuel, vegetables, meat
10:13And there were constantly people pulsing through here
10:17I had no idea
10:19Oh yeah yeah yeah
10:20This was the island supermarket and the centre of the business and the politics that happened on 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 I could tell you more
10:31The library was here this was the liquor store
10:34There's so many stories
10:35You know it just shows how important a proper work and farm on a small island is staggeringly important over the years
10:42Yes yes it was so isolated then there was no choice there was a ship if you were lucky every month
10:47Just a small community very closely knit
10:51It was magic really yeah it was magic
10:54I get the sense that Robert's not just taken on a restoration project
11:02He's breathing new life into what's almost a living museum
11:08It's a massive undertaking but one packed with history and hearts
11:20We try to keep things that matter you know the old tools there that my great grandfather would have had when he put the place together you know
11:27Literally the tools that built the house on the shelf
11:32Restoring 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
11:42There'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
11:53That shed there was the first electricity on the island
11:57It was a 32 volt system
11:59They slaughtered here they butchered here
12:02So all of this is basically the Lord Howe Island supermarket from back in the day
12:09It was
12:10I just love the architecture of the whole thing
12:13It's so simple but so historic
12:16Yeah can we see the butchery?
12:17Yeah let's go
12:23This is the butcher shop here
12:25This is my grandfather's waterstone sharpening wheel from West Bromwich
12:32That'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?
12:44This 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
12:54On there chopped up
12:55Had everything weighed
12:56Bit of transaction
12:57A few dollars
12:58It chopped up nicely in some old newspaper
13:01Have a look at this
13:02This is the
13:04This is how they did it
13:06Oh my god they're full on fridges
13:08This is the freezer room
13:10This is the freezer room
13:11Full 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
13:55I'm on the tiny remote island of Lord Howe
14:02600 kilometres off the east coast of Australia
14:08It's a truly beautiful and special place
14:11Just like the first home I'm exploring
14:17Showing me around his old family home is sixth generation islander Robert
14:23He's taken on a restoration project that's as ambitious as it is deeply personal
14:32You're not a carpenter are you?
14:34No
14:35No I am not
14:36I am not so I'm learning as I go
14:38And what were you before?
14:40I started out as a lawyer
14:43You know big city lawyer
14:44Were you any good at carpentry back in the day as a lawyer?
14:47No
14:48No 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
14:56Robert's family weren't just residents of Lord Howe Island
14:59This is where they would form the ice in these moulds
15:00This is where they would form the ice in these moulds
15:04Giant ice cubes
15:05Giant ice cubes
15:06They were the heartbeat of the community
15:10The kind of people who quietly held everything together
15:13I'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 it happened on this island
15:23In the middle of the Tasman Sea
15:25Miles away from anywhere
15:27It 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
15:42And 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
16:02High ceilings open
16:04Almost as though it just rises as you walk in
16:08What a beautiful room
16:13The window seat that's really beautiful
16:15I love the way that they've got these tiny little details
16:18Where you've got a bit of arched panelling at lower level
16:21And then they arch above
16:22Yeah
16:24I remember lying in it once early morning
16:26And the sun was streaming in through the windows there
16:30I looked up at the ceiling and I thought
16:33I'm going to get a bit emotional here
16:36I thought my grandfather must really have loved my grandmother
16:40To have built a room like this for her
16:43How nice is that?
16:45How nice is that?
16:52Don't film that
16:53It's alright
16:54Don't worry you'll get me going
16:55Yeah
16:56Get me going
16:57I think he must have
16:58That's like the fact that you get emotional about it
17:05I love because it shows how important architecture is
17:09It's a piece of history but it's a home
17:11Yeah
17:12And the fact that your grandfather's gone
17:14I'm going to build the most beautiful room
17:16Because I love her so much
17:17Oh
17:19That's good
17:20That's how I feel about this room
17:22Shall we move on?
17:23Because we both cry
17:25Come on let's go
17:32I think after that some fresh air would be a good idea
17:37Okay George I want to show you our orchard
17:41It's a really important part of our farm
17:43It's very beautiful I have to say
17:47Even in the modern era
17:49Thornleigh is still giving back
17:53Producing for both the islanders and the visitors
17:56Who come from all over to experience this special place
18:01You've got so many things grown here
18:03Just help me through it
18:04So we've got lemons, limes, mandarins
18:09Very tasty sugar bananas
18:11There's pawpaws
18:13We've got guavas
18:14Oh my god that's amazing
18:16Yeah
18:17And so you're producing so much stuff
18:19Particularly citrus
18:20What are you doing with it?
18:22Well I make marmalade
18:24Award winning marmalade actually
18:26And not only that
18:28We also use things like these limes
18:31We use at the perfumery
18:32You've got a perfumery
18:34Yes
18:35We've got to check that out
18:36Alright
18:37You heard right
18:39Thornleigh even makes its own perfume
18:46Okay
18:47Come on in
18:49It's becoming very evident to me that on Lord Howe
18:52If you're not doing a bit of everything
18:54We put the limes in here
18:56Water, put it on the heat
18:58You're not doing it right
18:59What a beautiful set up
19:02The fact that you're using all of these wonderful, natural, beautiful things
19:08Taking them from the farm, bringing them here
19:10Yeah, we 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?
19:19Yes
19:20As a little gift to her
19:21Absolutely, she'll love it
19:22Thank you very much, that's very kind
19:24Thank you
19:25How much is it?
19:28My time at Thornleigh Farm has been something really special
19:33Robert and Meredith's work here is inspiring
19:37On a farm that's as humble as it is breathtaking
19:40One 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
19:56And Lord Howe Island, well, it's got some of the most incredible species
20:01It's like nature's in full swing here
20:05Doing its thing
20:07And you get to be part of it
20:16This is an experience I've always wanted to do
20:19I'm off to swim with turtles
20:24Hello mate
20:25Hi mate, how are you?
20:26Very good, I'm George, nice to see you
20:27Anthony, how are you?
20:28Whether it's not great today, are we going to see turtles?
20:30We'll get turtles
20:31Definitely?
20:32We'll get turtles
20:33Can you guarantee it Anthony?
20:34I can guarantee it
20:35I'll hold you to that
20:39My guide Anthony is another sixth generation islander
20:43Whose family have been on Lord Howe since 1853
20:48He's also one of the island's beer brewers and a local gin distiller
20:53So 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 outlying structure
21:05You can see the waves protecting our lagoon there
21:07So as the tide goes out today, the reef will be exposed
21:10And make this nice and calm
21:12This is pretty calm, oh I said 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 North East England
21:24But I don't want to jump in and for everything to get smaller
21:32So we're very lucky here, we're fed by two temperate and one tropical current
21:35So we get the mixing
21:36So our water here is very very stable
21:38And that's what is producing the reef here
21:40Yep
21:41So there's over 100 different coral species
21:43Over 500 different fish species
21:45And we're finding and identifying new species all the time
21:50Tell me about the turtles, I know very little about them
21:52So we get three of the seven different varieties of turtles in the world
21:55We get green, hawksbill and loggerhead
22:00They come down from New Caledonia to here
22:04They don't lay their eggs here
22:05Because the sand is not warm enough long enough
22:07Because they're purely here for summer holiday
22:09I mean you can't blame them coming here for a summer holiday
22:12It's not too shabby is it really?
22:13It's pretty good
22:16So just how wild does it get on Lord Howe?
22:19Because that looks pretty wild just there to me
22:22It is pretty wild there but that is nothing
22:24You can see the height of the vegetation on the cliffs
22:27That'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?
22:34To that level there
22:35That freaks me out
22:36Yeah
22:37This is it
22:39Turtle time
22:40What a spot to do it in as well
22:43Woo!
22:44Woo!
22:45Woo!
22:46Woo!
22:47Woo!
22:48Woo!
22:49Woo!
22:50Woo!
22:51Woo!
22:52Woo!
22:53Woo!
22:54Woo!
22:55Woo!
22:56Woo!
22:57Woo!
22:58Now this...
22:59This is something I'll never forget
23:02These green turtles are so calm and elegant
23:09Just gliding through the water as if you're not even there
23:14That was incredible
23:24What an experience to be on Lord Howe
23:27Honestly
23:29A once in a lifetime opportunity
23:32That was fantastic
23:34And the turtles
23:35Outstanding
23:37Woo-hoo!
23:39There's a quiet magic to waking up on Lord Howe Island
23:58Misty peaks
24:00A glimmering lagoon
24:02It's no wonder it has UNESCO World Heritage status
24:07Just like the turtles in the lagoon
24:12Plenty of people visit Lord Howe Island
24:15But only a lucky few get to make it their home
24:19I'm about to meet a father and son who've done just that
24:25And they haven't just built one home
24:28They've built three
24:32Hey, it's very nice to see you
24:37George
24:38How are you?
24:39Good to see you
24:40It's a pleasure to introduce you to my dad Mike
24:41Hi, how are you?
24:42Good to meet you
24:43Welcome to Ireland House
24:44Thank you very much for having me
24:45What an outstanding piece of architecture this is
24:48Really beautiful
24:53This is like another level
24:58I mean, talk about a piece of super modernism
25:00Tell me a bit about your story and why you built this house
25:06Well, 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
25:13One of the most vivid memories of my life
25:15And I always was in love with the whole idea of Lord Howe
25:19And kept coming through school, university
25:22And one day I was sitting in my office in Sydney
25:24And there was a little ad in the paper to say
25:26There was a lodge for sale on Lord Howe
25:28Which is unprecedented
25:29Because 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
25:47And I'll never forget it
25:49It just feels like you're going to a completely different world
25:52In a different time
25:53Yeah, and I think that's actually a big inspiration
25:56Of something that we used when thinking about these houses
25:59And the design is you've got this beautiful island
26:02And it is such a timeless place
26:04And so that was a real guiding principle for us
26:06Island House has been beautifully reimagined
26:11From its humble beginnings as a lodge
26:14Now weighed up of three stunning dwellings
26:17This one is Michael's beautiful two bedroom hall
26:21And just across the way are two luxurious guest houses
26:27Each with two bedrooms
26:29Two bathrooms
26:31And a serious sense of style
26:35There's a piece of architecture
26:37It's very simple and very pure
26:39You've got this wonderful long rectangular box
26:42Which is the simplest form in the world
26:44But my word
26:45You've brought it to life with texture and finishes
26:48The fact that you've got this beautiful
26:51But it's what?
26:52Four and a bit metres?
26:53Ceiling height it must be?
26:54Yeah, it's four metres
26:55You're spot on there
26:56The whole idea was to be able to sit in a room
27:00And look out at this amazing sort of borrowed landscape
27:05We really enjoy being in this room
27:08And it's fantastic in winter
27:09With the warm sun
27:10And these high ceilings lend themselves to art
27:14And a changing sort of mood
27:16And a fireplace, you know, for winter
27:19It works for us anyway
27:21I think it would work for anybody
27:23When we bought it as a family
27:25This was actually a restaurant
27:27Quite a popular restaurant called
27:29Aunty Sue's at the time
27:31We renamed it Pandanus
27:33And down the site that we're going to see
27:35Were some Fibro guest houses
27:38And really for 12 guests
27:40Quite simple
27:41But people love staying there
27:43But we thought as a family
27:45That we would redevelop it
27:47And build it for the very long term
27:51Michael and Tim clearly have an eye for design
27:55And that's evident in every detail
27:58Of the two guest houses
28:01So this is another one of the houses
28:04Indeed, yeah
28:08This house, South House
28:09Really folds into the forest
28:21Each house at Island House
28:22Is quite different functionally
28:24And this one certainly really faces the forest
28:31So in terms of the kind of big picture architectural design
28:37They've all got high ceilings
28:38They've all got lots of glass
28:39And stunning materials
28:41But you've given them all a unique little twist
28:43In terms of position
28:45And I can see some very unique pieces of design
28:48Yeah, absolutely
28:49I think it's important
28:50When you've got a group or a family staying here
28:53That there are different variances in spaces
28:57Because a lot of our guests stay for five to seven days
29:00Up to two weeks
29:01So you want that kind of sense of discovery
29:04Well, for a start
29:08You've got an island bench there
29:10That is definitely form over function
29:14We didn't hold back
29:15We just said, look, we want to
29:17This is one chance in our Island House journey
29:20That we can create something that is architectural
29:23So we started dreaming
29:28I mean, that is one of the most unique island units
29:30I think I've ever seen in my entire career
29:33Form over any function
29:35There's no storage in there or anything
29:37Although saying that
29:38You've inset
29:39A kind of chopping block
29:41A giant chopping block into there
29:42So it's got a pretty important function
29:44Bit of a servery
29:45Bit of food prep
29:46Absolutely
29:47And guests
29:48They love to cook in these kitchens
29:49And we've made sure
29:50That they're filled with things
29:51That people can really enjoy a day of cooking
29:54And going around the island bench
29:55As a group or a family
29:56They really enjoy it
29:59This guest house oozes luxury
30:05But nothing compares to the real masterpiece
30:08That uninterrupted forest view
30:12Let's have a wander outside
30:13Because I love the way that
30:15You've got the L-shaped plan
30:16And that door slides back
30:17That door slides back
30:18You've got this lovely square terrace
30:20And then
30:22Look at that for your backyard
30:32It's certainly a beautiful view
30:33And it actually reminds me
30:34Of the first time that I saw this place
30:36Which was seeing it on
30:38An old television
30:39Because Dad came here
30:41And saw what he called
30:43The borrowed garden
30:44The borrowed garden
30:45And it was a voice
30:47With a big case of beer style camera
30:50And you could hear the VHS whirring away
30:51And he goes
30:52Look at this borrowed garden
30:53Of canopy of trees
30:54He brings this story up way too often
31:00From here
31:01You can see
31:02It's a very attractive canopy of trees
31:05Well you nailed it
31:07Well you nailed it
31:08Because it is a beautiful canopy of trees
31:11This is a natural forest
31:13You know on a tiny speck of an island
31:15In the middle of the Tasman Sea
31:17And it bears remembering that
31:19Because it's not just any old forest
31:21You really are on a tiny island
31:23And even after all these years
31:25It still sends a shiver up my back honestly
31:29You've got a very powerful connection
31:31With this place haven't you
31:32You can just tell when you're talking
31:34How much you love it
31:35You know even at seven years old
31:37I recognised that I was seeing something
31:40That I had never seen before
31:43That lagoon
31:44I can look at it today
31:45And the seven year old
31:47Who looked at it
31:49They're one and the same people
31:50And it makes me feel young
31:55Michael's deep love for the island
31:58Has really come across in the design
32:01And everywhere you look
32:03There's something to discover
32:05From the striking sculpture
32:08Done by Michael's partner Alison
32:10To the beautifully tailored interiors
32:17And those unforgettable forest views
32:21I've even been told
32:24That Island House
32:25Has become a bit of a secret getaway
32:28For Hollywood A-listers
32:30And honestly
32:32It's easy to see why
32:43Beyond amazing
32:44All right George
32:50So this is one of the bedrooms
32:53That's a generous suite
32:55Yeah
32:56You can see a really beautiful skylight
32:58That pays attention to this greybark tree here
33:00Wood is obviously a big element for us at Island House
33:03Because there's not a piece of plasterboard on the whole entire site
33:06You'll see that the walls here are clad only with oak boards
33:11On the ceilings, on the walls, on the floors as well
33:14That's incredible actually
33:15There's so many houses I would go into
33:17Where you would have just sheets of white plasterboard
33:19Particularly on the ceiling
33:20But here you've got
33:22No absolutely not
33:23Timber on the ceiling
33:24Timber on the walls
33:25Timber on the floor
33:26Timber on the floor
33:27And that lovely connection to the trees outside
33:32So you've got standing here
33:33Is a majestic spot
33:35Because you can see from the bottom of the tree out of the window
33:38And it goes all the way up
33:39All the way up
33:40And as you look through the skylight
33:41It keeps going
33:42Yeah
33:43It keeps going
33:44Until you're looking right straight up at the tree canopy
33:46I mean that is fantastic
33:47That's like looking at a piece of art
33:49Yeah
33:50It's a beautiful scene
33:51It's absolutely brilliant
33:54That is a lovely moment in the house
33:56I love that so much
33:59Not so much
34:00I'm on the blissfully remote Lord Howe Island
34:17It's so beautiful how
34:18There's these walkways and courtyards and screens
34:20And you just don't feel like you're amongst
34:27Multiple homes
34:28And it's so lush and it's so green
34:29Just walking between
34:57the buildings is as beautiful as being inside them all right so George this is
35:08one of the first houses for our tourist build Island House
35:14what a fantastic build that is I love the light coming through the top there
35:27there's a piece of architecture it's so good you've got this kind of lovely monopitched roof
35:35this single sloping pitched little triangular wedges of glass and constantly looking out of
35:41the tree canopy yeah it's a special outlook and we affectionately call this house north house
35:46because north is this way and so you get a really beautiful level of sunlight throughout the day
35:51it's fantastic and I love the little rhythm that you've got there in the skylight and you get that
35:56lovely dapple light coming through but it's a beautiful space when talk about perfect open
36:02plan living with your kitchen dining living area and these are impressive I guess certainly love
36:10these speakers are made by Mormons in Utah in fact what there's some of the better speakers that you
36:17can buy today and they're kind of a symbol to the the thought process for all things in this place is
36:23really high quality things that tell a story they're from a time they're from a place and it just adds to
36:28that discovery and in the color we said let's go for you know one of our favorite colors orange and
36:34guests are here for three days a week you know they might put that color in their own house but that's
36:40what they remember this place for is they go well we're at island house and we're in this you know
36:44lovely place and they had these orange speakers you know you're not gonna forget those and it's not
36:51only the statement furniture that draws you in the finishings in every room are of the highest caliber
37:00each space meticulously crafted to impress the bedrooms are so elegant and very chic a beautiful palette of
37:20materials you've got this gorgeous skylight over the top flooding the space with natural light high spec
37:29wardrobes and then Italian Carrara marble everywhere in the shower including the ceiling and if you're
37:49wondering where the bathtub is well it's right out on the deck look at my bath look at the color of it so
38:03that's actually copper but it's been oxidized and it's become this really deep burgundy red I've just noticed
38:15it's not just the bath they've used the same copper for all the cladding on this side of the house
38:22that's really cool
38:27a spectacular house in the most unbelievable location but you're so remote how hard was it to build it was
38:39tough honestly I think that when dad and I really launched into this process you're carrying your
38:46dreams with you and you're hoping that you know you can have your creative expression on everything but
38:51sometimes some months we'd be in the depths of winter and it would just be time to use grit
38:55did you have to bring everything literally everything to the island absolutely that's the nature of this
39:02place I suppose not just the base materials but you've got really fine architectural things you've
39:09got fine art and then you've got all of the small knickknacks and especially when we've taken an
39:14international approach you know we imported all of the furniture from Copenhagen ourselves so clearing
39:20customs and then getting it on a ship to Port Macquarie which is two and a half days away from this island on a
39:26small ship so it was a process how much longer do you think it took and how much more would it have
39:35cost compared to building the same house on the mainland from a spatial and also a remote sort of
39:41sense of thinking about it it was probably three times as complex and and probably the most expensive
39:47thing is time right and so it was probably three times the amount of time as well that's amazing
39:52actually that just shows the commitment that you've got to building a house on the island when it's
39:56taken three times as much time yes and probably even three times the cost there's definitely a cost
40:04premium what do they say long after you've paid the price you remember the value you know or you
40:08remember the quality it is some years now on and this building is kind of holding up really well but
40:17here's the thing with the materials that we've used we actually want them to age we want to see
40:24that 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 it's like your own house these buildings are easing into hopefully a very
40:38very long-term life the 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 but michael and tim haven't stopped at luxury
41:00just 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
41:11and this is pretty cool a lot of greenery
41:21welcome welcome palm 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
41:37what a setup you've got thank you tell me all about it this site historically was where the kentia palm
41:44operation was and the board which is like our council used to own the nursery business where
41:50they grew these endemic kentia palms that surround the island after the palms found their way to the
41:55mainland and people could propagate it themselves this place fell into disrepair which is a real
42:01shame actually in some ways but you've brought it back absolutely and so my dad got together with
42:05a dutch bloke and they thought how can we activate this site and so we thought my dad got together with
42:12a dutch blog yeah well it happened over a barbecue on the lagoon you're joking yeah and they had a chat
42:17and thought yeah this site could be a real community hub they put into the to the authorities saying
42:25we'd love to do a brewery we'd love to keep the palm business going we'd love to grow beautiful
42:31vegetables for the young and 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 so tell me a
42:41bit more about the palms yeah so the kentia palm has a fascinating history
42:48when the island was discovered in 1788 obviously the thing that really struck out was this common
42:53kentia palm here as they did back then they would take the species and deliver it back to the uk
43:00and queen victoria was fascinated and enamored by this beautiful shape of this palm following there
43:07there was this beautiful love obsession that started with the kentia palm and today it's now one of the
43:12most common indoor plants in the world and usually when i'm standing somewhere i can usually find one
43:18obviously here it's a lot easier thanks to the dedication of people like tim and his dad michael
43:25the humble kentia palm has had an incredible revival once at risk of fading into obscurity
43:33it's now been shipped to homes and gardens all over the world and all from this very nursery
43:40it's a much bigger operation than you might think george this is where we've got there the kentia palms
43:50that are growing at a bit of a more mature size you'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 so the lord how on board
44:02will have different people go into the mountain areas and things and they'll pick out plants that
44:07are not meant to be here and to replace them these plants will go in so that uh the vegetation on the
44:14island is all consistent in fact um i know you're probably going home at some point so i'd love to
44:20give you one of these you're going to export one of these to the uk to my living room yeah as long as
44:24you're happy to carry the freight with you i'm going to carry it like that all the way back on the
44:29plane it's only about 27 28 hours i'll be fine they make a great indoor plan really that's such a
44:34lovely gesture by you because i love indoor plans and to have this from lord howe island in my living
44:40room when i get home that's pretty special beauty don't over water it they like to be not too much not
44:46too little just the goldilocks how much is that i'm not scared i'm going to kill it
44:50and it's just as well the kentia palm has a reputation for being hardy
44:58because this one's about to face its toughest challenge yet
45:05michael and tim at island house have created something truly special
45:10through a mix of vision hard work and real ingenuity they've built not just beautiful homes
45:22but a community hub that feels like the start of a legacy one that will outlast all of us
45:30and 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
45:51lord howe is a really special blend of outstanding natural beauty cultural heritage and diverse
45:58architecture it's a place where the tiniest number of people are on the tiniest island growing
46:04making and building so many of the things they need from scratch their levels of ingenuity and
46:11self-sufficient self-sufficiency are as high as that peak
46:25so
46:31so
46:41so
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