PICTURE: MICHELLE CRAWFORD
Five years ago Carolyn and Graeme Holmes embarked on a change of scenery, selling their business in Newcastle and relocating to Tasmania. Two properties in the state – one in the north and one in the south – grabbed their attention for a new venture but it was the Huon Valley which won out, leading to an extensive overhaul of one of the region’s most well-known properties. C arolyn still has chuckle when she looks back at the decision her and husband Graeme had to make when they upped their lives in NSW and made the move south. Graeme, a structural engineer, was at the helm of a “decent sized” engineering company when the couple, in conjunction with one of their sons and daughter in law, decided a sea change was in order. So they sold the engineering company and travelled to Tasmania, wanting to invest in a property which contained some historic value. Two options presented themselves – one in Launceston and one in Ranelagh. Launceston initially grabbed the attention of Carolyn, but it was the historic hops kiln on Clifton Estate – which once contained 52 hectares of apple orchards and 52 hectares of hops –
that ultimately won the Holmes’ over.
“My husband had been a couple of times, I had been a couple of times [to Tasmania]. I’d been down with the kids and my parents and we loved it. We looked probably about 20 odd years ago at moving down,” Carolyn says of the decision to pack up from Newcastle in 2019. “We sold our business in Newcastle and we wanted a bit of a sea change, and we don’t want to retire. Well, I don’t anyhow. So it was just another step in life I suppose. “When we first saw Clifton Estate, we were captivated by its beauty and potential. We knew it was the perfect place to create something special.” - Carolyn Holmes “We mainly came down looking for a wedding venue place. Graeme and I are very interested in history, even our colonial history so we were looking for something that had a historic value to it. When we got here, there
9 Tasmanian Hospitality Review Aug/Sep Edition
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