Mt Kanimbla Spotlight: the one that stole the show

Mt Kanimbla was the big one for me. The property that completely stole the show.

We found it when it was dated, but still breathtaking. One of those once in a lifetime places where the vision is so clear you don’t even have time to talk yourself out of it. I could see exactly what it could become from day one.

But with Kanimbla, I had to be strategic from the start.

The cabins were the main event. They were the income that would carry the mortgage. So the plan was simple: get the cabins up and running first, fast, then tackle the rest.

And when I say fast, I mean we did them in a record 4 months. It was a race to the finish line. I was taking bookings before we’d even finished the renos because I needed money coming in right out of the gate. When that’s driving you, you make anything work. You stop being precious, you problem solve, and you just keep going.

I literally didn’t switch off.

And of course, it was all happening right as the biggest Covid shutdown hit. At first it felt like we might be okay. Builders could still come, it was outdoors, fresh air, all good. Then suddenly the rules tightened, and no one was allowed to leave their places, even for work.

So, I shifted gears.

I knew a few local builders who were meant to be on other jobs, but they couldn’t get to their sites. I had them jump over and keep ours moving and luckily, it worked seamlessly. Honestly, I was so lucky I figured that out when I did, because even a month delay would’ve seriously hurt. It would’ve pushed bookings, pushed cashflow, pushed everything.

Before too long, the cabins were sitting at 100% occupancy, which still blows my mind when I think about it.

And then there was Hilltop Cabin.

The golden child. The one that has graced so many magazine articles. The cabin that put Logan Brae in the minds of so many people. That one became the “I’ve seen this place everywhere” cabin, and it set the tone for what Logan Brae could be.

Over the next 2.5 years, we transformed the rest of the property too. Two smaller cabins, plus the big lodge. It was a full marathon. Big decisions, constant problem solving, and a level of time, money and energy that’s hard to explain unless you’ve lived it.

And honestly, I didn’t want to let it go.

But as much as I love creating and transforming, there’s only so much debt you can carry at one time before it starts getting tight around the collar. Ours wasn’t feeling sustainable long term. The sale wasn’t about falling out of love with it. It was about creating breathing room and being able to move forward into the next chapter without everything feeling heavy.

The best part is who it went to. I was so lucky to find the new custodians we did. The transition was genuinely a joy. You could feel how much they loved it too and that made letting go so much easier. It didn’t feel like an ending. It felt like a really good handover.

If you’ve always wanted to stay at Mt Kanimbla, you still can. I’ve added it to the Curated Stays List and I’ve organised 10% off when you book with code: LBCSTAY