Spotlight on The Machinery Shed at Logan Brae Orchard

The Machinery Shed is the reason Logan Brae Collection exists. Full stop.

Because before I was doing any of this, photography was my whole career. Busy studios, set building, styling, creating a feeling from scratch. Looking back, it makes so much sense that I ended up here.

Then life threw me a curveball. Along came a hot farmer husband, and not long after, our first baby. Life was exciting, and guess what, I didn’t want to leave the orchard or my new family.

So my brain went into overdrive trying to work out how I could drop my day job, stay on the orchard, and still make a decent income.

That’s when I saw the Machinery Shed in a new light.

How it started

Sam bought the orchard in 2008, and he has been bringing it back to life ever since. He fell in love with this place and just went all in, with no prior experience, figuring it out as he went. To this day, we both still work in the shop. It’s hands on. It’s fast paced. It’s our little family thing.

And the best part is, we only get a small window each year to share it. We get to see all the wonderful faces in the community and actually feel the orchard come alive again.

It’s hard work, but I honestly don’t think Sam could stop even if he tried.

The Shed itself

It sits in the prime position on the orchard. This grand old structure with huge timber beams collected from the railway lines back in the 1930s. So much history.

But when I first really looked at it, it wasn’t looked after, it wasn’t usable, and it was basically just full of junk.

I had a small amount of money and thought, what the heck. Let’s do this.

The “what have I done” stage

It took a year just to clean it out. Daily trips with the scrap metal guy until he pretty much told me to lose his number.

There were roadblocks constantly, but that’s what I do. I pivot, and I always find a way around things. The chaos, the pivots, the “this is absolutely not going to plan” stage. That’s my comfort zone, weirdly.

The moment it became real

In 2018 it was finally ready to welcome guests. And did I love it.

I set it up every time. Did the cleaning. Did everything myself. Until it got so busy I couldn’t keep up, not with a young child.

Within a year it was basically 100% occupancy. I couldn’t believe it. No one could.

Then in 2020 Airbnb called and told me we were one of the top three most wish-listed Airbnbs in Australia. In Australia. My mind was blown. It still feels like the craziest sentence.

That moment propelled everything. Suddenly I could get a loan. I was considered a “real” accommodation provider, even if it started small. And it gave us the ability to take on the next project.

Why it matters

I care a lot about how a stay feels. I want people to walk in and instantly clock that it’s been thought about. Not just “here’s a couch, good luck.”

More like, “Yep. Someone had a vision here.”

That comes from the setup, the design, the atmosphere. I’m happiest taking the ‘before’ and turning it into something with personality.

And that’s why The Machinery Shed will always be the OG. The start of everything. The big pivot. The proof that a wild idea, a lot of elbow grease, and a bit of stubborn determination can turn a pile of junk into a place people actually want to stay.

Basically, it’s the kind of space that makes you walk in and think, yep… this is a vibe.