Image: Stu Gibson
PUMPHOUSE POINT A RETREAT TO THE TASSIE WILDERNESS
We can’t stop obsessing over the beauty that is Pumphouse Point, a brand new boutique hotel nestled in Tasmania’s remote World Heritage wilderness. So, our editor Elspeth Velten talked to Simon Currant, the developer behind it all, to get an idea for exactly what makes the property tick. Spoiler: Currant’s 18-year courtship of the site is just as romantic as the nature retreat’s wild location.
Elspeth Velten: Hi Simon. So, tell me: what is it about this property that had you intrigued for 18 years before finally getting to live out your dream of redeveloping the spot?
Images: Adam Gibson
Simon Currant: Its potential. These buildings were just sitting idle and dilapidating into ruins, but within world-class wilderness. Something had to be done and other developers had ideas about creating much bigger developments on this site. I wanted to see the buildings used in a way that gave people a view of the authentic wilderness and a uniquely Tasmanian experience. There is no better location for this than Pumphouse Point.
The site has an amazing ability to provide connection with the nature surrounding it. I think the potential was there for anybody to see, but I decided to take hold of it. It’s also inspiring that we do not own the land, but we’re simply custodians by virtue of a lease.
“We can enhance and look after this special location for future generations and that’s a very powerful thought. It was worth the 18-year journey.”
Images: Adam Gibson
EV: Tell me a little bit about what the buildings were used for historically, and how does that factor into the redevelopment and current design? Are there any specific design elements that pay homage to the property’s past? SC: The site was constructed in 1940 as part of the state’s Hydro-Electric scheme. The purpose of the facility was to pump water from Lake St. Clair into the head waters of the Derwent River when required. History shows the Pumphouse was surplus to requirements and was only op-
erated a handful of times, routinely switched on for maintenance purposes only. The design of the building was also surely surplus to requirements (a three-storey ‘temple’ with bay windows… to house water pumps?), but perhaps the architects of that time had a grand vision that this site would be used for something else. I wanted to remain faithful to the vision of the early architects, so the exterior of the buildings has remained largely unchanged. We have extended some of the windows to enhance the
view from inside, but the moss and lichen still grows on the external walls – just as it has for 75 years. There are various references to the site’s industrial past throughout the property: the original power poles along the flume (jetty), the old cast-iron frames over the windows, the original Pumphouse light fittings have been retained and re-used in the Shorehouse dining room and there is a viewing-window in the floor of the Pumphouse Lounge exposing the original turbines beneath. EV: What were the biggest challenges you faced in the redevelopment of this remote property? SC: The approvals. There were years of approvals from State and Federal Government, the Heritage Council, the World Heritage Area committees and various other authorities. There were also some significant challenges once we began the build, with tradespeople required to travel into the wilderness and work together to complete the job in a timely fashion, mostly all in the dead of winter.
EV: I take it that it was important to balance the scale of the redevelopment with the beauty and importance of the surrounding environment. Did you find that you needed to rein yourself in or was it easy to allow the environment to remain the main attraction here? SC: In my mind, the attraction has always been the surrounding wilderness.
“These are beautiful buildings with significant cultural heritage, but they might not seem so appealing surrounded by an industrial estate.” I wanted to bring people to experience this natural environment and these beautiful old buildings provide the perfect impetus. The rooms have large windows for viewing the lake, forests and mountains. We have no artwork on the walls and our colour scheme is neutral, as we want to ‘bring the outside inside’ so to speak.
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EV: How did you choose which designers to go with and what aesthetic you were looking for in the interiors of the two buildings? SC: We spoke with a selection of designers, but Cumulus Studio seemed to understand my vision very well. We wanted understated style with warm rustic charm and some industrial influence. Our use of Tasmanian timber for the fit-out gives the place a warm feel, particularly when the fire is roaring.
Image: Adam Gibson
EV: What’s your personal favourite activity in the area that you suggest that visitors must not miss?
SC: We have various outdoor activities on offer, including some of the best walks in the world. I think people will find the essence of the offering is to have a strong brisk walk and then enjoy the comfort of the buildings on howling winter days, with a glass of wine by the fire. That’s my favourite way to pass the time at Pumphouse Point. The trout fishing is also favourite but if there’s one activity guests absolutely should not miss, it’s the Wall in the Wilderness located at Derwent Bridge, nearby. An artist named Greg Duncan has hand carved the history of Tasmania’s highlands into a 100-metre-long wall of Huon Pine panels with unbelievable skill – awe inspiring!