Interview with local Accomodation The Belle
The Belle Riverhouse is a beautiful renovated house just 800m from Husk Farm Distillery in Tumbulgum. We got the fat from one of the co-owners Erica about The Belle and what they love about living and exploring the Tweed region.
When did you purchase The Belle?
We are 3 local families that fell in love with the beautiful old house and the amazing location, so we purchased it in Februrary 2020.
As soon as we saw the property we knew it was special and would be perfect as a holiday home for our families, but also to open the doors to others so they could enjoy time away here as well.
Our 3 families often enjoy holidaying together and it usually isn’t easy to find a place big enough to fit us all. The Belle can comfortably sleep 16 people with 6 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms, so there is plenty of room for everyone.
What is the history of this old house?
This beautiful old Queenslander was built in the 1920s on the corner of Nullum St and Main St in Murwillumbah. It was the home and surgery of Dr Cletus Smith and his wife from the early 1940s until the late 1960s.
The site was then purchased to build the Murwillumbah TAFE on, so in 1972 the house was cut in half and moved on semi-trailers to its current location which is an acre block by the Tweed River in Tumbulgum. It then became a much-loved home to a large fishing family for many years, and we still have some anchors from their boats in parts of the garden.
The house has all of the character and features of the beautiful old Queenslanders that were built in that era including original wooden floors, high ornate plaster ceilings, solid wooden architraves, feature trim around the windows and doors, French doors & windows with ‘rolled figured glass’ and a huge wrap-around verandah.
What renovations have you done?
We wanted to keep all of the character and charm of the beautiful old house, but freshen it up into a luxurious and comfortable holiday home… a place where you feel relaxed as soon as you walk through the doors, and where all the little details have been thought of so you can switch off and enjoy your stay.
Our vision was to create a ‘Coastal Farmhouse’ because the house sits on an acre block and is very private and peaceful so it has a farmhouse feel about it, but it also has sweeping views of the Tweed River and is located in the middle of the Tweed Coast and the Tweed Valley. It is only 15 minutes to the stunning beaches of Kingscliff and Cabarita Beach, and right on the door step of world- heritage-listed rainforests – definitely the best of both worlds!
We had all hands on deck when we renovated The Belle and it took us about 10 weeks. We painted the house inside and out, which was a massive job. We replaced a few windows and doors to maximise the view and take advantage of the huge verandah. We moved the laundry downstairs and created another ensuite (so 3 of the 6 bedrooms now have ensuites). We finished off a half-built bathroom downstairs so the kids have somewhere to wash off when they come back from swimming in the river.
We also had a lot of fun upcycling furniture that was left with the house or that we sourced second- hand (including our collection of 6 rocking chairs on the verandah!). The kitchen had been renovated 4 years ago by the previous owners so we didn’t need to do anything in there.
Once the upstairs was complete we transformed the whole downstairs area into a big games room, complete with pool table, darts, table tennis, basketball and a heap of lawn games as well – we have 7 boys between the 3 families so we wanted to create a fun space for everyone to enjoy.
What would your perfect weekend be in Tumbulgum?
Tumbulgum is a beautiful little town on the Tweed River and it has so much to offer.
Once you check in to The Belle, you’ll probably want to spend a few hours exploring the house and gazing at the view! You could then walk 600m up the road to hop on board a Mount Warning Tours boat for one of their sunset cruises up the Tweed River. Then drop in to the historic Tumbulgum Pub for dinner before walking home.
Saturday morning you could stroll up to House of Gabriel for coffee and breakfast, enjoy a relaxing afternoon at The Belle and by the river, then get frocked up and go for an 800m walk across the bridge to Husk Distillers for drinks and nibbles on the lawn, followed by dinner cooked for you at The Belle by Lee from House of Gabriel, or takeaway from The Inky Squid or Wildfire Trattoria.
If you’re wanting to get in the car and go exploring, you’re only 10 minutes from Farm & Co for a delicious brunch, 10 minutes from Tropical Fruit World and 15 minutes from the great restaurants, cafes and beaches of Kingscliff.
It is also just 10 minutes to the town of Murwillumbah, which also has great restaurants, pubs, cafes, farmer’s markets, an Arts Precinct, Museum and the award-winning Tweed Regional Art Gallery. There is so much to do and explore in this region.
The view of the Tweed river from the Belle. Husk Distillers is just an 800m walk across the Tumbulgum bridge.
Who should stay at The Belle?
It is perfect for large groups of friends or family who want to spend time together under one roof. It sleeps 16 people with 6 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms and lots of space for everyone to spread out.
It easily caters to all groups – whether it be a group of friends, a ladies weekend away, family reunions, multiple families with kids young or old… there is something for everyone.
You could even bring your boat as there is plenty of room for parking and the Tumbulgum boat ramp is just 600m up the road.
So far we’ve hosted guests celebrating their 30th , 40th , 60th and 70th birthdays and wanting a weekend away with family and friends. We’ve also hosted a wellness retreat, a few ‘mumcation’ girls weekends, locals wanting a ‘staycation’ and loads of family getaways. One of the 70th birthdays had 4 generations of the one family staying in the house together.
It is a place that brings people together and they usually don’t want to leave!!
What’s your favourite thing to do when visiting or travelling in the wider Tweed Region?
There is so much natural beauty in the Tweed Region including pristine beaches, creeks, rivers, farms, national parks and rainforests. There are many places to explore including the coastal towns and beautiful beaches of Kingscliff, Fingal and Cabarita Beach, and the farmland of Cudgen and Duranbah.
Visit the historic town of Murwillumbah and the cute surrounding villages like Tumbulgum, Burringbar, Tyalgum, Uki and Chillingham which feature unique shops, markets, galleries, cafes, restaurants and pubs.
The Tweed is also home to heritage-listed rainforests and national parks that are definitely worth visiting if you have the time to go exploring.
We have so many favourite places to go in the area…. too many to list them all, but a few of them are listed below:
Fingal Lighthouse walk
Norries Headland walk in Cabarita Beach
House of Gabriel
Husk Distillers
Farm & Co
Tropical Fruit World
Red Earth Brewery in Cudgen/Duranbah
Taverna
Choux Box
All the cute cafes, restaurants and shops in Kingscliff
Potager restaurant in Carool
Tweed Valley Whey Cheese Factory in Burringbar
Day-tripping around Murwillumbah and the surrounding villages
The award-winning Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre in Murwillumbah
…. the list could go on!!
The Belle Riverhouse is at 18 Riverside Drive, Tumbulgum
www.thebelleriverhouse.com.au | @thebelle.riverhouse