Take a look inside this lovingly transformed schoolhouse near Dungog

Chalk dust falling from the blackboards, the scraping of school chairs' metal legs across the wooden floor, and the anticipation of the bell ringing to signal the end of another day's learning are all woven into the rich tapestry of this building's history.

Built in 1882, this was where local children came to learn, play, and build lifelong friendships, including legendary cricketer Doug Walters, who learned to hit a six on the paddock next door.

In 2014, the old schoolhouse and teachers' residence were transformed into a home by the former CEO of the Sydney Opera House, Louise Herron. Louise was a visionary who immediately recognised the site's potential. 

She eventually moved on, and the property was snapped up by an artist and her husband, who worked closely with local farmers on carbon solutions. When they listed it for sale in 2021, it caught the attention of yet another creative soul.

It was during a romantic getaway in Dungog to celebrate their wedding anniversary that Cate and her husband formed their connection with the region and the lifestyle it offers.

"Being in the country resonated with me. I realised I needed that in my life," says Cate, a film director, interior designer, and now product designer.

"We started looking around for places immediately, and then the School House came up. I knew it was something incredibly special. I became obsessed with it. We went along for a viewing, and the impression it made was immense. I just knew it would be such a privilege to own this property."

"There's a really interesting lineage with that house. A creative gravitational pull. There is a creativity, a story, and an inspiration that speaks to people as they walk in the door."

Needless to say, Cate purchased the property and embarked on adding her own special touches, a responsibility she has not taken lightly as the custodian of such a treasured local landmark. With her time already divided between Sydney and running a restaurant on the Central Coast, the School House became not only the refuge she needed but also an outlet for her creativity.

When Cate and her husband aren't spending time at the house with family and friends, they rent it out for short-term stays to people like themselves, who are looking for a little of that country magic.

I've written before about the intangible effect some homes can have on you. That feeling that a home is wrapping its arms around you as you step through the front door. This home, however, is on another level.

Cate recalls the experience of one of her holiday guests, a psychologist, who said:

"It's the first time I've walked into a space and instantly gone into my parasympathetic nervous system."

To put this comment into perspective, the state she is describing lowers your heart rate, decreases blood pressure, and reduces cortisol. It's a state of deep relaxation more commonly achieved through practices such as breathwork or cold-water immersion.

Other guests have made similar remarks, describing how they felt instantly calm or even unexpectedly emotional.

The house itself sits on two acres and enjoys what Cate beautifully describes as "borrowed views" from the neighbouring farming properties.

"We get to see everybody else's cows on the rolling hills, hear the songs of the local birdlife, and we've even got a view of a gorgeous church on another hill."

I ask Cate about the renovation history of the School House since it was purchased by Louise Herron in 2014.

"I have to commend Louise on her vision because the classroom, which is the most spectacular room in the house, used to have windows a metre higher than they are now. She had the vision to lower the windows and add a fixed panel at the top. So you've gone from having no view to two metres of panoramic countryside. She also installed beautiful French doors in the kitchen and onto the balconies, creating this wonderful European farmhouse aesthetic."

"Then the next owners had another interpretation of the buildings, connecting them with a glass hallway so the inside and outside now have this lovely conversation. The whole house wraps around the outdoor garden and pergola. Its flow is gorgeous."

"I like seeing the traces of what everyone has brought to it. It's been a collective effort between the three owners to imagine the most beautiful version of what was once an austere, functional schoolhouse and transform it into a warm and loving home."

The old classroom, now the living and dining room, still retains its original timber flooring, timber-lined ceilings, and exposed brickwork. Cate has applied a painting technique that reveals previous layers of paint, giving the walls the feeling they've always looked this way.

"I didn't want to strip away the old. I wanted to celebrate it."

The shutters framing the windows add a sense of grandeur to the space, while every piece of furniture and décor has been thoughtfully chosen by Cate to create an inviting place to gather and linger.

All four bathrooms have been updated by Cate, retaining the original concrete floors while introducing Victorian-inspired elements such as pedestal basins, brass accents, and traditional tapware.

The cornerstone of the home is the kitchen. Cate explains:

"Food is the heartbeat of how we live in that house. It's been designed to be very food-centric. When we purchased the house, it had a stainless steel kitchen and it felt very sterile.

I panelled the walls, then added some artificial beams to tuck it in. Then I introduced softer touches, upcycling pieces I found on Marketplace, including the kitchen island, which my husband and I built using the top of an old table and the base of an old dresser.

I chose to add racks and shelving, exposing all of the pantry goods. I love the European tradition of grand pantries with open shelving and tantalising food on show.

The home has been designed to bring people together in a meaningful way, creating a place where connections form naturally. In addition to the old schoolhouse, there's also a bunkhouse on the property that accommodates another eight guests. There's also a full-size floodlit tennis court and an artist's studio with hand-painted checkerboard floors.

The manicured gardens have been masterfully designed to be lived in.

"There's something about the shift in how much time you spend outdoors compared to indoors when you're in the country. I wanted to create a Mediterranean-inspired space where people could come together at all times of the year. Time moves differently here than it does in the city. The way you feel, and the way time seems to respond to you, is so, so different."

I ask Cate about her approach to furnishing the home.

"Tell me a little about your furniture choices. How do you go about sourcing your pieces? Do you have any favourite suppliers?"

"I tend to bookmark things as I see them and collect ideas for future projects. There are some really beautiful vintage pieces here that came through Marketplace. This is the first time I've worked with rooms of this scale, so there was a bit of trial and error. Some things took a couple of attempts to get right."

The colour palette was inspired by the spectacular autumn colours of the vines draped over the pergola. Mustards, rusts, and greens weave throughout the home, creating a rich, earthy warmth.

"My favourite happy accident happened when I was styling one of the bare walls. It needed a print, so I hung a piece I already owned featuring swallows. Then I remembered I'd collected three ornamental swallows some time ago, so I found them and hung them beside the artwork, creating a sort of three-dimensional fly-through.

The School House is about to hit the market, and it offers something very few homes can. You can quite literally try before you buy, to book your stay visit The School House.  

Spend a few days immersed in its magic, just ten minutes from Dungog, and discover for yourself why so many people fall in love with this remarkable place.

Photography credit: Grace Picot 

This article was produced by HUNTERhunter in partnership with The School house. Thank you for supporting the partners who make HUNTERhunter possible.