By Alex Fox (The Life Style Edit)
The 2.5 hour’s drive from Brisbane to Jimbour House built up the suspense of what is to come. We passed busy Toowoomba to pick up some fresh flowers and stopped at Dalby for some coffee and a quick lunch.
Around 10 minutes from Jimbour House you’ll be amazed to know that the surrounding land is in fact part of Jimbour’s 11,000 acres filled with seasonal crops and cattle. As we approached Jimbour House, we began to see the shape of the main residence appear on the right hillside. We followed the small road up to the main entrance and found cattle and camels waiting to greet us.
On arrival we took the Jacaranda Drive, which was added by Charles Russell in the1930s. Although the Jacarandas weren’t blooming when we were there, the gorgeous green canopy set a lush and calming scene to the bright gardens that surrounded the residence. The main residence started to unveil and we were filled with awe to finally see the residence we had only seen in photos. The sandstone texture and columns were grand and inviting.
We wandered around the perfectly manicured gardens taking in all the beauty and sounds of birds chirping, capturing some great close up images of the gardens. The gardens were filled with a range of different butterflies and bees that you could tell had formed a very comfortable home.
We spent the day exploring and shooting the interior and exterior of Jimbour House.
Around midday, David Russell, the custodian of Jimbour House, was kind enough to take us on a tour of the House sharing the history of the home. One of the most interesting facts we learned was that the House is made from locally sourced materials except for the roof that is imported Welsh slate.
The cedar that makes up the panels in the main foyer was sourced from the Bunya Mountains around 45 minutes away. We found many unique fine china pieces from David and his wife Deborah’s travels to Asia along with beautiful teacup sets used in the 19th century. You can take a Guided House Tour to discover more for yourself.
As night began to fall, the light shone on the different buildings at Jimbour House including the magnificent Aircraft Hangar which is now used as a venue for events such as weddings and special celebrations. The most beautiful of all was the light on the Moreton Bay Fig Tree. We could only imagine what it would be like to hold an event here.
We invite you to explore Jimbour House yourself and discover the many incredible and beautiful aspects of the House and its surroundings that have been kept since the 19th century. Plan your visit or enquire about using the space.
