AN imposing building in the village of Mandurama is being given new life.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Hugh Clarke, the owner of Mandurama's Royal Hotel and the nearby Snake Creek Cattle Company, has bought the historic CBC Bank on the highway on the Blayney end of town.
The imposing two-storey brick building has been a residence for many years and when manager Lisa Hogendorp began the transformation into boutique accommodation, café and gallery space in October, the building's unique charm and the area's equine background came to the fore.
"After they bought the building, we walked through it and, being a bit artistic myself, we thought it would make a great gallery space," she said.
"As we discussed more and more about what we wanted to do with the building, many of the other people involved were also horse lovers, so we decided to go with the horse theme."
Once the use of the ground floor (which still has the safe and some of the old banking counters and phones), was settled, the four main rooms upstairs which made up the manager's residence were next up for rejuvenation.
The four rooms have each been given a theme.
The main room has taken on a polo theme thanks to the Millamolong Polo Club, there is a bushranger room featuring pictures of Ben Hall and other miscreants, a wool room and a Cobb and Co room.
IN OTHER BUSINESS NEWS:
"They all represent something that's important to Mandurama and the region," Ms Hogendorp said.
The gallery space features works from various artists who specialise in horses and other equestrian activities.
There are also native American blankets for sale as well as a range of local produce, including Nyngana Honey that's sourced from a property only a few hundred metres away.
Ms Hogendorp said the long-term plans for the building, now known as Story Bank, include developing a kitchen garden that will provide the Royal Hotel with fresh herbs and vegetables.
They also have plans for art workshops.
Their first one, how to make a Turkish mosaic lamp, will be on February 26.