When you walk into Katie and Scott Lloyd’s home at Wieambilla, south-west of Chinchilla, you are immediately taken by its spaciousness and the thoughtful design.
Wieambilla is set on 3500 hectares and has a 9500 head feedlot as well as carrying 1500 to 2000 backgrounding cattle.
Katie and Scott undertook extensive renovations to the homestead in 2009, in order to give their existing home a facelift and extend it, turning it into a big family home.
So from the moment you step into the wide open hallway and walk through the home, you immediately appreciate the flowing spaces which effectively connects the home for everyday living and entertaining.
Katie said the original home was built in 1956, and at the time it was a renowned homestead in the district.
“It was already a large home but we removed a lot of walls to open it up, changing the layout to suit our needs,” Katie said.
Today, their Wieambilla home includes five bedrooms, an office, a self-contained guest room and kids rumpus room.
One of its features is the open plan kitchen, dining and family room, that adjoins a large sun room overlooking the pool.
“We fully enclosed the sun room which is really ideal, as we can close it off in winter for warmth, and open it up to the summer breezes in the heat,” Katie said.
The spacious kitchen is in tasteful, timeless white and enjoys an easterly aspect overlooking a verandah, barbecue area and swimming pool.
The floor boards are all original Ironbark timber, and during the renovating the Lloyds had to find and match the timber for the additional area.
All push-out casement windows that were in vogue during the 1950’s era have been replaced with aluminium double hung windows.
Due to the home’s location on shifting black soil plains, adjustable stumps replaced the former ones, and can be adjusted as needed.
“It really is an easy house to live in, and we have plenty of space,” Katie said.
We love going away, but it is even better to come home and we really appreciate our surroundings.
- Katie Lloyd
“Our three children, Charlie, Jock, and Lucy along with the family pets Boots the cat, Buddy the chocolate Labrador, and latest addition Ralph the puppy blue heeler all have their space.
“We love entertaining and it is also brilliant for that as well.”
She said they have no regrets with any of their renovating and are happy with the end result.
Recycled timber takes on new life
Katie and Scott have tastefully furnished their home.
“We love classic, practical, timeless furniture and we have collected these pieces through our married life,” Katie said.
Katie Lloyd looks over some of the beautiful rose bushes in the garden.
“We bought lots of pieces including our dining table to seat 10, two sideboards, television unit and shelving units from the renowned Jimmy Possum collection, who was Australia’s largest manufacturer of furniture from recycled timber.”
Both artwork and recycling silky oak timber to make hall tables are passions of both Katie and Scott Lloyd.
As well, the couple who have a love for recycling used, their imagination and recycled silky oak timber from parts of the old house they salvaged during the renovations and turned door frames into a coffee table and hall table.
Another passion for Katie and Scott is to collect quality artwork.
The walls are adorned with paintings bought in galleries from areas in the north like Broome, Western Australia, Lockhart River, and south to Wagga Wagga, NSW.
The couple also have many pieces that have been passed down through the family for their enjoyment and for safe keeping.
Lloyds’ garden a major feature
When Scott’s parents John and Anne moved to Wieambilla in 1968 there was no garden or trees.
“As my mother-in-law, Anne, was a keen gardener she set about and established a beautiful bush garden with lots of of trees colour,” Katie said.
“Anne really put a huge amount of time and energy its establishment from the beginning.
“John and Anne moved here from Warraka Downs, at Wandoan, and Anne brought with her a baby bottle tree to plant that has thrived and that still takes pride of place in our garden.”
The tennis court put in by John and Anne is still used regularly.
Katie and Scott have added a barbecue area at the end of the eastern verandah adjoining the swimming pool, which is used daily in summer by their three children Charlie, Jock and Lucy.
The garden is still full of colour with beautiful roses and the Lloyds have added rows of neatly trimmed hedges for privacy.
“The hedges are really dual purpose as our staff houses are very close, and it gives both them and us a greater level of privacy,” she said.
When Scott and Katie Lloyd took over the reins of the Wieambilla feedlot, near Chinchilla, from Scott’s parents in 2009, the facility had a 4500-head capacity.
But a willingness by this dynamic duo to engage in high performance animal management systems, and to take advice, has enabled them to double production to 9500 head.
“This means we have a staff of 10 and we value what they do and we all enjoy our privacy, as some staff live very close by,” she said.
In 2012 Katie and Scott build an additional outdoor area measuring 8 metres by 6m.
They used recycled timber they salvaged from the old Wieambilla Creek bridge when it was replaced.
The area is complete with a ceiling fan and shade blinds to combat the western afternoon sun and is ideal for entertaining which both Katie and Scott love to do.