The GLAMPAVAN is a unique space: cute, colourful and a whole lotta quirky. It's a refurbished cabin on a farm, with views over farmland to vineyards & horse paddocks. There’s a queen-size bed, modern kitchen, day bed / TV nook, cosy annex with fireplace*, tonnes of original art, and a gorgeous bathroom with a rain-water sky-shower. There is also a record player and soundbar -- add a soundtrack to your fireside relaxing or outdoor star-gazing.
* to keep tariffs low, BYO firewood weekdays.
The space
If you love quirky, eclectic, kitsch and cute, you'll love the Glampavan. (Just look at the photos and reviews by our guests on IG and you'll see what we mean!)
Pssst tag @TheGlampavan to have your posts shared.
This little cabin is an expression of my creative heart -- resulting in an out-of-the-ordinary space designed to make you smile.
The Glampavan was originally a caravan-accommodation unit for workers in remote areas.
It was towed to the Heartland in 2017, whereupon it took me 3 years to renovate. She has new walls, ceiling, floor, fittings, kitchen and bathroom, and has been "pimped" with modern fixtures and design features.
It is NOW a cosy space, clean, modern, and a little bit quirky. (The shower with a skylight gets a "wow" every time!)
(Hence the name -- a combo of caravan + glamping = glamp-a-van.)
There is an outdoor area where you can sit and watch the sun go down, but it does get chilly in the evenings. I provide a couple of snuggle rugs so you can sit outside beyond sunset.
Alternatively warm your toes by the wood fire stove.
Kindling is provided, but (to keep the tariff fair for those not needing a fire), please BYO firewood during the week. Some firewood is supplied for weekend bookings in winter.
Usually a bag of firewood from a service station is around $15 and lasts a couple of days, depending on how hot you like your space!
Note, it is only a small woodfire, so you will need SMALL cuts of wood.
The view from the lounge area is of the horse paddocks, and across the road to vineyards. Other buildings are visible from other windows, but this particular view to the horse paddocks is ALL YOURS.
It's so countrified that we have stripped back the mod cons and devices to ensure you re-connect with the simplicity and joys of country life.
(I will just side-note here: there is good phone reception, we supply wi-fi, we've succumbed and installed a TV, and there is a wicked sound bar and vinyl-record player. So yeah, there are *some* devices...)
Another side-note: The Glampavan is not isolated. The main house is in view, the owners of the horses come and go, and the farm manager loves tinkering in the shed nearby. So you will see activity, but everyone has been briefed to give you absolute privacy in the immediate Glampavan vicinity.
Let’s resume ...
Animals on the farm include chickens, a shy peahen, and of course, the horses. The farm runs beef cattle.
And now onto the nitty gritty...
SUGGESTED SHOPPING LIST TO PICK UP EN-ROUTE
* milk, bread, butter
* cheeses and crackers
* nibbles
* more cheese
* firewood (small cuts!) (Kindling is supplied for the inside fire to be lit each evening, May-September.)
KITCHEN -- The essentials: fridge/freezer, oven and benchtop oven (with one burner), kettle, toaster, quality wine glasses, coffee plunger, tea pot, crockery, cutlery, cheese board and knives. Ground coffee and leaf tea are provided in case you forget your own. There is a saucepan, frying pan and sandwich toaster for those loving a breakfast fry-up. There is no microwave.
New: There is a BBQ grill outside, BYO gas bottle.
IN CASE OF POWER OUTAGE -- You won't have a water pump, so you won't have water -- keep the kettle full, and be aware that you will only get one flush of the toilet!
HEATING -- Fires are prohibited during summer (November, December, January, February, March, and sometime April.) We supply enough kindling to light each evening May-September. You are welcome to collect more if you need it from the forest floor. BYO firewood, available from Bunnings or service stations, during the week. The housekeeper is happy to set and light the fire for you each day, but a callout fee of $40 applies. There is also a spare doona in the annex, and some snuggle rugs.
COOLING -- there is no air-conditioning. The best way to cool the place is to turn on the ceiling fan and open windows to create cross-ventilation. Pulling the blind down will also help. There is a portable fan for the bedroom.
HOT WATER — If there is no hot water, it means you have run out of gas, which is a quick fix. Either change it yourself by flicking the switch between bottles, or call me and I’ll come change it for you. Whichever way, please let me know so I can replace the used one.
SAFETY -- do not touch any fences as chances are, they are electric and "live". If the tape is across the track that gives you access to the forest, you can unlatch the tape by holding on to the plastic handle, releasing it and walking through the gate. Please re-latch when you're through.
NO-GO ZONES -- there are tenants in the main house who have the right to privacy. Therefore, please do not walk around their garden or on their driveway. You can pat the horses in the far paddock, but please be respectful that this is private property.
PROS & CONS -- PLEASE READ AS YOU WILL BE ASKED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THESE IN YOUR BOOKING APPLICATION.
Let's start with the "disadvantages / challenges"... Being eco-aligned, there is no air-conditioning. We are on a farm, so expect cobwebs, animal poo and noises, and dust as part of the experience. In winter it can get super chilly in the evenings, and in summer hot in the afternoons. You may hear the farm manager pottering in the shed next door (but you will still have your privacy.) There are no street lights so it can get very dark outside -- not a great experience for those who don't enjoy night-driving. The nearest supermarket is 10-minute drive away in Margaret River. There is no food delivery service to the farm. There is no public transport, (although some tour companies do offer a door-to-door pick-up-drop-off service).
And the advantages... Eco-aligned = a simpler life, an opportunity to connect with nature and breath fresh air. Farm = wide open spaces, interactions with animals, forest walks, sunsets over the horizon. No street lights = great opportunity for night photography and star-gazing. I'm sure you can think of some other advantages too ;-P
PETS & CHILDREN POLICY
We love dogs and kids. If you are applying to stay with either, please acknowledge that you've read our policy.
* the fence around the yard is 1.1m high with 35mm spaced pickets which are at ground level. If your dog can jump over 1.1m please keep them on a lead. Due to the proximity of horses, we ask that you keep dogs on a lead if you leave the Glampa space. As we don't charge extra for dogs, it means we don't have food/water bowls or bedding, so you'd need to provide your own. We reserve the right to charge extra for any damage caused by pets, and will on-charge any extra cleaning fees deemed necessary by our housekeeper. Please ensure you collect any doggy “bombs” in the garden before you leave — my housekeeper’s priority is to make the inside sparkling for you — she doesn’t have time to clean up after dogs outside as well. There is a resident staffy called Chilli who comes to visit. He is well-adjusted to guests and other dogs, but please close the gate if you don't want him to come in. Ignore him and he'll go away.
* Regarding kids. There are unfenced dams on the property. Drowning remains one of the main causes of death for young children on farms. Also, there are electric fences, and no fire-guard around the fireplace. So you'd need to commit to keeping an eye on your kids at all times.
A bit about our history...
Our family acknowledges and respects the Wadandi people, the traditional custodians of this land, past present and future. We are currently in communication with the local elders to learn their stories of this land, but in the meantime, we humbly offer our story of how this land came to be settled in its current form.
The Glampavan is located on farmland settled by the Leiper family in the early 1930s. The family emigrated from Scotland with hopeful hearts and eyes set on a better future. They found it in this corner of the south west of Western Australia, where the soil is rich, the air crystal-clear, and nature is at her finest.
You can keep track of updates via our insta @ mrheartland
I look forward to welcoming you to our curated accommodations at Margaret River Heartland.
Best,
Anita Revel, curator and host.
PS
1. Commercial photo shoots are not permitted without prior agreement.
2. Drone photography is not permitted without prior approval.
3. We do not have the electrical capacity to charge electric vehicles during the day. (This is also the reason we can't have air-conditioning!)
Guest access
The immediate area around the Glampavan including the little yard, carport and car bay, is exclusive to guests. Apart from that, the farm is shared by tenants, other guests, horse owners, and us. Guests are welcome to take the walking trail through the private forest. Horse owners generally don't mind if guests can pat the horses or feed them carrots, but please do not enter the paddocks.
Other things to note
* It can get chilly in the evenings so pack warm clothes, BYO firewood.
* Being a farm, expect cobwebs, animal poo and noises, and dust as part of the experience. Also expect peace and quiet, fresh air, and a million stars in the night sky.
* If you're planning to eat in, bring a meal with you (or ingredients for a basic meal) -- there is no home delivery here. The nearest supermarket and cafes/restaurants are 10 minutes drive away. Once you arrive you'll want to settle in, crack open a bottle of wine and nibble on cheeses. Plan ahead and bring your basic supplies (such as breakfast foods and cheese platter delights), so you won't have to leave if you don't want to!
* In the winter months, enough kindling is supplied to ensure you have enough to light the fire each evening. You are welcome to collect kindling from the forest floor if you need more. BYO firewood. Being a compact wood fire stove, you'll only be able to use SMALL CUTS OF WOOD. Kindling is supplied May-September only.
