A Snowy Mountains Story - Crafters Cabin
Dan & Mitch created Crafters so they could share with guests their love of their home region - the Snowy Mountains.
“From the moment our guests step foot onto the property, we wanted their focus to purely be on the calm beauty of the landscape.”
Can you tell us about the origin of Crafters Cabin?
Like all good ideas amongst mates, Crafters came about over a beer, a bonfire and the desire for a really nice shed. At the time, Dan was living and building in the region and Mitch was in Sydney working at the Royal Botanical Gardens, but regularly coming home for visits.
One night we were chatting about Mitch moving back and our grand plans for a workshop on the land. We quickly realised that the land deserved a little more than just a shed, it deserved to be shared with people.
Instead of a shed, we put our skills together on somewhere to stay. We wanted to create an experience that immersed people in the alpine bush and invited them to experience the surrounding landscape in the same way that we had growing up here.
Crafters Cabin is stunningly designed. What were the inspirations and the mentality that went into the choices you made?
It was really important to us to create a space that gave a sense of the surrounding bush. Once we picked an aspect and determined what the views would be, we focused on designing a building that would have a minimal impact while still feeling luxurious. The space needed to instantly relax people, it couldn't be intimidating, which can happen in high-end designs.
The furnishings of the cabin are minimal and hero natural materials like stone and timber, but we have intertwined modern elements throughout, like concrete and brass to give it that luxury feel. Eco doesn't have to mean scarce, we wanted to show people that you can still have minimal impact with a high-end experience.
You’ve been lucky to call the Snowy Mountains home since you were kids. Can you tell us about the region and the local community that tourists may not know? Are there any hidden gems you want people to know about?
Everyone knows and loves Jindabyne and Kosciuszko National Park, and for very good reasons. But people often forget to get out and explore the wider region, the smaller townships around the Snowy Mountains have so much to offer, including plenty of small country town charm and hospitality. Stop for a coffee at Meet You Halfway coffee van in Berridale, or to sample award winning wine at Shut The Gate cellar door. Or head out to Dalgety and enjoy a bite to eat at the historic Buckley's Crossing Hotel right on the banks of the iconic Snowy River.
What are some of the reasons why people should consider staying in the bush?
The bush offers a haven to refresh, unwind and enjoy every little moment. It is an opportunity to explore longer, stay in bed longer, enjoy the view longer, and just be present in the moment a little longer. And in this world, we definitely all need a reminder to go a little slower.
What can guests expect in the future?
We're currently busy building our second cabin, so stay tuned for Winter 2023! There might even be a few more in the future, we don't know yet. We are excited to keep showcasing both local and Australian crafters within the cabins and have some ideas brewing on expanding that side of things.
And a shed, a really nice shed.
What do you enjoy most about being an accommodation host?
Sharing our love of the region with others. The Snowy Mountains have always been a winter tourist spot, and in the last few years we've watched that change with people visiting all year round. It's been great to connect with so many people and be able to show them a different side to the area, that a visit to the mountains doesn't always have to be about adventure sports - slowing down and immersing yourself in the landscape is an adventure in itself.