Life in Lockdown: Kristy Plumridge- The Ridge House, Yarragon South, Victoria
Kristy, where about’s in Victoria are you located?
In the green rolling hills of Yarragon South, West Gippsland.
What 'bush business' do you operate? How long have you been doing this?
We run The Ridge House, a stunning country home we renovated and opened in April 2019 to offer luxurious and restorative accommodation on fifty acres of private bushland sanctuary. The land itself is historic for its walking tracks that date back to the logging industry of the 1880s. We can’t believe we are the lucky custodians of this land and we wanted to create a thoughtful way to share it with others.
How are you coping with Stage 4 lockdown? How has it impacted you, financially? Mentally & physically?
Stage 4 lockdown is tough. We’ve moved some guests for a third time, but it has been heartening to see they want to support regional business and are happy to roll their bookings forward.
2020 has been a rough year all round in Gippsland. The bushfires in January along with COVID-19 has definitely taken its toll. It’s no great year financially but I’m heathen by the support of many of our prospective guests who have rescheduled their bookings or maintained their future bookings; some have even bought an accommodation voucher. All up we are doing okay, but it will take us a couple of years to get back what we’ve lost financially.
How do you feel your wider community is coping? What is the general feel around your area?
Country communities are A-MA-ZING. They have a certain type of resilience and deep connection inbuilt which makes going though lockdowns, mask wearing and constantly drinking your coffee in takeaway cups cheerful.
Yarragon Village relies on the traveller stopping off on their way to the bigger tourist towns such as Lakes Entrance or Wilsons Prom but to see locals and tradies lining up at the doors and windows of our cafes every morning for a cheese toastie and cappuccino or getting a takeaway woodfired pizza from the Yarragon Hotel has been impressive.
Even the local art gallery, Town and Country, has been opened as lovely Jo (owner), thought locals might just want to stop by for a chat. It wasn’t about sales, it was about making sure people felt they could still connect, share how they were feeling and leave with a smile. To me, this epitomises country ethos, style and generosity.
Is there anything you are doing day to day that you find is helping you get through, that you would like to share with others?
The blessing of stepping back from admin, cleaning between guest visits and endless to-do lists is that you have space to think and be creative again. This has hands down been a highlight of lockdown for me and I definitely plan to make creative space a priority in my daily life when the status quo returns. Lockdown has reminded me of why I started The Ridge House — to have a space where I can express my creativity and share that joy with guests. There is nothing more pleasing to me than seeing guests’ faces light up when they arrive and notice little things I’ve curated to make their experience special.
Looking forward to when you can finally re-open, what are you planning to make the experience of visiting & staying in the bush even more exciting for our city friends?
Look out city friends - I’m on a creative roll! I don’t want to give it all away but one thing I’m so excited about is our new vista viewing deck called Logger’s Lookout. Think sunsets, views across the valley to Mt Baw Baw, bird song, fragrant eucalyptus air, and local microdairy cheese and an awarding wining Pinot from our rock star neighbours @butterflyfactory_gippsland and @williamdownie. It’s been hard testing the experience for you all.
What are you most looking forward to on the other side of lockdown?
Using my keep cup again, walking and talking without a mask #maskbreath, enjoying a charcuterie plate on the deck at Hogget’s Winery, seeing my interstate family and most of all, welcoming guests back to The Ridge House --- we miss you.