Byron Bay may be the hub of Australia’s barefoot surfers and bohemian beach glamour, but a short drive away through winding roads, the small town of Bangalow is a very different story. Here in the rolling hinterland, is an equally tight-knit community that celebrates the agricultural landscape just as the Byron Bay crowd worships the waves. It’s on a former biodynamic stone fruit farm on the outskirts of this charming enclave that Emma and Tom Lane, founders of The Range Estates, have opened their latest retreat, Copperstone.
Copperstone, Bangalow, New South Wales
Over the past 20 years, the couple have garnered a reputation for restoring striking properties around the Byron Bay area, each of which marries Australian heritage with inspiration drawn from their worldwide travels. Designed by the Lanes alongside Story Design Collective, Copperstone is a new love letter to these two influences – a grand, equestrian-inspired estate that sits on 48 acres of picturesque countryside framed by regenerated rainforest.
The focal point of the estate is the Homestead, a five-bedroom home poised at the peak of the property so as to enjoy sunset views year-round. Inside, Emma Lane (with assistance from Helen Brenko of Island Luxe), has set out to create an interior that honours the estate’s agrarian setting while bringing in a warm, modern elegance.
Earthy tones run throughout the property, anchored by Tuscan-inspired plastered walls and pink travertine used in every bathroom, the whole space flooded with natural light by day and pooled with a soft glow from a mix of fixtures by night. The rustic hues of pink, ecru and brown are mirrored in the antique and custom furnishings, including the linen lampshades and the Italian velvet that covers the sunken lounge seating.
While European influences can be felt throughout, from the Italian-inspired alcove shelving cut into the bedroom walls to the chandelier by Vox Populi that hangs over the lounge, Lane has also taken care to work with locally sourced (and often recycled) materials and neighbouring craftsmen. Darwin stringybark timber sourced from an Indigenous group in Cape Tribulation is used for the flooring, ceiling beams and custom furniture pieces, such as the dining table by Spencer Lambourn Hull. Walls are dotted with works by new and established Australian artists, among them Coen Young, and concrete bench tops are crafted by local talent, Luke Manseni of Relik Design.
This mixing of textures, the old and the new, continues throughout the estate, which offers guests a variety of facilities. The Pool House’s bright rooms are equipped with a full gym, a massage room and an ice bath that sits on the front deck. Outside, there’s a 25m mineral swimming pool, a full tennis court and a games room, as well as stables and dressage arena. With so much to enjoy throughout Copperstone’s own grounds, it’d be easy to forget to explore the rest of the area’s charms.
