Seasoned renovators, April and her husband Paul have owned a farm at Moogerah for the last 14 years. 

Six years ago, a property in nearby Kalbar caught their eye. 

“We actually bought a former church,” April said.

That church building has now been transformed into the frequently photographed White Chapel event venue.

It was a renovation which made a lasting impression on the town, and of course many brides to be. 

“We found that when we first opened White Chapel, we needed accommodation closer for the brides,” April said. 

“We looked around and just down from the chapel, there was the old ‘Chant Cottage’, which was one of the original Kalbar homes.”

And they began to look at options on ways to transform ‘Chant Cottage’ into a bridal cottage. 

After talking with a couple who lived just outside Kalbar, they realised that people from the community valued their vision. 

The house on the couple’s property was called the old Herrmann house.

“They had this house which was on the front section of their property which was also dilapidated,” April said.

“And they said to us, ‘we know you can obviously do a good job, we'd love for you to do something with this house because we just can't renovate as well’.

“And we trust that you and Paul could do something with it.”

The idea was conceived to relocate the Herrmann home onto the same allotment as the ‘Chant Cottage’. 

Referring to the houses as “the two old girls”, April said it was an interesting challenge to sign up for despite her expertise in renovations.

“I’ve renovated about thirty homes before,” she said.

“But it was a very interesting challenge to join up two houses.”

It was a challenge well met as the two ‘old girls’ have become one.  

“The interesting thing was that they must have been built around the same time,” April added. 

“Because the architecture echoed across the two of them in a similar way.” 

After changing the roof line on the ‘Chant Cottage’ April said the two just, “fell together,” with the help of Andrew Marer who won a Queensland Builders Association Award for the renovation.

Despite the architectural unity of the two homes, April admitted the idea didn’t come without its challenges. 

“The block is half an acre, and the ‘Chant Cottage’ was originally right at the back.

“And out the front of the property, there was this really grand Jacaranda tree.

“I specifically wanted the house moved so that it looked like it had been there 100 years.

Describing the home relocation process as “a home swinging through telegraph poles in the street,” April said Herrmann House ended up perfectly positioned in the end. 

However, according to April, around Christmas 2019, a mini cyclone blew through the town and not only did their furniture fly off their newly renovated verandah, but so too did the branches fly off of the Jacaranda tree. 

“It was just around the time of our first guests, and then this happened. 

“But the amazing thing was that there were locals there cleaning up the house before we arrived to check the damage. 

“I couldn’t believe it. 

“They just said we wanted it perfect for us for the first night.”

And just like how the renovation duo have helped revitalise the town, so too have the Scenic Rim residents revitalised them.

“The Scenic Rim has many little hidden gems and little secrets,” April said.  

“It’s got beautiful walks, bike rides and nature.

“Not only that, but the people here are just a different type of person.

“People in the city don't always have time for each other but people in the Scenic Rim are just the kindest people.

“The Scenic Rim really is becoming the new country destination.”