It's called Mutton Falls, but there's not a woolly jumper within a sheepdog's bark and the closest thing to a cascade is your morning shower.
But Mutton Falls it's been since 1840 and as far as today's owner, Dennis Danna is concerned, Mutton Falls it is.
"An Englishman named Richard Mutton was a local squatter and owned an inn as well," says Dennis. "Most likely, 'falls' somehow became confused with 'ford', because Cobb & Co drivers who crossed the Fish River here dubbed it Mutton's Ford."
Whatever, Mutton Falls today is a one-man show – Dennis Danna. He's converted the picturesque old homestead, free-standing kitchen and one-time schoolroom built by Mr Mutton's sister, Ann Webb, into a cosy little guesthouse that welcomes travellers much as they would have been in days gone by, with grand country fare around the warmth of its wood-fired stove and drinks before the vast fireplace.
Not that all visitors have always been welcome at Mutton Falls – one was shot in the neck back in 1867 when he tried to hold up a store and telegraph station run by Ann Webb at the ford and two others who tried the same stunt got twelve and ten years respectively for their trouble. The feisty Ann went on to die at 97 years of age.
Twenty years ago, Dennis Danna, owner of a successful display business in Sydney, had a craving for the bush and heard of the dilapidated Mutton Falls property through the National Trust. He visited, fell in love with it and bought it. For twelve months, he commuted from Sydney at weekends to make his dream home liveable – then informed his clients they were now ex-clients.
Many parts of his purchase required major surgery and during this work Dennis found countless treasures – the plastered-over granite and convict-brick fireplace, an original tin bath, walls were made of 'pise' (rammed earth) covered with two-score colour schemes and countless layers of wallpaper, and under the floorboards a horde of children's toys, China pieces, coins, teaspoons and other century and a half old knick-knacks that he now displays. Dennis particularly wanted a wood-fired stove that guests could gather around as they would have in Ann Webb's day to socialise and yarn with him should they wish as he cooked – and to share his love of a glass or three of good red or white at night.
He found an ancient two-door cast iron job at Quirindi estimated to be 160 years old, had it restored and laid a new concrete base for it. While the concrete was still wet, Dennis engraved into it a recipe from a convict-era cookbook for devilled mutton – and muses over what a future owner will think if they ever take the stove out and find this bizarre recipe for cold mutton slices smothered with chutney, rolled, deep fried in batter and served with gravy.
Dennis whipped up many of the drapes and curtains himself to original designs and carefully selected appropriate Georgian-style furnishings and fittings to give Mutton Falls its old-time feel. But many guests say the real appeal of staying there is the food.
"Its country, with an edge," says Dennis, "with plenty of home-grown herbs and country vegetables to go with dishes like West Indian eggs, lamb balsamic, Moroccan veal, chicken breast poached in white wine and oregano leaves, and slow-roasted rib of beef served with a parsley and mustard salsa and potatoes under a garlic cream sauce...and for dessert, chocolate hazelnut torte with a jaffa sauce."
Mutton Falls has four bedrooms that overlook the Fish River. Most guests simply laze around the fire in winter or take to the sunny flower-filled garden in summer, trout fish (Dennis packs them a picnic hamper) or explore the nearby colonial cemetery with its historic headstones – including that of Ann Webb – and the ruins of one-time gold mining Hill End.
Mutton Falls is at Tarana on the NSW Central Tablelands 24km south-west of Lithgow, about a 2.5 hour drive from Sydney. The cost is $360 a night for two, including breakfast, lunch and dinner; BYO to enjoy around the fire or in the kitchen with Dennis as he prepares dinner.
Phone Dennis on (02) 6337 5886 or go to www.muttonfalls.com.au
Feeds