This is an edited extract from The Makers by Bed Threads, published by Hardie Grant Books. Available in stores nationally. Photography by Jessie Prince and others.
Amanda Callan, founder of Church Farm General Store, Billinudgel, NSW
When Amanda Callan and her partner Andrew Morris discovered an old church in the small town of Billinudgel in northern New South Wales, they instantly knew the empty hall was going to become their dream family home. “When we first drove up and saw the For Sale sign with a mobile number I felt sick in my stomach because I knew it was ours,” Amanda recalls.
After much-needed renovations – raising the church from the ground to protect it from flooding, adding a deck, a mezzanine, more bathrooms and a bedroom space – the old church was transformed into a home for their family of six. “It was just an empty hall with a tiny bathroom when we moved in, no kitchen, no bedrooms, full of mosquitoes,” says Amanda.
The new design kept the majority of the church’s interior open with a sprawling living, kitchen and dining area, and sections partitioned off for bedrooms for their four young sons. “We are very much deep in the family zone at the moment,” Amanda says.
It’s here, in the open-plan kitchen and living area, that Amanda and Andrew create products for their business, Church Farm General Store. Handmade soaps, rich with essential oils, are on offer alongside a couple of killer hot sauces, curry pastes and other kitchen essentials.
All products are made from homegrown and local produce, and Amanda’s background in naturopathy inspires her soap-making practice. “We never intended it to be a real business, just a hobby, but we are so grateful for the way things have turned out,” she says.
And on the interior? “It is just a collection of things that we have found over time,” says Amanda. “Most of our furniture is from secondhand stores or Gumtree, we collect many cookbooks because we love food, and it turns out we really like the colour green.”
Photography: Amanda Callan images: Jessie Prince, courtesy of Hardie Grant Books
