It was ‘love at first sight’

Nelson Cottage Origin Story – Jo & Paul

 It was ‘love at first sight’ for us when we first saw Nelson Cottage (or ‘The Cottage’) in the beautiful township of Nelson, Victoria.  We had been searching extensively for a place that had that special feeling to call home. 

Paul loved living on a river, having grown up on the Murray River in Mannum and Murray Bridge.  Whilst Jo had always dreamt of living close enough to the ocean that you could hear the waves and be able to walk to the beach for her daily walk.  Located where the Glenelg River meets the sea, Nelson has both.

Nelson Cottage ‘For Sale’ listing was found on a random Sunday afternoon internet search, and we did a day trip the following weekend to check out the area.  If we couldn’t live directly on the beach we hoped for a place with rolling hills and views to the ocean.  Driving through the rolling hills from Mount Gambier, we found Nelson nestled along the river but also having ocean views. 

Smitten by the history of ‘The Cottage’ from it’s humble beginnings as the original Police Station and gaol in Nelson, to becoming a Bed & Breakfast for over 100 years we feel fortunate to become the latest caretakers.  Passionate about retaining the character of ‘The Cottage’ we have tried to be sympathetic with the upgrades we have undertaken to date.  Balancing the need for modern updates whilst retaining the essence of ‘The Cottage’.

Missing out on doing ‘the lap’ of Australia in 2020 we still wanted to live a life less ordinary.  We found that instead of travelling to meet people, they now come from all over Australia and the world to visit us.  Even better, it is wonderful to have guests return – often with family or friends.

Having explored the region extensively since we opened in 2021, we are keen to share our love of nature, wildlife, birds, hiking, canoeing and bike riding with our guests.  We are now excited to expand our offerings to include retreat packages.  Staying at Nelson Cottage is already a unique experience so naturally our packages expand on this, and allow you to relax and immerse yourself in a range of activities curated to your requirements.

Why not become a part of the Nelson Cottage family and experience it for yourself! 

We would love to see you x