ABOUT US

HISTORY
The hotel was built in 1871. It was originally a single story building. The second story was added around 1898, the period described as late Victorian or early Edwardian. It is believed the high chimneys indicated a plan to add a third story.
Ms. Sarah Newton, a Rechabite and spinster acquired the hotel in the 1920's and de-licensed it in 1928. When Connie Newton, Sarah’s sister, married Ken Vearing, Charlie, Ken’s father, ran the General Store on the hotel site until the late 1960's, when the new Hume Freeway reduced the number of visitors to the town. The Hotel remained closed until Ian Bevan-Davies acquired it in 1982 and made an application for a restaurant BYO license.

Suzi McKay first saw the property in 1984 and saw it’s potential as a restaurant but it wasn’t until 1987 that Suzi got the opportunity to run the small BYO Restaurant. Unfortunately the venture was to last 12 months, cut short by a fire in the dining room. Encouraged by industry colleagues, Suzi agreed to give it another go and recommenced a restaurant there in November 1992. In 1996 she purchased the freehold.

Suzi transformed the 1871 hotel into a delightful and picturesque accommodation house with fine dining. A restaurant liquor license was granted in 1993 and a full liquor license granted in June 2000. As buildings alongside and across the road from the Hotel came onto the market, Suzi’s vision and ambition for Harvest Home grew.

As the second daughter of an Australian farming family, Suzi’s love for the land has seen Harvest Home extended beyond the label ‘Country House Hotel’ . The enterprise consists of moresome, award winning food based entirely on local, seasonal produce and game; gentrified hospitality in a range of rooms, cottages and garden villa’s to sleep up to 30 guests in the grounds; venue, outdoor kitchen and Pavilion; extensive productive gardens and home to events such as the Avenel Produce Market, now entering its ninth year initially starting as an annual event now running monthly on the second Sunday of each month.

So important is our relationship with our customers many have become close friends and if they come here often, they are just as likely to have a relationship too with the locals who are part of our lives.