Restoring Kyneton history

Restoration Australia host Anthony Burke (left) with Shannon and Liza Boyers. (ABC)

A 150-year-old Kyneton home has been restored to its former glory.

The heritage listed home – known as ‘The Lawns’ for its sweeping garden landscape – was purchased in a state of disrepair by Kynetonian couple Liza and Shannon Boyers for $1.6 million.

Their efforts to restore the property on Wedge Street was the focus of a Restoration Australia episode that will be featured on the ABC on Sunday night.

Restoration Australia host Anthony Burke told Star Weekly he was impressed by the town.

“Kyneton is beautiful, it’s really just so gorgeous,” Mr Burke said.

“The area is known for beautiful bluestone, but what excited us was what’s different about it, because it’s a timber house.

Burke said he admired the Boyers’ and their commitment to the project, as they spared no expense in enlisting the very best traditional tradespeople to work on the job.

“They ended up flying down a plasterer from Brisbane, who is one of the last people to do this form of traditional work,” he said.

“The really traditional stuff has a texture and a weight to it, not to mention a specific way of binding it together: horse hair.

“If you walk around the home, you can actually spot the horse hair in places. It’s just one of those details where they really went the extra yards to make sure it was done properly.”

Restoration Australia’s episode featuring The Lawns will air on Sunday, October 31 at 7.40pm on ABC and available to stream via ABC iView.

Oliver Lees