Visit The Silo House in Inverloch, where farmhouse and industrial styles meet

The humble silo is having a proud moment. Mural-adorned examples are now part of regional art trails, but despite admiring the towering cylinders from afar, not many people have actually ventured inside a silo, let alone slept in one. But Allister and Belinda Scott are set to change that.

From the road, The Silo House in the seaside Gippsland town of Inverloch looks like a couple of old dairy sheds with patchwork bricks and timber barn doors set amid green fields dotted with cows.

But beyond the sheds are two gleaming metal silos, linked by a striking timber, steel and glass staircase.

This is a new build completed in June 2020 that effortlessly blends farmhouse old (the bricks were salvaged from a 100-year-old dairy in Sale) with exposed new industrial materials including oversized steel beams and raw concrete.

“I was born on this farm in the 1970s,” Allister says. “When the original cedar farmhouse burnt down about four years ago, Belinda and I decided to build something on the same spot to replace it.”

The result is a generously proportioned getaway that is spread over three levels and sleeps up to 12 people in four bedrooms.

The ground-floor living space has a substantial kitchen with walk-in pantry and dining area, and a fireplace encircled by pre-loved leather couches, chairs and rugs.

Flanking the kitchen are two queen bedrooms, both with en suites. At the other end of the main building are the two silo bedrooms.

Although the silos (built in situ) feel quite raw at first, the natural furnishings, soft bedding, heated bathroom floors and bucolic outlook all soften the experience.

Hefty pier posts and boardwalk planks are used throughout as steps and beams, old Pentridge Prison doors lead to bedrooms, and gleaming white sinks are housed in rusted truck drum brakes.

“It’s eclectic, but it works,” Allister says. “We’ve got things from different eras and different places. Some old, some new, but it all fits together.”

Downstairs is a refined, speakeasy-style lounge replete with gin bottles and vintage finds sourced by Allister’s wife Belinda and best friend Claire.

Look up and you’ll see a glass panel that gives a sneak peek at what’s happening upstairs.

Although the property isn’t suitable for younger children, older kids will love the upstairs, where a walkway (with repurposed milking shed cattle rails) links a bedroom/lounge with single beds and games, to a plush carpeted zone with king-size chairs and views of the small pinot vineyard.

“This is the spot where people love to settle in and read,” Allister says, adding that most people hunker down for their stay.

“They might go into Inverloch or the beach, which is a kilometre away, but many just want to stay and enjoy the house.”

The fields are luminous against the mist and drizzle outside and, with the fire blazing, guests would be wise to take the Scotts’ advice.

The Silo House is the perfect spot for a long weekend, ensconced with a good book, a great bottle of red and even better company.

While in Inverloch …

Enjoy a tipple (and a nibble)

Visit Harman Wines – a family-owned, multi-award-winning vineyard and winery just north of Inverloch. The cellar door is open year-round, and on weekends they serve delicious wood-fired pizzas and platters showcasing regional produce. Mention that you’re staying at The Silo House and they’ll deliver to your door.

Explore the local art scene

If you’re in the market for large, ethereal artworks on canvas, head to Fiona Kennedy’s gallery. The natural world is at the centre of many of Fiona’s oil paintings – think trees bursting into blossom and breaching whales. Particularly striking are her paintings of birds, with Swarovski crystals and sequins embedded in the paint.

Hit the shops

Founded by sisters Leisa and Nicole Griffiths, Mookah is a shop filled with beautiful and functional homewares, clothing, books and accessories. It’s just the place to pick up Japanese-made Nishiguchi socks, chunky and colourful Elk necklaces and books about indoor plant styling or preserving food.