Birdnest’s Jane Cay has created a luxury escape in the heart of Cooma

Founded in 2004 as a small clothing shop in the main street of Cooma, Birdsnest is now one of Australia’s biggest online fashion success stories and employs more than 140 staff. Jane is still a local, living 65 kilometres south on a Merino property with her husband Oliver and their children: Bella,16, Penelope, 15, and 10-year-old Arthur.

Jane says the dream of having a space to host her customers from far and wide had been simmering on the backburner for years. And then she fell in love with a 19th century terrace in Cooma’s Lambie Street and only had a week to convince Oliver they should go to the auction.

“The terraces were built in the 1860s by a pioneer of Monaro architecture, James Mawson,” says Jane, who is a bit of a local history buff. “He built many private residences in and around the district as well as St Paul’s Church in Cooma, where Oli and I were married.”

Lambie Street was originally the commercial centre for Cooma in the 1800s and is now registered by the National Trust as a heritage precinct. The street is lined with many of Cooma’s oldest buildings, gardens and trees.

“Our dream in restoring these beautiful terraces was to create a luxurious nest for not only our customers to come and enjoy, but also to give other visitors an excuse to stay awhile and soak up all that the town and region has to offer,” Jane says. “Most people pass through Cooma on their way to explore the Snowy Mountains or South Coast, but we think it’s an undiscovered destination that can stand on its own two feet with plenty to do and see.”

Jane says the renovation was a year full of love, sweat and tears. “It always takes much longer than you think it will, particularly with these old buildings.”

The goal was to stay as true as possible to the history of the terrace while ensuring it stands the test of time for another 160 years. Major works included reroofing, and the construction of new front and rear verandahs. At every stage of the renovation, Jane and her building team were focused on respecting the integrity of the terrace houses.

“The opportunity to reveal and restore the original stonework and herringbone joist struts certainly gave us a sense of awe and achievement,” says Jane. “They now stand as features in their own right. We also repurposed timber from the original ceiling trusses by handcrafting the cabinetry for the kitchens and bathrooms with them.

“Working with an incredibly skilled and dedicated building team was certainly a blessing. And I know one of their highlights was when they found historic letters, documents and artefacts under the floorboards, or in other nooks and crannies, and were able to share them with descendants of families who have lived in the building over the years.”

This isn’t the first renovation that Jane has been involved with. Around a decade ago, she and her husband renovated their family home at Bungarby. She says the experience taught her valuable lessons when it came to renovating the terrace. “Room sizes in these old homes are much smaller than in a contemporary open-plan dwelling, so it requires lateral thinking to create the illusion of spaciousness. Thankfully, we were lucky to work with Mike Carroll on the design for both builds.”

Another fortunate stroke of luck can be found close by — neighbour and artist Kate Litchfield. “Kate lives next door in one of James Mawson’s buildings that she restored only a few years ago. Her serious eye for detail and design was a huge asset.”

Jane says renovating their family home also made her aware of the importance of natural light, double glazing and insulation, especially in a region with such a wide temperature range as the Monaro, where the mercury regularly drops well below zero and sails north of 30°C. “Addressing these elements not only makes the homes more comfortable spaces to be in all year around, but it also reduces their carbon footprint.”

Nest Stays comprises two terrace homes. Terrace One has three bedrooms and two bathrooms, including a gorgeous stone rain shower. Terrace Two comprises four bedrooms and two bathrooms, including a stone bathtub. “We are thrilled to finally be able to host guests,” says Jane.

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