Old schoolhouse restoration transforms piece of history in Adelaide Hills

Australia Broadcast Center

08-05-2025

Most people approaching the end of their careers are planning relaxing next steps away from the working life.
Not Sydney couple Mon Berger and Charlie Tutty, who decided to buck the trend in a big way.
The pair bought a rundown 19th-century schoolhouse in the Adelaide Hills, 1,300 kilometres from home, with a plan to restore and renovate it into cosy holiday accommodation and, later, their retirement paradise.
While Ms Berger said the pair were looking forward to a "quieter life" and the "gear change from Sydney to Adelaide", it was the opportunity to revive the heritage-listed building that most excited them.
"Let's just hope we haven't bitten off more than we can chew," Mr Tutty told ABC iview's Restoration Australia before works began.
This photo, taken in 1933, shows the school with its original vents on the roof and gothic windows.
(
State Library of South Australia/J Mckenzie
)
The school in Balhannah, about 30 kilometres south-east of Adelaide's CBD, sits on about 3,500 square metres of land.
Built in 1857, it closed more than 80 years ago after decades of fighting for funding with nearby town, Oakbank, whose slightly bigger school won out.
An old punishment book Ms Berger tracked down in the State Library of South Australia painted a very different picture of school life at the time.
It revealed a litany of corporal punishment, likely lashings, doled out to students for swearing, disobedience, cheating, continued laziness and repeated acts of bullying and quarrelling.
Before:
The schoolhouse was stripped back during works.
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. After:
It was then lovingly restored.
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The schoolhouse was stripped back during works. / It was then lovingly restored.
In a move the pair admit was either "brave or insane", they bought the property sight unseen, when it popped up in their online search for a retirement escape.
Planned cost and time:
Purchase cost: $850,000
Restoration budget:
$400,000
Timeline:
12 to 18 months
They knew the school and the attached principal's sleeping quarters needed some work, but it wasn't until they saw it in person that they realised just what they had signed themselves up for.
The school had fallen into disrepair and had several unsympathetic additions that the couple quickly sought to dismantle.
"The walls were way thicker than we ever imagined they would be and it was a bit more dilapidated than we thought it would be too," Ms Berger said.
Before:
The beginning of the restoration.
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. After:
The final product, with restored stonework and entrance.
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The beginning of the restoration. / The final product, with restored stonework and entrance.
The restoration element of their plan included stripping off layers of paint and plaster to reveal the original stonework, updating the render in the external walls, restoring and reinstalling heritage vents on the roof and replacing the tin roof with replicas of the original corrugated sheeting.
The couple also sought, and received, approval from the South Australian Heritage Council to replace a modern window that had originally been a gothic arch door with a gothic window that would match others at the property.
The couple were searching online for a retirement spot when they stumbled upon the schoolhouse.
(
ABC/Fremantle Media
)
Renovation-wise, the large, high-ceiling classroom would become the main living area with a fireplace and sitting space at one end, and a kitchen at the other.
Above, a mezzanine level would house a large bathroom and a tucked-away bedroom.
The old principal's quarters would be transformed into another self-contained area with a bedroom and bathroom, a study and a separate living area and kitchen.
Before:
Later additions to the schoolhouse were removed during its restoration.
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. After:
Light filled the space after renovations.
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Later additions to the schoolhouse were removed during its restoration. / Light filled the space after renovations.
As well as accommodating heritage constraints, Ms Berger and Mr Tutty had the added difficulty of managing the works from their home in Sydney, something Mr Tutty described as "borderline insane".
Despite nerves about the scale of the project, the pair were determined to faithfully restore the school house — and get their hands dirty in the process.
"There's ... a lot of time and love and effort going into restoring this place, and it's going to make a tangible difference," Mr Tutty said.
It was all hands on deck to remove stone render during the restoration.
(
ABC/Fremantle Media
)
"Our contribution, I guess, is fairly meagre in the overall scheme of things, but it's just great to get involved and get stuck in.
"I suppose it sounds a bit twee but, you know, [it's nice to] get a little bit of ownership in the whole project."
While bad weather and supply shortages of heritage materials saw some timelines blow out, the final outcome was true to the couple's vision.
Actual cost and time:
Final restoration cost:
$520,000
Time taken:
15 months
The cavernous classroom was transformed into the welcoming and homely space they had hoped for, describing the result as "every bit as good" as they had imagined.
And it wasn't just Ms Berger and Mr Tutty who were thrilled with the restoration of the local landmark, the community were equally happy to see the heritage building given a new life.
Before:
All of the floorboards had to be taken up during the works.
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. After:
The final result.
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All of the floorboards had to be taken up during the works. / The final result.
"We had ancestors of the first teacher knock on our door, we've had people relaying that their father or their grandfather used to come to the school," Ms Berger shared.
"We have people drive past and, you know, scream out the window, 'You're doing a great job!' It's really lovely encouragement."
The couple and the Balhannah community were thrilled with the outcome of the restoration and renovation.
(
ABC/Fremantle Media: David Solm
)
"We're terribly lucky, I mean we got an extraordinary community," Mr Tutty said.
"
It's quite humbling in some respects.
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