“Often when you think you’re

at the end of something,

you’re at the beginning

of something else.”

Fred Rogers

I have written in the past how life does not always follow a linear path and sometimes, opportunities find you just at the right moments. Well, this month, I’ve been contemplating the event of ‘retirement’ and how this momentous milestone in a person’s life, can really make us question, “what will my next step be?”

I was forty when I retired from teaching. I was newly married, with a baby on the way and I didn’t want to leave my place of work in the lurch waiting for me to decide whether I was going to return from maternity leave…or if I wasn’t. Moving onto a farm and entering into a partnership with my husband to become ‘the farmer’s wife’ meant that my life had absolutely changed course. But perhaps what I didn’t realise at the time, was my whole sense of identity and purpose had been wrapped up in my teaching career. My social life, sport, travel and all my creative pursuits were all linked with my work. And when that stopped, I was left disconnected and adrift. But here I am, years later and I have found so much joy in farm life and channelling my creativity into my garden and starting this photography business. Retirement was not an end, it was the beginning of something wonderful and new.

Welcome to The Bigger Picture; a blog that is all about building NETWORK and CONNECTION. Each month, I feature a woman in small business within my community with the sole purpose of showing support, building solidarity and sharing stories of passion.

I am so fortunate to be surrounded by incredible small businesses in the South West run by mums in their spare rooms or out in their gardens and they each have a unique story to be told; a BIGGER PICTURE to be discovered.

Ultimately, we’re all searching for something meaningful to do in retirement. It’s not always easy to navigate change but we haven’t much choice but to keep looking! The reality is we have a personal responsibility to move our lives forward; to not spiral into a disorienting freefall, but to stride into the beginning of a new chapter.

My feature for October is a woman who has done just that! She has embraced her retirement and left the corporate rat race in favour of a slower pace of life. Alongside her husband, she has created a stunningly beautiful boutique hideaway, just ready for your next weekend getaway. I’m very pleased to introduce you to the very talented…

Lynne Williams

Lot Three Dairy

Tell us about your business and what services you offer

My business is Lot Three Dairy. After retiring from corporate careers in Canberra, my husband Paul and I took a leap of faith and moved to Port Fairy where we instantly fell in love with a property that had a beautiful old, but derelict, dairy on it. I’ve always been passionate about hospitality, dabbling in it on the sidelines during my working life, and I’d dreamed of one day creating something more hands-on in retirement. The dairy offered us the perfect opportunity to turn that dream into reality… even if there were plenty of moments during the project when we both questioned that choice!

Sadly, the building was too far gone to restore so we had to make the difficult decision to rebuild. While I was disappointed, it was important to both of us to stay true to our vision and to the dairy’s story. So we decided to faithfully replicate it - from the footprint, to the pitch of the roof, the exposed rafters inside, to the old milking bails outside - so the character and story of the dairy remained.

Two years (and countless challenges) later, we’ve created a space that’s all about slowing down and reconnecting. Guests can soak in the outdoor bath overlooking the paddocks, sit around the firepit in the north-facing courtyard, snuggle up by the fireplace inside, wander through the veggie patch, or collect eggs from the chooks. My aim was to create more than just a place to stay - I wanted to offer a gentle pause for the soul.

Is there a story behind the name you chose?

While scrolling through Facebook Marketplace during the rebuild, Paul came across an old map from 1906 advertising the subdivision of Korongah Estate. On that map was our property, marked as ‘Lot 3’, with a list of the buildings that once stood on the acreage here - including the dairy. It felt serendipitous, and I knew straight away the name should be Lot Three Dairy.

Where does your inspiration come from?

A lot of my inspiration comes from the history of the dairy, the land around us and from my love of vintage pieces. I’ve always believed in recycling, reusing, and repurposing - breathing new life into what already exists, whether it’s furniture, old pieces of the dairy, or the land itself. I believe there is something special about creating beauty out of history and giving people a genuine, tactile experience rather than something polished and brand-new.

What is your favourite part of your job?

For me, it honestly doesn’t really feel like a job, it’s something I genuinely love doing. Hosting comes naturally, and there’s nothing more rewarding than creating a space and an experience where people can rest, connect and make special memories. One of the greatest joys for me is reading the notes that guests leave - whether it’s about cooking together with the things they’ve picked from the garden, watching the sunsets by the firepit, or just having the time to breathe. The stories they share of their experiences here are now a part of the new history of the dairy!

A super special moment for both Paul and me was hosting Mary, who was born and raised in the old house and used to milk cows in the dairy as a girl. Now in her 80s, she was able to fill in so many of the gaps in the property’s history. That connection to the past, and to the people who’ve been part of it, was incredibly special - it reminded us of just how layered and meaningful this place really is.

We’ve also been blessed to offer the dairy to people at times when they’ve really needed a pause - maybe they’ve been under a lot of stress and just needed some quiet, or they’ve been doing incredible work in the community and deserved a little time out. Being able to give back in that way is incredibly important to me. Knowing Lot Three Dairy can play even a small part in someone’s wellbeing or their story is what makes this whole journey so meaningful.

What do you offer your clients that no one else does?

I like to think we offer our guests much more than somewhere just to sleep – we offer an experience. From day one, we’ve been committed to running the dairy with practices that respect the land and environment- we have solar panels that help power the property, we rely solely on tank water, there are no single-use plastics, I use eco-friendly cleaning products, and we have a recycling system in place. We encourage our guests to embrace these choices during their stay, and we often see guests wandering into the chicken coop to feed their scraps to the chooks!

I also love sharing what we grow and make. Depending on what’s in season, guests may find a jar of my homemade apricot jam, some stewed rhubarb for breakfast, a freshly baked cake, or herbs and veggies straight from the garden. And because we’re passionate about supporting our local community, I stock the pantry and breakfast tray with products from many of the clever food artisans in our region.

What’s the biggest thing you’ve learnt since starting your business?

The biggest lesson for me has been the power of community. When we first arrived in Port Fairy, we didn’t know a soul, but since starting this journey I’ve connected with so many like-minded hosts and businesswomen, who I now consider close friends. I’ve absolutely found my tribe. There’s such generosity in this space - it is filled with authentic people willing to share their knowledge and advice. They are there cheering me on loudly from the sidelines - no judgement, just support.

I’ve also learnt the importance of backing yourself and believing in your dreams. There were plenty of moments during the build - it felt like the wettest and longest winter ever, hitting solid bluestone, endless setbacks - when we wondered if we’d made the right decision. But pushing through those challenges made the result even more rewarding.

My advice to anyone starting a small business would be don’t do it in isolation, seek out your community, find your people, and trust yourself enough to keep going when things get tough. My mantra during this project was “if you take no risks, you win no victories.” Be courageous, embrace the unknown, and trust the process.

When I stepped through the glass doors of Lot Three and laid eyes on the interior for the first time, my heart stopped a moment and I had to simply pause and soak it all in! It is just so beautiful! The space is cosy and tranquil. The décor and all the little trinkets that Lynne has curated over time, makes you just want to put the fire on, cosy up with a glass of wine and relax. And the history of the property, so lovingly incorporated into the building, adds to its charm. As Lynne says, Lot Three is certainly “a place to disconnect from the world, and reconnect with the things that matter most…”

Edwina xx

If you are looking for your next weekend getaway, then I strongly recommend popping onto the website and booking today! For all information about availability and what to do in the area, give Lynne a follow (and your support) on her social media pages…

Website: www.lotthree.com.au

Instagram: @lot.three.dairy