Note: The images are renders of our house at Saltash Farm by the wildly-talented Billy Maynard Architects. This week Billy won the design competition for the new war memorial in The Domain.

Don’t miss the project update at the bottom. This includes details on where we'll start, the shitty nitty gritty and a plan to help enhance the charm of the historic town.

Hit the link to read and subscribe — or type the short link on the final image of the carousel into your browser.

👉🏻 neilwrit.es/hotel

It's free to subscribe, and this month, we talk shit. The riddle of the septic system has been solved.

In this monthly newsletter from Galah, I chart a new path for myself and my family in the tiny village of Carcoar, population 271.

We have a start date. Almost two years after moving to the “Town That Time Forgot,” we begin.

🛎️ neilwrit.es/hotel

I used an iPhone for 24 hours and I'm sending it back. Google Pixel forever 📲

Please reshare if you liked this — thanks!

Don’t miss the project update at the bottom. This includes a saving of over $200,000 through our new favourite term, “value engineering.”

In this monthly newsletter from Galah, I chart a new path for myself and my family in the tiny village of Carcoar, population 271. It's free to subscribe, and this month, I accidentally created a festival for three-year-olds.

I have a habit of turning the dial to 11 when all that’s needed is a five. As we prepare to start the restoration and construction phase at Saltash Farm this month, I produce what’s been variously described as Australia’s largest party for tots.

🛎️ neilwrit.es/hotelburning...

Is there any chance that he was sucking his green smoothie through a Tesla battery?

It was a meaty and important discussion. Thanks both 🙏🏻

The man has gone deep.

I have technical manuals if he needs them. That looks like an ambulance?

Unrelated, but I loved you on Question Everything, Gay 🎙️

What a lovely thing to say — thank you. Good vibes coming back at you 🌞

Dad-in-Chief, Department of Dad Neil Varcoe was a tech executive in Sydney until he bought an old hotel in Carcoar, NSW, population 272. Here’s the ninth instalment of his monthly column for Galah.

I just started a new role neilwrit.es/dadinchief

Wise advice as always, Mr Kerrison. Coffee soon!

You don't leave it all behind @neilvarcoe.bsky.social ... You take with you the joy of the wins and the lesson of the loss. You also take people with you. I look forward to reading the blog post AND teeing up that visit I keep planning.

It feels like therapy 😏

Wow! What's the plan? Mine has spent the weekend with models drapped over him at the farm. Reginald Warramba Varcoe is living his best life in retirement.

I'm a former Tweep and I was at Twitter during the takeover. Thanks for writing this book. It's answering a lot of questions, and is true to what I know 🙏🏻

I’m embarking on a new role in 2025. It requires me to close the door I kept half-open.

After 20 years in news media and technology as a journalist, trainer and executive, I am leaving it all behind.

🔗 neilwrit.es/dadinchief

Molly Matilda is five, and I can't quite believe it 💕

I went to buy a baby bottle and the pharmacist gave me a newborn starter pack. Still rocking that new dad energy five years deep

Abbe Mellé, for the pictures that bring so much energy and life to our farm, and to my wife Edwina, who is the creative compass of every detail of every project.

Thanks also to Warren at Warriapendi and Les and the team at ED Landscape for their counsel, creativity and brow sweat.

Thanks to Home Beautiful for featuring the Warramba garden in the January issue out now. It has been a nine-year effort that continues.

It also showed me that beauty is worth striving for and that being surrounded by it fills the soul.