Meet your hosts
Margaret and Swinton Galbraith - Abbotsford Heritage B & B, Swansea
Operating Abbotsford Heritage Bed and Breakfast in Swansea, Tasmania’s only historic town by the sea, Margaret and Swinton Galbraith are Scots born and bred and have called Tasmania home for well over 30 years.
Although Margaret and Swinton, shown right with their granddaughter, don’t seriously dislike the town’s name, they often joke that the only thing wrong with Swansea is that it has a Welsh, rather than a Scottish, name. However, there is no mistaking, or avoiding, the genuine Scottish hospitality that awaits visitors when they visit Abbotsford, named after the home of that famous Scottish bard, Sir Walter Scott (Wattie).
Like Wattie, Swinton, whose background lies in precision engineering, is also a keen, but low-key, collector of history books and historic relics and, when he isn’t busy maintaining, restoring and landscaping the property, he can usually be found unearthing bits and pieces that confirm the labour-intensive life of the people who farmed the property in those early years.
Margaret’s background covers 20 years as an administrator at the University of Tasmania, then executive officer within Tasmanian State Government Ministerial Offices and latterly in State Government Departments of State and Economic Development (including Tourism).
How did this all come about?
Having enjoyed so many camping holidays on Freycinet Peninsula, Margaret and Swinton always hoped they might semi-retire to operate a small B & B on the East Coast and wanted to offer traditional, hosted accommodation with a Scottish theme.
In 1997 they found a 9 acre property in the township of Swansea and have restored the original double storey random bluestone cottage that was home to the Rapp family from Germany, who settled there in the mid 1880s. Surrounded by dry stone walls, the cottage happily lent itself to taking on the desired Scottish theme, where Sir Walter (Wattie) has been joined by Mary, Queen of Scots, to ensure guests enjoy an historical theme amidst the cosy comforts of the farm cottage of yesteryear.
Unfortunately there is very little documented history on the property itself but it would appear that Christian Rapp and his family not only laboured hard and long in relative self-sufficiency, but also offered a threshing service for neighbours, with evidence of a traction engine in operation on the farm in the late 1880s. It appears Christian was also probably involved in processing wattle bark for tanning purposes; the local Bark Mill Museum confirms that these operations were underway in the area in that era. There was also a forge on the property in the early days and a fruit-press. The original byre has been preserved - and guaranteed to have not been dusted in many years, probably decades! Thankfully the original bakehouse plus oven and with original shingle roof is also still standing.
Is it enjoyable?
It would appear from visitor comments that few will leave Abbotsford Heritage Bed and Breakfast oblivious to the warm and friendly hospitality and excellent service it has to offer. Just one comment from the guestbook confirms this - 'A most delightful stay with our charming and delightful hosts and with Sir Walter Scott never far in the background. Most enjoyable and in a thoughtfully restored Celtic castle by the sea.'
It will also be impossible to ignore the ‘hint’ of Scotland that is part of the experience but this is achieved in a graceful, elegant and comfortable atmosphere, where guests really do have an opportunity to step back in time and enjoy some great East Coast hospitality … with a touch of Celtic spirit!
Read more at Margaret & Swinton's Abbotsford Heritage B & B website.
