Bootmakers Cottage Birregurra

Beginning its life as the home for James Townsend, Birregurra’s first bootmaker and saddler in 1864, Bootmakers Cottage in Birregurra in Victoria’s western-district, has seen many uses over the years, including a saddlery, surveyor’s office, and in more recent years a tea house, cafe and event venue.

The cottage is now proudly refurbished and is the heart of the property, accommodating up to six people, with two beautifully themed queen-sized bedrooms, a twin room, cute-as-a-button lounge and dining room, kitchenette and rustic bathroom and mud room. The residence is included in the hire of the venue and is perfect as a host quarters or preparation area.

The event space itself is a large red-brick courtyard, accessed via a gorgeous silver birch and lavender-lined pathway from a white picket gate on Main Street. The courtyard is ringed by period buildings – the cottage, the bathhouse (comprising male & female/all access toilets and shower), an all-weather stage which doubles as a day-lounge, and the old stables – now converted into a full bar, commercial wash up area, storeroom and escape room, complete with barn doors and internal bar. A 100 year old oak tree shades the courtyard and together with the English box hedges provides the perfect green backdrop for a summer, autumn or spring wedding.

Whether you go for al-fresco dining under umbrellas, or a full night-time marquee with fairy lights, Bootmakers Cottage at Birregurra is a delightful country wedding experience.

Birregurra itself is a charming country town, on the banks of the Barwon River and home to the world-famous Brae Restaurant. It has three beautiful heritage churches (including the heritage listed blue stone Christ Church), the Royal Mail hotel, a cute set of shops and boutiques, and a dinky country golf course and bowls club. “Birre” as the locals call it, is within a short drive to the beautiful Otway Ranges, mountain hamlet of Forest, and the beach side towns of Lorne, Anglesea, Aries Inlet and Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road – one of Victoria’s major international tourist attraction.

Your fee includes full use of the premises including accommodation for 3 nights.

Living in Birregurra brings a calm, country charm to everything I do, and I love weaving that sense of place into every celebration. Our town’s community spirit is something I’m deeply engaged in, and it inspires the way I welcome guests, support local vendors, and champion the beauty of regional Victoria.

I bring an eye for detail and a genuine passion for crafting spaces that feel warm, thoughtful, and effortlessly beautiful. Whether I’m guiding couples through the early planning stages or helping them imagine how the cottage and gardens can come to life for their day, my goal is always the same: to make the experience joyful, relaxed, and uniquely theirs.

I believe weddings should feel personal, grounded, and full of heart — and I’m here to make sure every couple who chooses Bootmakers Cottage feels supported, celebrated, and completely at home