Robin Innes’ Ocean View House, in the heart of Batemans Bay, is even more fascinating on the inside than out.
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Built out of East Lynne-milled timber in 1929 by and for Batemans Bay stalwart Albert Ryan, the home has been in the Innes family for 47 years.
“I looked at this house and realised what living history it could be,” she said.
It is a time capsule for Batemans Bay and indeed Australian society.
Not all historically significant homes in the Batemans Bay area remain, and Ocean View has become an ark for treasures from such homes, including Blandford House.
“We are losing a lot of history, so I buy old stuff from different places and keep it here,” Mrs Innes said.
Mrs Innes has been running open house weekends to raise money for the Batemans Bay Museum.
The Royal Australian Air Force made use of the commanding view the home has over the Tasman Sea, using it’s top floor to look out for enemy warships in World War II.
Despite its age, it is as robust as houses come.
“It has a solid concrete base, not a single creaking floorboard and no white ants ever,” she said.
“I’ve kept it as original as I can while be able to live in it.”
The house has seen plenty of living.
“We had six boarders here while we had five children under 14 here,” Mrs Innes said.
“When the old fish shop next to the hospital burnt down, they brought 11 patients to stay here.”
Despite the remarkable items in the home, which include an ancient Ericsson telephone, grandfather clock and gramophone, Mrs Innes knows what she likes most about the house.
“It’s home,” she said.