The evolution of Montville’s Lovestone Cottages
This Old House: Lovestone Cottages
By Doug and Cate Patterson (Montville History Group).
Nestled at 318 Western Avenue, at the corner of Narrows Road, Lovestone Cottages is a property rich in history. Originally known as the Muirhead selection, the land has evolved over the years, changing hands and purposes, while retaining its charm and significance in the community.
Current owners Tamara and Jon Large named the property Lovestone Cottages in tribute to Hamilton Muirhead, an early Scottish selector who once lived near Lovestone Plantation in Ayrshire.
The Muirhead family originally selected the 82-acre plot in 1890, which was used for growing strawberries, bananas, citrus, and later pineapples.
In 1909, the land was subdivided, with 42 acres going to Charles Muirhead, who sold it a year later to William Gauld. Over the years, the property changed hands 18 times. Tom Muirhead, another of the Muirhead sons, briefly held the land from 1912-1914 before selling it to William Gooding.
The Gooding family, who arrived from Devonshire, maintained the property, then known as Raleigh’s Orchard, from 1914 until 1936. It was a happy home and the site of family gatherings, including the 1923 wedding of Dorothy Gooding to Ernie Spillman, celebrated at Raleigh Orchard.
William Gooding, a market gardener, played a significant role in the local community, even helping to establish a party telephone system in Montville. After his death in 1926, his son Reginald took over the property, but it was soon sold to Victor Giles, who managed it during the war years with the help of two Italian prisoners of war. Giles likely established a chicken farm and continued pineapple cultivation.
In 1945, Edwin and Enid Chapman acquired the property, renaming it Warrego. They adapted the house for their family and maintained a pineapple farm. Their children enjoyed the property’s natural beauty, including swimming in a seasonal rainforest pool.
The Chapmans sold the property to investors Dick and Gladys Delanty in 1956, who sold it two years later to Les and Sheilah MacLachlan. The property continued to change hands, becoming a three-acre block managed by Frank Hayes and later an avocado farm under Norm King.
In 1991, the Hendersons bought the property, renovated the cottage, and developed an organic garden. Their brief ownership saw them inspiring the local community with their conservation efforts in Africa.
John and Ruth Kick, who purchased the property in 1992, built tourist cottages and renamed it Montville Grove, capitalizing on the growing demand for accommodation. Subsequent owners added to the cottages and maintained the business until Trevor Hathaway and Louise Boylen acquired it, creating a five-acre rainforest retreat.
In 2018, Tamara and Jon Large became the latest custodians, renaming it Lovestone Cottages. They have enhanced the property with luxurious and eco-friendly upgrades, continuing the legacy of care and hospitality established by previous owners. Guests today enjoy the rich history and serene beauty of Lovestone Cottages, a testament to over a century of stewardship and transformation.
The welcoming front gate of Lovestone Cottage.
Reg, Win and Rene Gooding harvesting pines and citrus on the family farm, early 1920s.
Reg, Win and Rene Gooding harvesting bananas and citrus on the family farm, early 1920s.
Raleigh Orchard, early 1920s, 318 Western Ave.
Italian Prisoners of war packed pineapples. The cases still bear the W.H.G. branding for Mr Gooding, the previous owner. Note the packing shed is a still standing example of a vertical slab hut.