Speaker Christine Stewart
Artist (and heritage inn restorer)
Christine Stewart took on the challenge of restoring the almost derelict Collits' Inn, situated at Hartley Vale at the bottom of Cox's Pass, the precipitous and dangerous first road down the western side of the Blue Mountains.
The Inn was built in 1823 by ex-convict, Pierce Collits and his wife Mary, to welcome early travellers crossing the Blue Mountains on their way to Bathurst and the western Plains.
Christine researched the history, wrote the Conservation Management Plan and ran the project with a heritage architect and builder, whilst her husband Russell focused on his career in order to fund it!
After completion, a french chef set up a top restaurant there, winning many fine dining accolades, whilst Christine and Russell were at the same time winning awards for the restoration. These included recognition by Lithgow Council and a National Trust award for the Best Heritage Restoration in NSW.
Christine will describe how and why they took on this daunting project after buying the dilapidated Inn in 1998, what she learnt from it, the challenges and rewards - and surprises - and how highly significant the Inn is to our early history. Her presentation will include graphic photos to show the many hurdles along the way.
After the thrill of seeing its renaissance, they sold the Inn in 2007. Thirteen years later, she wrote a book about its history and her experience with its restoration, "Collits' Inn: Uncovering the Past".
Christine grew up on a wheat property on the Darling Downs west of Toowoomba, where she enjoyed a stimulating cultural life. Her education was initially at correspondence school, then a year at local school, before 6 years as a boarder at NEGS in Armidale. She then did a BA at UQld, whilst also studying art, which was a primary interest.
After travelling and working overseas, she married Russell Stewart, and moved to Sydney where they had three children. Further studies in pottery then art and design have led to an ongoing successful career from her studio in Rozelle. She has held several one-woman art exhibitions. Russell is a member of Sydney Probus.
