ONE of New Norfolk’s most iconic oast houses now hosts a boutique accommodation experience, and a unique woodworking school.

Chris and Kaye Bush have both spent more than 40 years working in education, and over the past few years, as well as welcoming guests, they have begun to share their teaching skills.

From within the 160-year old walls, Chris now operates The Derwent Valley School of Creative Woodwork.

“We’ve been gradually building up from when we started here in 2015. Guests come in, they begin their day with a coffee and some lunch, and we get going at their own pace,” Mr Bush said.

As well as accommodating students of all ages, Chris opens his shop throughout the week to veterans and local kids through the Derwent Valley PCYC.

Classes range from day-long courses building picture frames, through to longer courses that feature chair making and go all the way to cabinet making.

“We do everything from the traditional stuff to the contemporary stuff with native and introduced timbers.
“There is a lot of traditional skills to be learnt here, joining skills, veneering, carving, marquetry, people can come in and can really do a full assembly.”

Located between the heritage-listed Tynwald Estate and Tynwald Park, previously the site of the Oast House Hop Museum, Chris and Kaye are renaming their building to the “Tynwald Hop Kiln” to distinguish it from other oast houses in the valley.

More details on courses and accommodation can be found at dvscw.com.au.