The Lumber Yard started as a simple idea. What if we could give an old timber yard a new life, without losing what made it special? This place had been sitting there in Bangalow for over a century, timber trusses, hardwood cladding, all the character in the world—but no one quite knew what to do with it. We didn’t want to knock it down. We wanted to work with it.

So instead of starting fresh, we kept as much as we could, about 60% of the original construction fabric. The old walls, the big timber frames, all of it became the backbone of something new. Working with Harley Graham Architects, and building it out with CADRE and Tycorp, we reimagined it as a creative precinct that feels like it’s always been there, but now with a new purpose.

It’s home to local favourites like Rowie the Label and Moonshine Coffee, plus co-working spaces, a gallery, and a shared garden that’s become a bit of a community hub. The whole place runs on smart design, natural airflow, solar, rainwater capture, and local landscaping that actually belongs to the region.

It wasn’t just about fixing an old building. It was about turning it into something the town could actually use and be proud of. What used to be quiet old sheds are now full of energy and people. The Lumber Yard doesn’t just preserve history, it has given it a whole new chapter.

Photography by CADRE