Tansy McMurtrie – Owner & Operator, Retreats at Skating Goose Farm
In this interview, Tansy McMurtrie, Owner & Operator of Retreats at Skating Goose Farm, tells of her journey in the industry and some of the many things that go on behind the scenes.
What do you do?
Everything! I’m a bit of a one-woman show and manage everything from bookings, advertising, and social media to cleaning, laundry, catering, etc., at Skating Goose Farm.
How did you get into the industry?
My children grew up! I had the privilege of being a stay-at-home mum with our three gorgeous children, and their independence left a huge hole in my life. We had a beautiful property and a desire to share this gorgeous part of Western Australia with others. We realised there wasn’t a lot of accommodation in the area. We saw an opportunity to create a unique style of accommodation that was quite different from anything else in the region. It has been a very steep learning curve, with me having no prior experience in the hotel industry apart from being a guest!
Share with us a story from behind the scenes.
All our guests at Skating Goose Farm (SGF) receive a “Welcome Hamper” with the basics to create lovely breakfasts for themselves. The exquisite loaf of sourdough bread provided is lovingly baked by my 77-year-old mum. Baked traditionally from a years-old “starter culture,” Mum takes her role as our bread baker very seriously. We’ve tried to let her off the hook, but she insists on baking our bread, and we are very grateful!
What food memory from your childhood or travels stands out?
I grew up in rural Queensland in the small town of Stanthorpe. There is a large and wonderful Italian community there, and if you were lucky enough to experience the generosity of a lovely Italian family, the food would always be very traditional and utterly delicious! Homemade wine would flow (for the adults), and these events were the most festive and celebratory experiences filled with joy and love of life.
What’s the best/ worst part of your job?
The best part of my job is definitely receiving feedback from guests that we’ve provided them with a beautiful, unforgettable experience! We’ve had guests who have visited every year since we opened, and they describe SGF as their “happy place.” I don’t think anything could be more rewarding than that!
The worst part of the job is juggling my time! I am, by nature, a people-pleaser, which often means I overextend myself and have to constantly rein myself in and set boundaries.
Tansy McMurtrie’s favourite food and beverage pairings?
You cannot beat fresh, seasonal produce. We are fortunate to live in this incredible “food bowl” and the Geographe Wine region. I always think simplicity is key … freshly picked garden tomatoes and basil with a silky mozzarella, crisp Ferguson Valley white wine, and some of Mum’s freshly baked sourdough is heaven. Figs are in season now, and we love them stuffed with Brie, wrapped in prosciutto and grilled. We also have fattened lambs on the property raised by Andrew and Nicola Broun from Marigold Lamb. We know these lambs have been raised on the most pristine pastures. You can’t beat my slow-roasted lamb shanks with orange and star anise paired with a beautiful local red in winter!
What’s one of the scariest things you’ve seen behind the scenes?
The scariest thing for me is the snakes in my vegetable garden!
The perfect day off would be…
A cold winter morning walk, a 90-minute massage, followed by a delicious long lunch with friends at a beautiful restaurant. An afternoon nap and a cheese platter enjoyed in front of the fire for dinner… with a glass of Pedro Ximenez.
A day in the life of a business owner is…
Anything and everything! I wear ALL the hats, so my days are varied and sometimes unpredictable…. There’s never a dull moment!!
What does Tansy McMurtrie do for fun?
I love catching up with my support team of gorgeous girlfriends… I’d be lost without them! I love to crochet, and I love to go to a Yin Yoga class. I’m a qualified Yin Yoga Instructor … so it’s wonderful to go to a class instructed by one of my amazing teachers/mentors.
What would you like guests to know about Skating Goose Farm?
We are a small and very bespoke retreat and as such we can offer a very personalised experience. We can organise food hampers, a beautiful picnic by “Picnic Cheer”, or an in-room massage or pedicure by Margs, our massage/beauty therapist.
How have you grown in your profession? What have you learned from your start in the industry until now? Are there any misconceptions?
Wow! I have learnt so much, from stain removal to social media! I think the most common misconception is that running an accommodation business is easy! It’s definitely a labour of love. I put a lot of heart and soul into my business. It’s very personal for me, and I give 100% because I want to give my guests a beautiful and memorable experience.
What would you like people to know about being an accommodation owner/operator as a profession?
It’s an occupation you have to be passionate about. The hours can be long, and sometimes meeting the expectations of every individual can feel overwhelming. But it can also allow for your creativity to shine through, and being your own boss means you can manage your business to suit your requirements.
What’s your view on the accommodation scene in the Ferguson Valley?
We have some gorgeous places to stay in the Ferguson Valley and its surroundings, but we definitely could do with some more varied accommodations in the valley! It sounds as though I’m encouraging competition, but there aren’t enough places to stay. We have some stunning wedding venues opening up, fabulous established wineries and breweries, and our national forests. We are only a two-hour easy drive from Perth, and I can see this area becoming a very desirable and more well-known destination in the future.
What are the top three things Tansy McMurtie likes to do in the Ferguson Valley region you live in?
One: Visit a gorgeous cellar door for lunch, or a charcuterie platter and beautiful wine tasting are at the top of the list!
Two: Enjoy our incredible Wellington National Park. Swim at Honeymoon Pool, bushwalk, and visit the fabulous mural painted by Guido van Helton—at 8,000 sqm, it’s the largest dam mural on the planet!
Three: Visit our roadside fruit and vegetable stalls or, when the season is right, visit a local orchard and pick your own fruit. Visiting the region in spring when the fruit trees are blossoming is magical.
What practices do you currently implement or hope to implement to work towards social responsibility and sustainability in the future?
Sustainability is a top priority for us. At SGF, we are completely off-grid. We harness power from solar panels and batteries. All our water is captured by our dams and water tanks. We provide toiletries with minimal and compostable packaging (no little plastic bottles here!) We provide a compost bin for guests to use, and we encourage them to sort all compostable waste so we can compost it in our vegetable gardens. The coffee pods we supply are also compostable! We are on septic systems, so all toiletries provided and cleaning products used are earth-friendly.
We actively support “Save the Black Cockatoos” as different species are listed as critically endangered or endangered. In keeping with this, we have planted hundreds of trees on the farm to contribute in our little way to providing food and habitat for these beautiful birds as well as other birds and local wildlife. We’ve been actively involved in protecting the beautiful Ferguson Valley and its surrounds from mining exploration, an issue that poses a persistent threat with potentially devastating consequences if allowed to progress in this pristine area of Western Australia.
What future plans do you have for your brand?
We have some VERY exciting developments in the pipeline! To enhance our guest experience and to provide a venue for my Yin Yoga classes we are planning a wellness centre. This will really be the icing on the cake of the Skating Goose Farm experience!
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