After two years of stories from Carcoar, Neil writes his last Galah "We Bought a Hotel" column.
For someone who struggles to bring home the right lightbulb, upgrading the power to an entire street is quite the LinkedIn line item.
Because of the hotel’s projected power draw, the substation needed an upgrade – at our cost.
After inspecting a power pole beside our building – which leaned forward like a bottom-pub drunk – Essential Energy threw in a new pole for free. The result is a clear view from the verandah to the historic town centre, giving the whole team a lift.
Progress on the build has been so fast this month that we often exceed our daily payment limits processing invoices. The mood in town seems to rise with each new frame. Progress, at least.
Andrew Baulch could voice a trombone in a Pixar film. He’s perpetually in workwear, and his shed has deeper product lines than your average Bunnings. He also founded one of Australia’s toughest and most beautiful marathons.
After buying the former City Bank building on Carcoar’s main street – the site of a gruesome double-axe murder in 1893 – Andrew and his wife Janey had an idea: to share the village’s beauty and history with a national and global audience. The Carcoar Cup Running Festival was born.
Now in its tenth year, the pair have been looking for someone to take the festival forward while keeping its inclusive, community feel.
The day before the Cup, Pete Berryman starts his mower. As he pushes it through the gate onto the main street, I know I’ll have to mow my verge too, or the streetscape will look untidy. Andrew Baulch owns the other lawn on Belubula Street. He’s busy enough.
Andrew steps out of the City Bank building to greet a young couple. I politely elbow into the chat, offering to mow his lawn to restore balance. They laugh. Andrew introduces me to Jack Green and Caitlin Cunningham – the new custodians of the Carcoar Cup Running Festival.
The couple married last year, a month before launching Race Hub Australia, which runs accessible, community-focused events. After a year-long search, Andrew and Janey had found their successors.
There are three stages to a build: the excruciating slow beginning, the quick middle, and the excruciating slow end. We’re in the quick middle.
Each room has been framed out to support the level above, making it easier for electricians to run cables. It’s neat as a pin – every wall perfectly square.
The verandahs have been rebuilt and the walled garden is under way. Made from 18,000 recycled bricks, it will form a private space for guests and weddings. After two years of reports and planning, it’s energising to see progress.
It's a brave man who puts an opening date on a project like this. The mesh hoarding that surrounds the site says “opens 2026” – I reckon that's close to the mark.
This will be my last newsletter under the Galah banner. Being able to tell my family’s story each month has been a gift.
I’ve always been a writer doing other things. After leaving tech, I wanted to write regularly – small, complete things to build momentum. We Bought a Hotel came along at just the right time.
Writing isn’t what you do; it’s who you are. I’ve loved the rhythm of these regular columns and the punctuation marks they’ve left on the past two years of our lives.
To keep in touch, please follow us on social media for updates. Thank you for reading and for your messages. They’ve meant the world.
And before I go, a virtual standing ovation for the incomparable Annabelle Hickson. With Galah Press, Annabelle has built something bright and beautiful that has brought people together – and will keep sending ripples long after the printing press falls silent on its final run. Congratulations, mate.
RAG status reporting is a project-management tool that uses traffic-light colours for quick updates: red means trouble, amber signals bumps in the road, and green means everything’s fine. Please see the latest report below as we pivot to new strategies.
RAG status: Green The project is on track.
