A Brunswick Heads Stay For Lazy Beach Days
Interiors
RiverFish was originally built in the 1920s as a fisherman’s cottage in Brunswick Heads, NSW.
The original cottage was raised in renovations, allowing for a self-contained two-bedroom, one-bathroom unit underneath.
The upper level is what’s now known as RiverFish, with interiors reminiscent of the local marina.
The colour palette references old rickety boats and sea blues.
All original floorboards were retained and left their existing condition.
A bright white base bounces light around the interiors.
Artwork by Jasper Knight.
Charming kitchen details.
The living area is cosy and relaxed.
RiverFish is conveniently sandwiched between local shops and beaches, and less than a 20 minute drive from Byron Bay.
The holiday house includes two bathrooms.
Stained glass references yellow trims at the marina.
The cottage retains its original feel, paired with modern amenities.
One of three bedrooms at RiverFish.
Blue tones in the bedroom styling inspire calm.
If the walls of this 1920s cottage could talk, they’d share memories of numerous fishing trips experienced by the family of its one and only former owner.
By the time Genine Noakes, principal at Studio Noakes, and her husband Mark purchased the property from them in 2010, the home was in a dilapidated condition, but its soul was very much alive.
‘A warm moment of connection during the renovation took place when a man driving back in his sixties stopped to tell us he was a family member. He remembered the fishing trips he had here when young and how the river sand used to go up to the front yard,’ says Genine.
Genine wanted to renovate the home to inspire the same experiences enjoyed by former owners — a place to experience lazy days, local beaches, and a seaside community without any pretension. ‘Just easy living and salty days as it would have been enjoyed decades ago, yet with the contemporary and or workable areas as houses have today,’ says Genine.
The original cottage was raised in renovations, allowing for a self-contained two-bedroom, one-bathroom unit underneath to support future multigenerational living.
The upper level is what’s now known as RiverFish — a three-bedroom, two-bathroom unit made for holidaymakers — with interiors reminiscent of the local marina, set against a bright white base.
Original ceilings and floorboards were retained or repurposed wherever possible, with all new timbers sourced locally.
‘The setting is surrounded by riverways, oceans and nature reserves, which is why we like to holiday in Brunswick Heads,’ says Genine. ‘The simple material palette was vital to create a feeling of being away and close to this nature.’
RiverFish is conveniently sandwiched between local shops and beaches, and less than a 20 minute drive from Byron Bay
The house is a reimagination of simple times gone by, retaining the charm of the original build with renewed functionality.