Tree change proprietors Inglewood Motel Caravan Park
Published on 24 March 2016
They’re brand-new at this kind of business, but Pauline and Jerry Wellman aren’t taking a backward glance.
The UK-born couple took over the operation of the Inglewood Motel and Caravan Park in mid-January, after a working life spent in Melbourne in two demanding careers.
The Calder Highway motel has seven rooms, while the 10-acre, pet-friendly caravan park behind offers 20 ensuite sites, 20 more with power and numerous unpowered sites, a camp kitchen and barbecue area.
Pauline arrived in Australia 18 years ago to work as a secretary for a multinational biomedical company.
“My husband is a motor mechanic by trade and owned his own smash repair shop in Melbourne, specialising in restorations,” she said.
“Our move to Inglewood was sparked by a desire for a slower pace of life. The children had left home and we’d always been campers and caravan people, so started looking around a few years ago.
“We saw the motel advertised, started making a few trips to the area and found the local people and town businesses most welcoming, which gave us a sense of the community spirit here.
“We’d never done anything like this before, but are absolutely loving it. The working hours are very different and everyone who’s visited us so far has been really friendly.
“Jerry can turn his hand to anything practical and I look after the business side, so it’s a great feeling to be working together and for ourselves.
“We’ve upgraded all the bed linen and crockery in the motel rooms, now have wi-fi across the site and Foxtel is going into all the rooms soon.
“We do, however, plan to retain the country motel style – we’re not a Novotel or Crown Casino – and want to keep with the flavour of the town.”
Pauline said she always encouraged guests to explore the antique shops in the main street.
“They have stock half the price you’d pay in Melbourne,” she said.
“There’s the swimming pool and adventure playground for the children and Melville Caves and a number of wineries close at hand.
“Then there are the gold prospectors as well, looking for places to fossick!
“Inglewood is very important to us and we look forward to contributing back to the town and local business community.”
For more details, phone the Wellmans on 5438 3232.