We are the proud owners of historic Abbeyholme after moving to the district to enjoy the idyllic and relaxed lifestyle the Great Southern Region offers.

We also own a 250 acre farm just 20 mins drive north west of Mount Barker on which Jim has planted thousands of native trees, to act as wind breaks to our 1,700  Frantoio olive trees, we have just harvested our third crop. The trees that are almost five years in the ground have produces 10 tonnes of wonderful olives & the oil is superb, which has just won the award for Best Western Australian Olive Oil 2005 and the only gold medal awarded to a WA oil over all 5 classes at the 2005 Perth Royal Show.  We have also planting our first vines, 900 plus, Cabernet Franc and Riesling and our pickling olives. So there will be more farm fresh produce to serve & sell to our guests (have you ever had poached Quince for breakfast, served with greek style yogurt and muesli?). We have planted more fruit trees, which we are in the process of netting so the native birds do not get all the fruit before we have time to harvest it) as well as hundreds more native trees at the farm, it has been a great year for planting with the extra rain. Abbeyholme has, the Quince tree, a Fig tree, two apricot trees, three apple trees, these are from the original orchard planted over one hundred years ago.

Jim & I were married on the 18th of June this year (2005) we had a wonderfuly day with all our friends and family helping with the olive harvest then on to Gilbert Winery that evening for a delicious meal and superb wines. On our very brief Honeymoon we took that picking all the way to York to have the olives pressed were we were very pleasantly surprised by the yeild of oil. Once again our trees have produced an excellent tasting oil.

Abbeyholme was formerly known as "James Sounness House", named after the man (pictured left) who in 1869 built the four roomed house. Born in Albany, Western Australia on the 5th October 1846. His parents, William and Mary Sounness arrived from Scotland aboard the ship "Advocate" in 1841.

In 1860 William Sounness took up the original land holding (Lot 78) comprising forty acres and densely timbered with Jarrah and Redgum. Together with his father and brother, James worked this land which eventually became known as "Merryup Estate".

In 1869 James purchased 100 acres of land and built what is now known as Abbeyholme, the first residence of Mount Barker. Employing  master stonemason George Thomas and labour that included convicts, the residence consisted of four main rooms constructed of local ironstone with internal walls, chimney and facade were of hand made brick. Local timber, hand cut was also employed and can be seen in the magnificent exposed beams and wooden roof shinges still in place.