Harriet’s is owned and managed by Phoebe and John Lausberg who live with their three children in the Yarra Valley.

Our story

My husband and I made a tree change to the mountains behind the Yarra Valley 5 years ago, moved into a mudbrick home, accumulated animals and enrolled the children in the local primary school with a student population of 25.

With a background in small business it was not long before we were discussing potential projects. Harriet’s house was bought after friends were having trouble finding mid-priced accommodation in Healesville that was cosy and stylish.

Harriet’s is more than a commercial venture

While renovating Harriet’s we had a visit from a lady who had lived in the house as a child. She approached us as we were painting and asked to look around. After she left I was very disappointed we had not thought to ask her some questions about the history of the house and street. As a result I was motivated to make a visit to the local historical society where I discovered that St Leonards rd had been the location of many guesthouses dating back to the early 19^th century. I enjoyed looking through the photos and reading the adverts, which discussed the health benefits of visiting Healesville, the fresh milk and cream and the many sports that were available to be enjoyed. I suddenly felt that we were contributing to maintaining the history of our street as a host to visitors, carrying on a tradition that started a long time before the fashionable wineries that characterize the town today.