Download the The Bammy Residency form HERE.

Marrickville Garage, once a year  offers a free month-long Artist Residency for October 2015 at “Trevalyn”, a 15 hectare property directly on Mangrove Creek, situated in the bush with some cleared land around the house. The house and property is remote in the best sense: very quiet, yet only an 80 minute drive from Sydney’s CBD, no visible neighbours, just bush, birds and the river stretching out in front of the house.

The Bammy Residency is free of charge for that period only, but comes with NO stipend or financial support. The free residency has been granted for 2015 and is CLOSED until next year.
Take a look at the 2015 residency here.

The house is available to rent very cheaply at other times of the year: $100 for the first night of 7 day period, $20 per night, per person for subsequent nights. Check the calendar for availability.

With the assistance of  Marrickville Garage the house has been tidied up (a bit) to make a studio space in the back bedroom. A three bedroom weatherboard cottage with a verandah and views over Mangrove Creek, “Trevalyn” has a large eat-in kitchen, a living room with a fireplace, and a BBQ area out the front of the house, with the bathroom located just out the backdoor as part of the shed. There are 2 canoes, each able to accommodate 2 adults, that can be used to explore Mangrove Creek.

Because of the isolated site it is suggested artists apply with another artist or stay in the house with a friend or partner. The house sleeps 3 couples comfortably, but can accommodate up to 9 people, with 1 queen bedroom, 1 double bedrooms, a double sofa bed in the living room and queen sofa bed in studio, with a single bed on the verandah, and a spare single mattress stored under a bed.

The back bedroom of the house has been re-purposed as a studio/ workspace with a desk and sofa bed, however you will need to bring your own materials and tools.

The Bammy Residency is situated on a 15 hectare property on Mangrove Creek, an 80 minute drive north of Sydney CBD, off the Pacific Motorway via the Mount White exit, which is on the Central Coast region of New South Wales. See the map below for the location:

History

The Bammy Residency is named after Anthony “Bammy” Polkinghorne who died in 2012, leaving the property to his three children Fiona, Jane and Anthony (also known as “Tinky”). The property with its charming weatherboard house has been in the Polkinghorne family since the 1970s, however the oldest part of the house dates back to the 1880s. The Bammy Residency is run through Marrickville Garage (directors Sarah Newall and Jane Polkinghorne) and could not happen without the support and generosity of the Polkinghorne family.

Important Information

A car is essential to access the property, and is in commuting distance to Sydney via Hawkesbury River train station.

With no shops close by you need to bring ALL your food supplies with you. The water in the house is from a spring from the mountain behind the house, and is safe to drink. Gosford or Berowra are 40 minutes drive away where there are shops. Alternatively Spencer, which has a store and cafe is a 40 minute canoe paddle down Mangrove Creek, but beware of the tides and the mud banks!

The house is on mains power, with hot running water, washing machine and a large fridge, with a gas powered stove. There is a landline but little-to-no mobile reception and no internet connection. There is a television and dvd/media player  with some DVDs, but no digital television reception. There is a stereo with a record player, radio and CD player, and an eclectic vinyl collection. Our grandfather Arthur was a journalist  who reviewed books on his retirement at the house, so there is also an eclectic library of books.

Food waste can be composted on-site, but all other rubbish and recyclables must be removed by the artists-in-residence.

Outside of the residency time the house can be rented for a small fee to off-set the cost of running the house. Please contact Marrickville Garage to make a booking: marrickville.garage@gmail.com
Check the Bammy Residency calendar here to find an available date.

The view from the jetty at the Bammy Residency

To Apply please fill out the PDF form and return it to marrickville.garage@gmail.com by 1 May 2015.

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