The story behind Murwillumbah Guesthouse’s quirky charm

PERCHED above the Tweed River with Mt Warning in the background, the Murwillumbah Guesthouse has drawn travellers for more than 40 years.

Its colourful interiors, eccentric outdoor displays and riverside views make it a talking point, but the story behind the guesthouse is closely tied to Murwillumbah itself.

Owner ‘Tassie’ Duff, nicknamed for his Tasmanian roots, moved north in the 1970s in search of warmer weather.

“I feel the cold weather, so I left Tasmania to search for a warm place to live,” he said.

After a few years of work and travel, Tassie discovered Murwillumbah and established the Murwillumbah Youth Hostel, later becoming the YHA and eventually the Murwillumbah Guesthouse.

 

“I wanted a place suitable for traveller accommodation,” he said.

“The house is situated on a headland that juts into the river and it’s so unusual that it is ideal for that purpose.

“Even today, guests are amazed by the unusual location.”

Quirkiness is central to the guesthouse’s appeal, with bright blue paint, colourful interiors and symbolic outdoor displays.

“I wanted the hostel to be different so that it would become a talking point,” Tassie said.

Out the front sits a collection of objects including a retro bicycle, a pair of old shoes, a rusty bed base, a saucepan with plants growing from it and even an old toilet seat.

While the meaning may not be obvious at first, Tassie said each item has a purpose.

“Outside the building are symbols of all the things that guests can

do while in the area: walking, cycling, sleeping, cooking and using the toilet,” he said.

Unlike standardised hotels, Tassie believes the guesthouse’s strength lies in its individuality.

 

“Murwillumbah is off the tourist track, so I had to be different to entice people,” he said.

“Once they come to see the quirky hostel, they enjoy that it is different, and they often extend their stay.”

The building itself has a long history in the Tweed.

Constructed in the early 1900s, it was originally home to Captain Frank Lowes, who, with the Skinner brothers, operated ferry trips between Murwillumbah and Tweed Heads before a road connected the towns.

Lowes remained in the house until 1932, when the ferry service ceased.

Tassie purchased the property in 1980 and converted it into a backpacker hostel.

He said Murwillumbah’s scenery, climate and community have always been part of its appeal

 

“I love the view down the river with Mt Warning as the backdrop, and the Goldilocks climate is comfortable all year round,” he said.

“The town’s proximity to beaches, national parks and the Gold Coast are another asset.”

He recalls an international guest staying in the mid-1980s and returning two decades later.

“Upon his return, the guest told me, ‘The whole world has changed except for Murwillumbah, where the people are still friendly and courteous,'” Tassie said.

He said the 1980s were a standout period, with weak exchange rates attracting young European travellers.

“Guests were young, adventurous and fun-loving,” he said.

“Those were exciting times.”

Today, many guests stay for temporary work, though Tassie hopes more holidaymakers will return with the reopening of Mt Warning and completion of the rail trail.