As excitement grows for the opening of Maldon’s Porcupine Village tourist attraction, the managers are looking forward to sharing the results of their hard work and they have surprises in store for future visitors. Managers Doug and Deb Baird have been toiling for four years developing, renovating and documenting in order to bring the passion project to life; they look forward to revealing all soon.

Doug described the appointment of the Lockwood South couple to the role as ‘serendipitous’ because it aligned so well with their experience and interests in renovations and property.

“The owner’s brief is: quality and local wherever possible,” Doug explained, pointing out that the staff are locals while many products and materials are sourced locally. “Maldon Butcher supplies the meat for the restaurant. Cabins are currently being manufactured in Bendigo,” he said, as examples.

Showing the Tarrangower Times some highlights, Doug was particularly proud of the accommodation, which is family friendly and nestled neatly between the restaurant and the historic village. The rooms have private courtyards and will also have easy access to the soon-to-be-built swimming pool. The TT [Tarrangower Times] noticed paintings by local artists and stylish, comfortable mod cons. Doug described a “compendium” of nearby attractions and amenities that will be supplied to guests. “We’re building a destination attraction but people will also want to head out.”

The historic village is quaint and inviting, with plenty of historic information available to help visitors learn about its gold rush context. The details are incredible: Deb has been shopping for props at local antique stores, while a stylist from a recent film shoot offered some expert final touches. Of particular note is the smallest freestanding pub in Australia, with a tiny bar and incredible second-floor appeal… but the TT is sworn to secrecy about that.

In addition to the tiny gold rush town, Porcupine Village will offer farm animal interactions with some rescued residents (such as goats). Plus, there will be a small wildlife attraction consisting of kangaroos, wombat, emus and dingo, all re-homed by a zoologist who is now on staff. With such a variety of activities available, the Bairds are confident that the village will become a magnet for visitors to the region.

“We’re very hopeful that we’ll bring hundreds of people per week,” Doug stated, adding that he hopes locals will help to spread the word.

With the onsite restaurant, The Golden Nugget, winning awards and impressing tastebuds, the Bairds’ dedication to quality has already been evident. “Look at the restaurant as a microcosm of the village,” Doug said. “We cater for locals but we get a lot of visitors from around the state and even interstate.”

Now that the permit to proceed has been obtained, it won’t be too long until Porcupine Village can open and become fully operational… just don’t ask how long. There is still a lot of work to be done to meet all 94 of the permit conditions.

“It’s essentially onwards and upwards now that we’ve got the permit,” Doug said confidently. “And we can meet the conditions.”

He said the thing he most looks forward to is working with the passionate staff. “Everyone’s invested in it and that’s what makes it a fun place to be.”

Stay tuned and get excited because Porcupine Village promises to be full of surprises!

Porcupine Village is located at 8 Allans Road, Maldon. For more information visit: porcupinevillage.com.au.

This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 18 July 2025.