From the road, this quaint cottage gives little away. But behind the weatherboard frontage sits a piece of local history, and a lucrative walk-in-walk-out investment opportunity for its next owner.
The long building at 3464 Huon Highway in Franklin still carries the quiet dignity of its past: part nunnery, part schoolhouse, part village landmark.
The former nunnery and schoolhouse has been converted into 3 or 4 self contained apartments. Picture: realestate.com.au
But step inside and the old Huon Valley property reveals its latest chapter: a character-filled accommodation business, with four self-contained apartments, Airbnb Superhost status, a 2025 Traveller Review Award from Booking.com and steady bookings into next year.
Just 45 minutes from Hobart by bus, The Convent Franklin is now on the market with offers over $1.45 million, and vendor Wendy says the next owner could continue the business immediately.
“We’d like it to be walk-in, walk-out,” she said. “We would leave everything there. Even the cutlery! They can just continue.”
The property's rich history has been preserved in its restoration. Picture: realestate.com.au
For Wendy, the project began less like a business plan than a visitation.
The property had been on the market for about three years when she first walked through it, full of building materials, and restaurant storage.
“I’m a visual person and I could sort of see what we could do with it,” she said.
The convent itself is believed to have begun in 1897, later becoming a school before closing in 1963. Picture: Supplied
The original nuns’ accommodation sat at one end, while the former schoolhouse had been divided into sections at the other. Wendy and her husband spent months clearing the building to understand what they had.
“It was hard to see the flow of the property,” she said. “There was so much inside of it.”
What followed was not a quick renovation but an act of slow recovery.
Bookings are steady and into the next year. Picture: realestate.com.au
Wendy describes her style as “elegant nonchalant” - a mix of heritage warmth, eclectic pieces and relaxed polish. Rather than strip the building of its history, the couple reused as much as possible, sourcing old timber and salvaged materials to give discarded pieces “a second life”.
“I wanted to keep the feel of the heritage style of the place,” she said, “but give it a little bit of a modern edge as well.”
The result is a property with layers.
The Schoolhouse apartment has dark hardwood cathedral ceilings, timber floors, a mezzanine bedroom and a luxury bathroom.
The property has sweeping views across the river from the front verandah. Picture: realestate.com.au
The Alice Catherine unit leans art deco, with polished concrete floors, a study nook, a front lounge and an exposed convict-brick fireplace, as well as wider doorways and an easy-access bathroom designed with walking frames and wheelchairs in mind.
The Martina unit, named for a much-loved local nun, has vaulted ceilings, underfloor heating, a two-person bath and a rear patio. The couple also added four-way ceiling heating to help keep guests cosy through Tassie’s winter.
The convent sits just a short walk to the town's cafes, and restaurants, with a 45 minute bus service to Hobart. Picture: realestate.com.au
Guests can book one apartment, combine adjoining spaces, or take over the whole property; and for years, Wendy and her husband lived on site too, with the layout allowing the convent to be both their home and a place for guests.
During the restoration, the history kept revealing itself.
The vendors are keen for a walk-in-walk-out sale, with everything down to the cutlery included. Picture: realestate.com.au
Behind one wall, the couple discovered the convent had been built around an even older structure: a small vertical-board building believed to date to the 1850s.
“We found out there was a story that the priest from Cygnet used to ride his horse and cart over to Franklin,” Wendy said. “The horse would go in the stable underneath and the priest slept in the loft.”
The convent itself is believed to have begun in 1897, later becoming a school before closing in 1963. Wendy has also heard stories of women and children staying there during difficult periods, suggesting it may once have served as a kind of refuge.
The property is currently used as holiday accommodation. Picture: realestate.com.au
Today, the refuge is gentler: river views, warm rooms, walking-distance cafes and the slower rhythm of Franklin, one of Tasmania’s oldest maritime villages. Some guests stay for nights; others arrive for boat-building courses and stay for months.
While the accommodation has become a livelihood, it has also been hands-on. Wendy and her husband have managed the bookings, cleaning and gardening themselves, and are now ready to free up more time and energy for what comes next: retirement, a caravan and more time with grandchildren.
The property is on the market with offers over $1.45 million. Picture: realestate.com.au
For the future of the convent, her hope is simple.
“I’d love to see someone take it on, keep it going and perhaps expand it more than we’ve been able to,” she said.
“We’ve loved it - absolutely loved it – and I hope the next owners really love the place too.”
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