Chris and Raelene Schutz have transformed the site of a former drive-in picture theatre in South Australia’s Riverland.
As invitations go, Raelene Schutz says it was not the most romantic she had ever received. “Come and live in my shed,” Chris said. Her response went something like: “Seriously, I’m living in a lovely bluestone villa with a beautiful garden in town and you want me to move to a bare paddock in the back blocks and live in a tin shed?” Even Chris initially had no intention of living in the shed on the outskirts of town when he bought the eight-and-a-half-acre (three-and-a-half-hectare) site of the former Riverline Drive-In, which had been cleared of all buildings except for the giant screen, which remains on the property today. The Loxton-born landscaper and paver simply wanted more living space and somewhere to garage his truck as leaving it on a suburban street was not great for neighbourly relations.
By the time Raelene arrived on the scene, the shed had bathroom facilities and a makeshift kitchen, but no windows and little else in the way of creature comforts. “We intended to build a house,” she explains. “We put most of our energy into building a garden and as time went on, we made the shed so comfortable that a house seemed unnecessary.” Raelene was an Adelaide girl, who came to Loxton via a stint in Darwin with her first husband and a newborn. “I worked in a bakery when our second child was about four,” she recalls. “Then I opened a home and giftware store, which over time evolved into a florist as well. After selling the store, I worked in an organic fruit and vegie property and shop on the outskirts of Loxton. Then I went to TAFE to gain qualifications as an aged carer, which I’ve done for the past 11 and a half years.”
Along the way, she honed a fine eye for found objects with potential and she and now husband of 20 years, Chris, have collected an extraordinary array of building materials and furniture, which suit her rustic design preferences. “I detest waste and I like things with a bit of history, so just about everything is recycled,” Raelene says. “It’s all about warmth and quality of workmanship and we both like timber and corrugated iron, so the shed has evolved with various materials we’ve collected through the years.” As finances and time permitted, they created a loft above the lounge and living area. Raelene says they were incredibly lucky to have found another Riverland local, a former plumber who shared their love for repurposing salvaged materials and made furniture from recycled timber. “He was able to make our new kitchen out of recycled materials and converted a modern timber kitchen dresser, distressed the wood and made new doors with pressed-metal inserts and old latches and handles,” she adds. “He also crafted a bedhead from repurposed timber with ripple iron inserts.”
The Schutzes also inserted a two-bedroom cottage under the shed roof. Made from bricks reclaimed from the demolition of a stationmaster’s cottage, it’s now accommodation for Raelene’s children and grandchildren when they come to stay. In 2015, they added a B&B to the grounds. Built from 1850s stone reclaimed from Yongala station near Jamestown in SA’s Mid North, Raelene says it’s an added income stream for the property and its dollar-demanding garden upkeep. “We’d never have been able to afford the work we’ve done if it weren’t for Chris’s skills and machinery,” she says. “The land was completely compacted from years of having cars in the drive-in, so he transported all the garden soil and rocks in to develop the site.”
Building the two-and-a-half-acre (one-hectare) garden has been a challenge given the unforgiving climate. Summer temperatures can reach the high-40s and in winter minus five is not uncommon. Water is a constant issue and Chris and Raelene built a dam to collect stormwater runoff and have also added a 160,000-litre tank for storage.
Many trees and plants — including a 1923 mulberry tree that produces fruit with an amazing flavour depth and grandma’s collection of 50 rose bushes — have been transplanted to the site and the couple’s love of old farm implements and memorabilia is evident throughout the grounds. Pre-pandemic, they used to open the gardens to the public, and many sculptures by exhibiting artists became fixtures. Features include a horse made from an old hot water system, a turtle Chris crafted from an upturned wheelbarrow and wagon wheels incorporated into gabion walls as windows to the property at the entrance. An arbour made from upcycled irrigation channel pipes is a sight to behold in spring when the Chinese wisteria flowers white with a lavender centre.
More than 110 assorted roses are grouped by colour in separate beds and the back fence is covered with Pierre de Ronsard climbers and Banksia roses. Local pea straw is used around the roses to maintain moisture, break down into compost and aid weed suppression. “The roses are amazing when they’re all in flower,” Raelene says. “But you doubt your choices when you have to prune them all.”
As the shade canopy has grown, so have the understorey plantings and the garden will always be a work in progress. “We can never get enough time in the outdoors,” Raelene says. “It’s the only thing that makes retirement appealing as work gets in the way of gardening.”
A circular Tuscan-style amphitheatre is home to a mix of bearded irises and a large urn water feature. Palms surrounding a big pond containing water lilies, irises, fish, frogs and yabbies create an oasis-like atmosphere, while steps leading up a mound to the native section provide a great vantage point for surveying the Schultz’s decades of dedication.
While the giant movie screen has not been used since the drive-in closed in 1985, Raelene says it’s in remarkably good condition. “We’ve been offered to sell if for scrap, but it belongs on-site,” she says. “Chris would love to see it operating again. Unfortunately, issues with public access and liability make that unlikely. Still, we never knew when we started with a desolate block what we could make of it, so I guess you can never say never.
