How A Heritage Noosa Icon Was Refurbished Into A Technicolour Guesthouse
the golden days
By Victoria Lewis | 16th October 2026For all the lives Halse Lodge has lived since it was built in the 1880s, its latest restoration is a colourful ode to Noosa’s surf culture and, wherever you may come from, a return to the feelings of those glorious golden days in the sun.
When you visit Noosa’s iconic heritage landmark, Halse Lodge, you’ll find the footprints of Chloe Tozer’s childhood throughout the property. You’ll see signs of her blurry memories from sun-dazed afternoons spent at the lodge in the ’90s, sipping lemonade and playing ping-pong on the very table that still occupies the back verandah. You’ll catch glimpses of her grandparents’ striped caravan awnings imprinted on the fabric of sun-bleached deck chairs that locals sink into with a pint of local beer.
It’s a form of Australian nostalgia that Chloe has made palpable in every corner of the lodge through the interior design fit-out led by her brand, CLO Studios. Having grown up in Noosa, Chloe’s connection to Halse Lodge is much like that of the local community – drenched in happy memories. She and her family took on their “dream project” of meticulously restoring the heritage accommodation and adjoining restaurant in 2024, when the lodge had been partially closed following COVID. “We just really wanted to keep the soul of what we remembered it being in its best days,” Chloe says.
What stands there now, atop a steep hill just above Hastings Street, is a character-filled representation of a contemporary coastal guesthouse. The lodge is a tribute to Noosa’s surf culture, created by the locals who have grown up within it. “It really became like a community project,” Chloe reflects. Artisans handmade the new bunk beds, Chloe’s extended family members sewed all the curtains, and local builders were dedicated to finding replacement materials to restore the bar to its former glory. “You go there on the weekends, and you see those same tradesmen now enjoying the bar, and everyone’s very proud of the project.”
Given total freedom over the design, Chloe’s creative process was driven by feeling. “If you think about growing up and going on summer holidays, how does that feel?” she asked herself. Walking through the main house, there is a familiar comfort in the vinyl records and dolphin-blue sofas, the original timber floors and trinkets collected over years of travel. It’s a feeling Chloe sometimes struggles to put into words. “It’s like a very special energy,” she describes.
With her passion for the Noosa community, each element of the design tells a story that feels distinctly connected to place. Rather than drawing on generic, often European- inspired coastal interiors, Chloe says, “I think it’s more refreshing to actually embrace where you are and do that to the best ability that you can.” The Rainforest Rooms, the last piece of the property to open earlier this year, are prime examples. The building, consisting of two female-only cabins and a two-bedroom private suite, is cantilevered over the trees, with a glossy bottle-green ceiling, accented by skylights, reflecting its hue onto the rooms. “You really feel like you are under the water,” Chloe says proudly. Working with the natural surroundings, it’s a pocket of the lodge that showcases the natural beauty of the region in full, and one that puts Chloe’s creative prowess on display. Elevated details and playful touches perfectly complement the natural outlook. Banana palms dance softly through skylights, sunlight trickles in through ’70s-inspired linen curtains, and dolphin motifs appear on quirky wall art and vintage trinkets.
While the interiors are beautifully curated, it was always the goal to make Halse Lodge a place where everyone feels welcome. On any given day, you’ll spot young locals challenging worldly travellers to a game of pool, while backpackers and families spill out onto the grass alongside each other during the restaurant’s happy hour, as the sun dips below the trees. The energy at Halse Lodge is a heartwarming form of time travel. A journey back to the sense of freedom Chloe felt running around the lodge as a child. Now, with a young family of her own, the restoration has given Chloe the chance to renew her beloved memories at the lodge. “We go there every weekend, and that’s not just because we’re tied to it. It’s because it is just such a fun place to go.”
Imagery: Tim Salisbury / Dylan James Lark
