Keith and Janet Hillam
Life is like a box of Chocolates …
77 years ago in the small town of Caltowie (near Port Pirie in South Australia) when Keith Hillam was in year three, young Janet came to that same school in year one. That was the start of a very special personal and business relationship.
Fast forward to December 2021 and Brendan Taylor is sitting with Keith and Janet in the sunroom of their Shenton Park home feeling privileged to be finding out more about this extraordinary partnership.
They have owned and operated many businesses in completely different industries over many decades, as well as working for others and raising three girls. As you read this, they still own The Beach House at Bayside, an award winning boutique hotel near Middleton Beach Albany, which is now run by their daughter, Sally, and son-in-law, Craig.
But let’s go back to Caltowie.
There were 36 kids in the school all in one classroom, with one teacher. “Seven grades in one class had its challenges but we must have learnt something.” Keith clearly remembers Janet after school, walking from the school carrying her brown case to the convent for music practice.
They were both from small family farms. Keith was on 700 acres, farming sheep and grain with his parents and brother. Janet was nearby on 800 acres with her parents.
They hardly ever left town in those days. For high school Keith went to Jamestown, 7 miles away. Then Janet moved to boarding school in Adelaide “to broaden my horizons”.
Keith did very well for three years at high school then moved back to the farm. Keith says, “this was probably the worst decision of my life. I could have done a lot more with my education”.
Janet also did three years of high school and completed her ‘Intermediate’ certificate. Very few went past year 10 and onto the ‘Leaving’ certificate.
Janet wanted to become a Kindergarten teacher. So she moved back to Caltowie and started working at the primary school at age 17 to gain a junior teaching qualification. It was around this time that Keith and Janet became keen on each other.
But then Janet took a job as governess at Mern Mern Station on the other side of the Flinders Ranges. She worked for the Spiers family teaching the 6 kids (well before school of the air started).
Janet moved back to Caltowie aged 19 and married Keith soon after. They worked and share-farmed on both of their parents’ farms and looked to expand those farms but the opportunities were not there.
So, after a few years and with two young children they packed up in 1966 and moved west to a farm just north of Many Peaks. The 2200 acres was partly cleared so, “we got to work and cleared the rest. We ran Corriedale sheep and were one of the first to breed Charolais cattle using imported semen. We also grew canola in 1972, possibly the first year it was grown in WA. It was badly affected by disease so we never grew it again. After 10 years we sold that farm in a land swap deal for another at Youngs Siding near Denmark plus we leased another block running cattle. During this time Janet also setup a stall selling woolen products at the Agridome in the old Albany Wool Stores.” Does anyone remember that?
A move into Albany saw a change of direction. Keith sold cars for Northside Chrysler for a while then worked as a land agent for Western Livestock. Meanwhile Janet bought an antiques shop (Terrace Antiques) on Stirling Terrace, Albany. “We always had an eye for quality goods and that turned into a passion that has survived to this day.” They relocated the Albany store to Claremont. They became antique dealers, travelling to many countries including UK, Europe, Singapore and Hong Kong buying for consumers’ insatiable desire at that time for quality antique furniture and accessories. “This was an enjoyable period of our lives, with loyal and repeat customers. We both worked very hard during this time.”
In another complete change of direction Keith and Janet closed the store and moved back to Albany. They bought some land just out of town which they subdivided and sold, and then another at Oyster Harbour.
“Our accountant at the time told us we really should do something that produces real cashflow.
“We took this advice very literally and bought Greens Lottery Kiosk in the old Coles Shopping Centre. Lottery tickets, lotto and cigarettes definitely produce cashflow but after seven years the big retailers started cutting prices, taking most of our profit margin. So we sold and looked for something different. We had many years in customer service but had never attempted true hospitality.
“So we bought a large block in Middleton Beach with a view to build a top-end boutique bed and breakfast hotel. After significant planning for a lovely building we engaged a builder. It was only at this point we discovered the cost to build what we wanted was unaffordable and we reluctantly sold the block.”
Luckily another larger block came up towards Emu Point in a brand new subdivision near the new golf clubhouse. The larger block opened the opportunity for a different style hotel and Keith and Janet built this in 2001. “All those years travelling the UK and Europe staying in B&B’s strongly influenced the style of this hotel”. The Beach House at Bayside was born. It originally had seven rooms and has since expanded to 10. “High quality customer service has remained a focus and contributed to our success through the 20 years at the Beach House, and it has filled a niche market for astute local and overseas travelers.”
“We thought our service was exceptional. However when our daughter, Sally, and son-in-law, Craig, gave up their successful careers in hospitality in Melbourne to move here to manage the Beach House in 2008, the quality of service stepped up another gear.”
As a result, The Beach House at Bayside has won many state and national tourism and business awards for excellence.
Keith and Janet moved to Perth in 2012 to slow down a bit and do a bit of travel.
“We travelled and cruised a bit but Covid put a sudden stop to that. Retirement now revolves around our children, grandchildren and a great grandchild, meeting friends, walking through Kings Park and regular trips to Albany.
“There have been so many valuable business and life lessons learnt at every step along the way:
Learn the basics first and the rest will work itself out
Customer service is so important, even in those fleeting relationships with people buying lotto and cigarettes
You have to be always on the ball, you must not lapse or lose concentration
If there is something you want to do then get organized and have a go
If you remain straight and simple and honest then it will almost always work out
Do things that interest you.”
And finally Keith finishes off saying, “I have some regrets about not taking my opportunity at school, but also not. Who knows what would have happened if I went on to university. We have had such a wonderful life with so much variety”.
Visit
W: www.thebeachouseatbayside.com.au
