About Us
Pinerolo, The Children's Book Cottage
Pinerolo is situated on the picturesque Shipley Plateau, 2km south-west of Blackheath in the iconic Blue Mountains. Our property backs onto the Megalong Valley where kangaroos, wallabies, lyrebirds, bowerbirds, black cockatoos and other wildlife live, and frequently visit us. Shipley Plateau was renowned for its apple orchards and there is just one remaining. However, what does remain are the hundreds of majestic pine trees which were planted as windbreaks, and our historic packing shed. We named the property Pinerolo (‘place of pines’), after the ancient town in Piedmont, northern Italy that we have visited many times.
Margaret Hamilton AM
Margaret Hamilton had many years experience in children’s books — as a children’s librarian, a bookseller, a publisher and as a parent. In 1987 she left her position as director at Hodder & Stoughton Australia to begin Margaret Hamilton Books with her husband Max. The company built up a reputation for high quality children’s books and was dedicated to the philosophy ‘that children have a right to the best of everything, especially books’. Margaret Hamilton Books won many awards and had considerable success on the world market. It became a Division of Scholastic Australia in 1996, where the imprint remains. Margaret’s passion for picture books, her enthusiasm for the world of Australian illustrators, and her recognition of the need for wider promotion of picture books, led her to create Pinerolo. Margaret died on 24 November 2022.
Melissa Hamilton
Melissa Hamilton has spent many years working in the children's book industry as a bookseller and education specialist. Melissa has a passion for promoting children's learning through quality resources. She is a graphic design professional and responsible for the creative direction of Pinerolo.
Opening Hours
Pinerolo is no longer open for visitors
