A unique diversification strategy is set to pay dividends for Riverland winegrape and citrus growers Rick and Cathy Edmonds.
A decade ago, the couple, from Cooltong, sold part of their property to invest in a house at Broken Hill.
But when the only property they could agree upon also happened to be a bed and breakfast, they decided to begin offering luxury accommodation as part of their business portfolio.
Last month, they opened their latest accommodation venture, The Frames: three ultra-luxurious apartments which nestle on the banks of the River Murray at Paringa.
The accommodation was built with the help of a state government grant, through the Riverland Sustainable Futures Fund.
"We want to change the way people see the Riverland," Rick said.
"And this accommodation is going to help start and support that trend."
Rick said that in order to get people to come "a little bit further" they had to create something special, which he believed they did at The Frames.
"In the Riverland a lot of great things are happening," he said.
"With this product we can really sell the region to everyone."
The three apartments - two one-bedroom units and a two-bedroom unit - were designed by architect Paul Pruszinski, who also designed the Adelaide Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Overlooking the river, they each have different views from the balconies at the front.
All three are very private and self-contained.
"We've already had one of the richest men in Australia come to stay," Rick said.
"One of the people involved in Masterchef has also visited."
While Rick gave a few hints about the calibre of people who have stayed, he says the privacy of all guests is of utmost importance.
"People who visit can stay here the entire time, as the apartments are completely self-contained. We haven't spared any cost," he said.
"Otherwise we can organise trips with 'Bushman John' in an old wooden, restored 1929 boat along the backwaters of the river.
"We're planning on organising boat rides at dusk with wine and cheese.
"We can cater to whatever our guests request."
Rick completed a real estate course a decade ago and decided to invest in housing in a mining town, such as Broken Hill.
"They were great times 10 to 11 years ago (with winegrapes and citrus), so we decided to sell part of the property," he said.
"We decided to invest in a house at Broken Hill but the only one we liked was a B&B.
"It all started from there."
The Edmonds, who still live at Cooltong, were one of the first in the industry to use an electronic lock box at their accommodation. This means guests can access the keys remotely.
The lock box contains keys for the accommodation with the access code changing as different guests come and go.
* Full report in Stock Journal, June 12, 2014 issue.