More than a decade ago, we met while working in the mining industry. We fell in love, got married and began building a life around the things that mattered most to us. Dogs had always been part of that dream.
Long before Matara Creek existed in Meltosjärvi, there was another place — a quiet piece of land in Mataraoja beside the Kitinen River. There was no electricity, no running water and very few comforts. Just a small cabin, a caravan, a barrel sauna, a generator, a forest and our dogs.
It was there that we learned what “home” really meant.
Life later took us to Bulgaria, where we tried to build a new future. We returned to Finland carrying more experience, more dreams and an even stronger belief that one day we would find the place where both people and dogs truly belonged.
That place became Meltosjärvi.
We immediately fell in love with its peaceful forests, lakes and open landscapes. Meltosjärvi is a quiet village surrounded by nature, known for its birdlife, migration routes and beautiful seasons. It is a place where life moves a little slower.
Today Matara Creek stands on a former dairy farm in Meltosjärvi, Ylitornio. We continue to develop it every year — including transforming the old barn into warm winter accommodation for our Scandinavian Hounds.
We still have our own professions outside Matara Creek. Liisa is a geologist by education and works in sales within the mining industry. David operates heavy machinery and trucks and has spent many years working in mining and construction.
Matara Creek is built before work, after work, on weekends and often late into the evening. This is not a hobby. It is our way of life.