Wallaby House sits on a flat, windswept property near Torbay, bordered to the south-east by the Bibbulmun Track, coastal dunes, and the ever-present sound of the Southern Ocean. Sculpted by prevailing winds, the Warren River Cedar give way to open paddocks and a horseshoe-shaped dam to the north, with the Torbay Hills and West Cape Howe rising in the distance to the south-west.
The brief called for a robust, enduring home, comfortable in a harsh climate, generous for family life, and timeless in its aesthetic. It provided an opportunity to further refine our ongoing exploration of the modern Australian farmhouse: a pragmatic form enriched by expressive spatial qualities and deeply connected to its place.
Key priorities included passive solar performance, capturing framed views, and specifying durable, low-maintenance materials suited to severe coastal and bushfire conditions. The layout needed to accommodate everyday family rhythms, support working from home, and welcome frequent visits from guests. Trust placed in us from the outset facilitated a collaborative and considered design process, enhanced by the owner-builder’s craft and commitment to quality.
The home was not considered in isolation, but as part of a broader composition that includes a large shed and provision for a future short-stay dwelling – both intended to support daily life and the operations of the family’s business. Site planning considered access for machinery, the small herd of Angus beef cattle, and broader landscaping strategies. The intention was not to create a home that stood apart from its surroundings, but one that settled comfortably within them – resilient and responsive, yet grounded in the practical and poetic realities of rural life.
Wallaby House is an evolution of our ongoing interest in rural typologies – exploring how practical shed and gabled forms can be made compelling and lasting through proportion, materiality, and thoughtful response to context. The design comprises two north-facing gabled pavilions – one dedicated to living, the other to sleeping – connected by a glazed gallery that anchors the composition. The forms stretch across the site, echoing the dam’s curve and creating pockets of protected outdoor space in response to prevailing winds.
A defining element of the plan is the covered breezeway, drawing on the traditional dogtrot typology. Positioned between the main living areas, this open-air room acts as both circulation and year-round outdoor lounge, framing views north and south. Operable timber screens allow modulation of light, wind, and privacy, reinforcing the breezeway’s role as a protected extension of the living spaces, responsive to season and use. A smaller second breezeway connects garage and laundry, providing an informal entry and layering circulation across the site.
Internally, a broken-plan layout introduces gentle separation between shared zones. Dining and lounge spaces are divided by a rammed earth fireplace, creating intimacy and visual interest, while the kitchen opens north to a deck intended for a deciduous vine-covered pergola. A continuous 2700mm datum governs ceiling heights and material transitions, providing visual clarity to the volumes. Flat ceilings in the bedroom wing contrast with the raked American Oak-lined ceiling of the living pavilion, while dropped trusses enable concealed services and insulation without compromising the sense of space.
For its occupants, Wallaby House is lived as a place of rhythm and resilience. Daily life flows between open, sheltered, and enclosed spaces, offering a balance of formality and flexibility. Children race scooters through wide hallways, while the second lounge adapts as a playroom, guest room, or study. Cavity sliders allow wings to be closed off for comfort and efficiency. The robust material palette – burnished concrete, stabilised earth, and recycled timbers – supports family life without preciousness, gradually softening with time.
From afar, the house sits quietly yet confidently in the coastal farmland. Its elongated gables sometimes dissolve into grey skies, at other times catching the southern light and revealing the softness of its materials. More than just a residence, Wallaby House is a robust and responsive backdrop to life – holding its occupants through seasons, celebrations, and the steady rhythms of family life on the land.
While not the client’s primary focus, we advocated for sustainable design principles that enhance performance, longevity, and occupant comfort. The home’s north-facing orientation, narrow plan, and generous eaves ensure optimal solar access during winter while protecting from harsh summer sun. Glazing on the east and west facades was minimised, while operable windows and breezeways support cross ventilation and passive cooling throughout the year.
Thermal performance is bolstered through a combination of strategies. Underslab insulation helps regulate indoor temperatures year-round, while the external walls use extra-wide (140mm) timber framing to allow for increased bulk insulation. ProClima building wraps and high-performance double glazing further reduce heat transfer. Roof trusses were designed with dropped chords to conceal services while maximising insulation in the raked ceiling areas.
A solar PV array helps offset energy demands, and a heat pump provides efficient hot water. Rainwater is collected from the roof and stored on site for domestic use. The garden, which uses minimal reticulation and drought-tolerant species, is irrigated from the property’s dam. An ATU system recycles grey and black water to support a small olive grove, forming part of a closed-loop site strategy.
Materials were selected for durability and low maintenance, with preference given to recycled or locally sourced options. Where feasible, natural finishes were left exposed to avoid unnecessary linings or treatments. Collectively, these strategies enable the home to perform well across seasons with minimal reliance on mechanical systems, reinforcing comfort, efficiency, and resilience in a coastal, bushfire-prone location.
| Builder | Millbrook Construction WA |
| Landscape Design | DRIFT Landscape Studio |
| Photographer | Leo Showell |
| 2025 Design Matters National Building Design Awards | New House $1m – $2m: Winner |
| 2025 Design Matters National Building Design Awards | Rural Design: Winner |