Hinterland Retreat

Location

Currumbin Valley, QLD

Recognition

Residential

Overview

A weekend retreat and future permanent residence on a 4-hectare subtropical rainforest site in Currumbin Valley. The brief: a home that disappears into the landscape.

Challenge

A sensitive site with significant vegetation, a seasonal creek, and a steep north-facing slope. Council required no removal of established trees above 200mm diameter.

Solution

The house was planned around the existing tree canopy, with the floor plan shaped to preserve seven mature fig and eucalyptus trees. Structural columns are positioned between root zones. External cladding is charred timber — dark enough to read as shadow from the road below.

Result

Completed March 2021. Zero trees removed during construction · Building footprint covers 4.2% of total site area · Cited as a case study by the QLD Chapter of the AIA (2022).