TREAD LIGHTLY

This serene leafy haven, designed with eco-friendly building in mind, beckons you quietly to get comfortable and stay awhile

- CARROL BAKER

DETAILS
HOUSE Mornington Peninsula Eco Retreat
LOCATION Mornington Peninsula
INITIAL BUDGET $650,000
FINAL COST $700,000
DATE COMMENCED April 2022
DATE COMPLETED March 2023

This high-performance eco-friendly house was constructed with passive house principles at its heart and sits within a beautiful native garden landscape. The project could serve as a blueprint for eco-friendly living, all achieved on a relatively modest budget by today's construction costs.

Before this cosy dwelling was built, the block was a bushy 1000sqm parcel of land covered in moonah trees, weeds, and plant species that were not indigenous to the area. Homeowner and broadcast journalist Yvonne Yong says the inspiration for the project was to create a home with the smallest footprint possible - "all while using locally sourced, natural materials as features of the property", she comments.

This split-level coastal retreat offers a relaxed space for those wanting to enjoy nature and the nearby thermal springs. The home consists of three bedrooms, bathroom, a powder room and a WC, laundry, kitchen/ dining and open-plan living area. There's also window bench seating to relax and drink in the natural bushland views. A soaring raked ceiling that creates a sense of expansiveness, outdoor shower, carport, front porch, back deck and firepit make up the rest of the project.