Kyneton
Project Overview
Gavin and Deb came to us with a clear vision: leave Melbourne, restore a piece of rural land near Kyneton, and build a home that would serve them comfortably for the rest of their lives. The brief was specific: a certified Passive House Plus capable of operating off-grid, designed for ageing in place, bushfire-resilient, low-maintenance, and flexible enough to accommodate visiting family and guests in a dedicated wing.
The design responds to its rural setting with a simple gable-ended form clad in corrugated metal that is reminiscent of the shearing sheds from Gavin’s childhood farmstead. Beneath that understated exterior sits a highly engineered, all-electric home with 14 kW of rooftop solar PV, triple-glazed aluminium-clad windows, heat recovery ventilation, rainwater harvesting and a complete off-grid capability. The home generates more renewable energy annually than it consumes.
Gavin and Deb moved in during July 2024 and have since cleared weed species from the surrounding land, planting native trees, shrubs and fruit trees as part of a broader permaculture approach to restoring the property. The home sits lightly on the site, maintaining natural drainage patterns that feed a dam used for cultivation.
This is a home designed not just for comfort and performance, but for a way of living that is grounded in sustainable values, rural self-sufficiency and a deep connection to the land.
Project Details
- Location: Kyneton, Macedon Ranges, Victoria
- Project Type: New Home — Tree-Change Retirement Residence
- Certification: Passive House Plus (certification pending) by Detail Green
- Construction: Timber frame, highly insulated envelope with Glulam Beams
- Energy: All-electric, 14 kW solar PV, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) ready.
- Services: Rainwater harvesting, septic system, off-grid capable, hydraloop ready
- Completed: 2024
- Builder: Bob Mintern — BobCon
- Engineer: TGA Engineers — Rob Nestic
- Timber Fabrication: STFAB
- Energy Assessor: Prorate Energy
Our most popular project on Youtube
- This home has been viewed by more than 27,000 people (as of April 2026)
- For more project videos click here:Â Videos
Context and Design
Designed for Rural Life
The home is oriented north for optimum solar gain and to capture the best views to the manna gum tree and across the dam to the hills beyond.
An open-plan layout centres on a large, functional kitchen that serves as the heart of the home, flowing into dining and living zones defined by the rhythm of exposed timber trusses overhead.
Three sheltered porches provide the practical threshold spaces that rural living demands: somewhere to leave boots, hang coats, dry the dog, and greet guests before stepping inside.
The home opens in two directions; north-facing decks accessed through full-width lift-and-slide doors, and a sheltered southern courtyard between the house and a matching barn, protected from the harsh northerly winds that cross the site.
Comfort and Flexibility
A private guest wing with its own entrance allows adult children and visitors to stay independently.
A quiet study and library space provides a home office.
Every bathroom has an outlook to the landscape.
Ageing in Place
The accessible ensuite, level-access entry via a reclaimed timber pergola and ramp, and generous circulation widths throughout reflect the brief for a home designed to support ageing in place over decades.
Natural Connections & Biophilia
The interior atmosphere is warm and calm.
Exposed timber trusses create dramatic ceiling volumes while natural materials, considered detailing and carefully framed views of the surrounding landscape give every room a sense of place and purpose.
Pergola vines, distant hill views and the ever-present manna gum frame the outdoor living spaces. Each room has been designed for great visual connections to the landscape.Â
The living spaces and main bedrooms have dual aspect orientation and multiple access points to external terraces and covered verandas that step down onto the landscape. Â
Construction Process
Method:Â Timber Frame with Glu-lam trusses
The home is built using a highly insulated timber frame designed for exceptional airtightness. The simple gable-ended form was chosen for both its structural efficiency and its appropriateness to the rural context: a contemporary reinterpretation of the utilitarian farm buildings that have long defined the Macedon Ranges landscape.
The building envelope combines continuous insulation, airtight membranes sealed at every junction, and triple-glazed aluminium-clad windows to achieve the performance thresholds required for Passive House Plus certification. The corrugated metal cladding is durable, low-maintenance and bushfire-resistant, which is essential for this exposed rural site.
The project was delivered by David Brewer of Feature Properties, with structural engineering by Rob Nestic of TGA Engineers and timber fabrication by STFAB.
Concepts and Design Process
The design process began with the site itself: an exposed rural property with strong northerly winds, sweeping views to the south and east, a mature manna gum tree, and an existing dam that collects site run-off for cultivation.
The brief demanded a home that would sit lightly on this landscape. We oriented the building just off due north for the best combination of views and solar gain. We positioned it to maintain the natural drainage patterns feeding the dam and prevent any flooding issues. The form emerged from a conversation about memory and place. Gavin’s recollection of childhood shearing sheds gave us the gable-ended profile, the corrugated cladding, lofted ceilings, the simple eaves that protect and shade the building as well as the generous covered entrance verandahs .
The plan is organised into two distinct zones connected by a central living core. The main bedroom suite and private spaces occupy one wing, while a self-contained guest wing with its own entry occupies the other. This separation allows the home to flex between quiet daily life for two people and extended stays with family, which is a critical consideration for a retirement home designed to serve its owners over decades.
Every element was designed with accessibility and future adaptability in mind. Level thresholds, wide corridors, an accessible ensuite, and a ramped entry via a reclaimed timber pergola ensure the home can accommodate changing mobility needs without renovation. The study can become a bedroom. The guest wing can become a carer’s apartment. Nothing needs to be undone because the flexibility is built in from the start.
Sustainability and Passive House Performance
This home is a certified Passive House Plus, meaning it generates more renewable energy annually than it consumes, making it a net energy contributor.
The Passive House measures include:
Triple-glazed aluminium-clad windows positioned and sized based on PHPP energy modelling, with external shading calibrated to prevent overheating on north-facing glazing during summer while maximising solar gain in winter.
A continuous airtight building envelope with membranes and seals at every junction, verified through independent blower door testing. The measured airtightness meets the Passive House threshold of less than 0.6 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals.
A Zehnder heat recovery ventilation system providing constant filtered fresh air to every room, recovering warmth from exhaust air and maintaining healthy indoor air quality year-round without needing to open windows.
A fully all-electric design with 14 kW of rooftop solar PV and vehicle-to-grid capability. Reverse-cycle heat pump systems provide the small amount of supplementary heating and cooling the home requires. Hot water is generated by a heat pump.
Read our full guide to Passive House / Passivhaus here.Â
Low embodied energy materials throughout, including reclaimed timber and fittings, low-VOC finishes, and construction methods chosen to minimise waste and environmental impact.
The home is also designed for bushfire resilience, with fire-resistant cladding, detailing and landscaping appropriate to its BAL rating. In a region increasingly affected by extreme heat, drought and fire risk, the combination of Passive House performance, off-grid capability and climate-resilient construction provides genuine long-term security.
Bushfire & Off-Grid Systems
The home is designed to operate independently of mains services. A 14 kW rooftop solar PV array generates the home’s electricity, supported by a vehicle-to-grid ready connection that allows the owners’ electric vehicle to serve as battery storage. The home retains a grid connection because the owners are generating so much excess electricity that they can sell back to the grid for a premium rate at times of peak demand, thus generating income.Â
Rainwater is harvested and stored on site, including a CFA bushfire connection. Copper supply pipes will sprinkle roofs and gutters via a generator powered recirculation pump.Â
A standalone septic system handles wastewater. The clean treated water also feeds the dam and revegetation groves. The home was also plumbed for a hydraloop greywater harvesting and treatment system that can be finalised when this system receives statutory approval.Â
The all-electric design means no gas connection; heating, cooling, hot water and cooking are all powered by electricity generated on the roof and stored in the vehicle which is the equivalent capacity of five Tesla Home Batteries on wheels. Â
A dedicated services cloakroom houses the Zehnder heat recovery ventilation system and hot water heat pump cylinder, keeping mechanical systems accessible but silent and out of sight. Excess heat from the cylinder supplies some of the heat gains needed to meet passive house. Â
Niall, from the very first phone conversation with you we have had confidence in you and have deeply appreciated your conscientious work.
Your creativity, attention to detail and commitment to reflecting our vision has been fantastic.
We have enjoyed the relationship, your patience and sense of humour.
Thank you so much from us. We are excited to move into the home that emerged from your original scribbles!
Deb & Gavin M.
Project Videos
We have compiled detailed videos of the project from concept to completion. Â
Click to visit our youtube channel. Â
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