Suzzanah and Gavin were drawn to Shepherd’s Ground, an eco-village 13 kilometers Northeast of Maitland through shared values around regenerative agriculture, sustainability and community. Settling on a plot in the Northwest corner of the build site, they were looking for a home that met the needs of their growing family without the financial strain of a huge mortgage.
Greg Burgess’ original house plans became the starting point for their four bedroom home which was adapted to include a basement workshop on the sloping site. The timber framed home incorporates rendered hemp masonry walls, a generous front verandah, a winter deck, rain water tanks and solar.
Overlooking the veggie garden and paddocks beyond, the front verandah is multi-functional, providing space to dry produce, store bikes and enjoy a morning coffee. The winter deck off the art studio provides a breakout space and adds an extra layer of thermal comfort, shading the Western wall in Summer. Reclaimed materials like the timber doors and windows give the home character.
Internally open plan living spaces and high ceilings create a spacious feel. “Off-the shelf” materials were often selected, meaning costs were easier to track and supply was guaranteed throughout construction. Looking beyond moving in, Gavin and Suzannah considered maintenance and repairs as an important part of their brief.
Meticulously planned and researched, Gavin and Suzzanah’s home is now a bustling hub for their teenage children and friends within Shepherd’s Ground. Their original brief was realised as a functional, affordable, adaptable home, able to be enjoyed for many years to come.
Drawn by a shared commitment to regenerative agriculture, sustainability, and community, Suzzanah and Gavin found their place at Shepherd’s Ground, an eco-conscious village North of Maitland. Set within the northwestern edge of the site, their chosen plot offered both outlook and opportunity—a setting in which they could shape a home attuned not only to the land, but to the rhythms of family life. Central to their brief was a careful balancing act: to create a home generous enough to support a growing household, while remaining financially viable-prioritising simplicity and long-term affordability over excess.
The starting point for the design was one of Greg Burgess’ original house plans, carefully adapted to respond to the sloping site. The sloping site presented the opportunity for a basement workshop—an industrious, practical space that anchors the home both physically and functionally. The timber-framed structure with rendered hemp masonry walls forms a robust, low impact envelope. The home extends outward through a series of purposeful spaces: a generous front verandah and a winter deck adjoining the art studio.
Overlooking productive gardens and open paddocks, the front verandah is the social and functional heart of the home. Serving as an adaptable space, the verandah is used for drying produce, storage for bikes and morning coffees. To the west, the winter deck offers a more sheltered retreat, mediating seasonal extremes by shading the home in summer while providing a sunlit refuge in cooler months. These layered spaces contribute not only to comfort, but to a way of living that is closely tied to climate and landscape.
Reclaimed timber doors and windows introduce warmth and character, reinforcing a material palette that is both modest and enduring. Internally, open-plan living areas and high ceilings create a sense of ease and generosity. A reliance on readily available, “off-the-shelf” materials helped maintain cost certainty and streamline construction, while also supporting future maintenance and repair.
Beyond the initial build, longevity and ease of maintenance were integral to the brief. Every decision—material, layout, construction method—was informed by a desire for durability and adaptability over time. The result is a home that not only meets the immediate needs of family life but is resilient enough to evolve alongside it.
Thoughtfully resolved, the home now operates as a lively hub for family and friends. It is a place shaped by careful decisions—functional, adaptable, and grounded in its landscape—designed to be lived in and evolve over time.
