After relocating from Sydney to the Hunter Valley in 2017, Sally and Craig sought a community they could truly call home. They found it at Shepherd’s Ground, an eco-conscious village at Butterwick, roughly 13 kilometers northeast of Maitland. Nestled on 270 acres of farmland at the base of the Paterson Valley, Shepherd’s Ground is envisioned as a 30-house community, with most homes now completed or under construction.
The village masterplan, crafted by Greg Burgess and approved by Port Stephens Council in 2015, provided a series of home designs. One of these became the foundation for Sally and Craig’s residence, which we adapted to frame expansive views to the South and West. A popped gable on the western end, proposed by builder Steve Denshire from Goodwood Constructions, creates a cosy reading nook and guest bedroom, blending practicality with charm.
The home is built with a timber frame and hemp walls, using locally grown and milled hemp. Externally, the walls are lime rendered, while internally the hemp remains exposed, its texture and warmth left unapologetically visible. Vaulted ceilings are clad with reclaimed custom orb, adding familiar character to the interior.
The spaces are generously proportioned, and the material palette is resolutely earthy, anchoring the home to its surrounding farmland. The hemp walls have proven remarkably durable, keeping the interior at a stable, comfortable temperature year-round. This is a home that embodies the essence of a rural farmhouse, quietly evolving alongside the surrounding permaculture gardens.
