1 Simms Court, Riddells Creek VIC 3431

Escape to a wondrous sanctuary to live in a quiet, peaceful and tranquil environment, closer to nature? The answer could be among the rolling hills of Riddells Creek in an Aussie bush-style home of rustic corrugated iron, oiled up weatherboards reminiscent of a country schoolhouse of a century back with wildlife in abundance. Built in the late 1920s/early 1930s as a basic weatherboard and more recently given an enviro update by eco designer, the visual simplicity here is a joy. For behind its iconic bush look is a raft of low-emission, ‘light touch upon the land’ features. From its passive solar design and orientation and it’s all-over insulation to the polished E-crete slab of its newer section, kind earth techniques abound. It was the first house in Australia to use revolutionary E-crete – created from fly ash, the by-product of burning coal at power stations, and slag, the by-product of steel manufacturing – with 60% less carbon involved in its production than for conventional concrete. Its big double glazed windows at the front suck in warming winter sun while a little eve shades the interior from summer glare. Comprising two distinct sections – part of the reworked original house and a newer wing – the home’s interior is rich in organic features such as polished pine flooring, massive recycled rail-sleeper support pillars, giant redgum-slab benches, standout cherrywood-fronted wardrobes, and a feature wall of oiled weatherboards salvaged from the outside of the house during construction. Heating bills are minimised with solar power being returned to the grid, a low-emission wood-fire provides extra warmth, and water is collected off roofs and natural gas and town water is also connected. Sitting on an idyllic lightly treed hillside on approx 6153m2, the home is at one with its surrounds. If you’re looking for character and you’re tired of soul-less houses with no sustainability features, this is the house for you! Well worth a visit!