Wildlings Nest
The Vision
Wildlings Nest was conceived as the ultimate escape — a place to disconnect from the demands of modern life and reconnect with the raw beauty of Tasmania's wilderness. The brief was deceptively simple: create a warm, contemporary home in one of the most remote and challenging building locations in northern Tasmania, near the iconic Cradle Mountain. What made this project extraordinary wasn't just the destination but the journey to get there — both literally and figuratively.
Reached by a winding gravel road that climbs through dense eucalypt forest, the site sits on a cleared hilltop overlooking the Lemonthyme Valley and Lake Cethana. The views are breathtaking in every direction: ancient rainforest canopy, distant mountain peaks, and skies so clear that the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye. But with this extraordinary setting came extraordinary challenges — no mains power, no town water, limited mobile reception, and weather that can swing from sunshine to snowfall in a single afternoon.
The architecture firm m|arkitecture designed a home that would feel both protective and connected — a warm cocoon against the mountain weather that still allows its occupants to feel immersed in the landscape. The barn-style form is a deliberate nod to the agricultural buildings that historically dotted Tasmania's highlands, while the contemporary material palette ensures the home will withstand decades of exposure to wind, rain, and UV.
Exterior
The exterior of Wildlings Nest is designed to endure. Clad in durable Colorbond steel, the building envelope provides a sleek, contemporary aesthetic while ensuring extremely low maintenance — a critical consideration for a property this remote, where regular upkeep visits aren't always practical. The dark cladding helps the building recede into the landscape when viewed from a distance, its form echoing the surrounding ridgelines.
Warm, inviting touches of dressed Blackbutt timber on the deck and soffits create a striking contrast against the metal cladding, adding a layer of rustic elegance that softens the contemporary form. The generous timber deck wraps around the northern face of the home, creating an outdoor living space that captures the sun while offering panoramic views across the valley.
But perhaps the most talked-about feature is the outdoor stone bath. Positioned on the deck with uninterrupted views of the surrounding wilderness, it's the kind of feature that defines a property — imagine soaking in hot water on a cold mountain evening, surrounded by silence, watching the stars emerge one by one. It's pure, unadulterated luxury in the most elemental setting imaginable. The stone bath has become the signature image of Wildlings Nest and the reason it's now one of Tasmania's most sought-after short-stay properties.
Interior
Inside, Wildlings Nest achieves a remarkable balance between cosiness and grandeur. Double-glazed windows maximise natural light and energy efficiency while framing breathtaking mountain views — each window has been positioned to capture a specific vista, so that even from bed or the kitchen bench, you're connected to the landscape outside. The spacious open-plan living area is highlighted by a stunning raked ceiling that draws the eye upward, creating a sense of volume and airiness that makes the compact floor plan feel generous.
The wood heater is the heart of the home, both literally and figuratively. On cold mountain evenings — and they can be seriously cold at this altitude — the combustion heater fills the living space with radiant warmth, its flickering light adding an atmosphere that no electric heater could replicate. A heat transfer system distributes this warmth to the bedrooms, ensuring comfort throughout the home without the need for additional heating sources.
The kitchen is a functional and beautiful space, featuring custom timber joinery, ample storage, and stylish feature tiles that add personality without overwhelming the natural palette. Whether you're preparing a simple breakfast or cooking a feast for friends, the kitchen's generous bench space and thoughtful layout make it a pleasure to use. The tiled bathroom and powder room continue the theme of understated luxury, with a double rainfall shower that feels indulgent after a day of hiking in the surrounding national parks.
Materials & Craftsmanship
Every material in Wildlings Nest has been chosen for durability, beauty, and appropriateness to its extreme location. Polished concrete floors flow throughout the main living areas, providing a modern, easy-to-maintain surface that also serves as thermal mass — absorbing the sun's warmth during the day and radiating it back through the evening. Feature tiles in the kitchen and laundry add personality and style to these practical spaces, while quality Tasmanian Oak internal doors and hardwood joinery add warmth and character throughout.
The attention to storage is noteworthy — in a property that functions as both a personal retreat and a short-stay rental, clutter-free spaces are essential. Every cupboard, shelf, and nook has been planned to ensure the home remains organised and serene, regardless of how many guests are staying.
Building in this location required a level of logistical planning that went far beyond a typical residential project. Every material, every tool, every tradesperson had to travel the winding gravel road to reach the site. Concrete trucks, timber deliveries, and crane lifts all had to be carefully scheduled around weather windows and road conditions. The Davies team's experience building in remote Tasmanian locations was invaluable — they understood that in places like this, preparation and planning are everything.
Off-Grid Technology
Wildlings Nest is fully off-grid, generating all its own power through a comprehensive solar panel and battery storage system. This isn't a compromise — it's a conscious choice that aligns with the property's philosophy of self-sufficiency and minimal environmental impact. The system is sized to comfortably handle the demands of modern living, including hot water, lighting, cooking appliances, and even guest charging points.
The building envelope has been engineered for performance in this demanding climate. The 120mm wall cavities accommodate R3 insulation batts, while the 'hot roof' system features R6 insulation — creating a thermal barrier that keeps the home warm through Cradle Mountain's freezing winters and comfortable during its mild summers. Thermally broken double-glazed aluminium windows prevent heat loss through the glazing, while the heat transfer system maximises and evens out warmth from the wood heater across all rooms.
The result is a home that feels effortlessly comfortable regardless of what's happening outside. Guests consistently comment on how warm and cosy the home feels, even when snow is falling outside the windows. That combination of extreme comfort in an extreme location is what makes Wildlings Nest so special — and it's a direct result of the performance-first approach that Davies brings to every project.
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