Home Tour: The Hillside Haven That’s Redefining Retreats

Nestled among the undulating green hills of South Gippsland, with sweeping views to Wilsons Promontory and Corner Inlet, Fishharven is a weekend and holiday retreat designed to feel like it has always belonged.

Created by Neil Architecture for a couple with three adult children, the four-bedroom home responds poetically to its agricultural setting just outside Fish Creek — both in form and materiality.

Design Inspired By Simplicity

Inspired by the humble utility buildings scattered across the farmland, the home is composed of three pitched-roof pavilions clad in galvanised corrugated iron. The sculptural forms are interconnected by glazed flat-roof sections that create a visually striking rhythm across the site. These sections also skilfully orient the interiors toward breathtaking southern views while shielding them from prevailing winds.

“We wanted the house to feel sculptural, simple and sympathetic,” says David Neil, Director of Neil Architecture. “It needed to sit gently in the landscape, never dominating it — a place of calm and protection that celebrates nature.”

Throughout the build, the architecture team enjoyed a seamless collaboration with both their trusted repeat clients and builder Kane Worthy of Worthy Constructions, whose exceptional attention to detail brought the vision to life.

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A Warm and Grounded Palette

Inside, the material palette takes a warm and tactile turn. Yellow stringybark timber lines the walls and ceilings, polished concrete floors reveal warm-toned aggregate, and the guest bedrooms are wrapped in earthy hessian wallpaper. The bathrooms feature terracotta floor tiles and smooth custom-colour waterproof renders, while benchtops in the kitchen and bathrooms are crafted from robust Stone Italiana slabs. Interior furnishings and artworks curated by Nicole Bell complement the palette with tonal depth and a relaxed elegance.

“The materials were chosen to feel warm and grounded — to reflect the landscape, but also to contrast the home’s robust exterior,” Neil explains. “There’s a beautiful sense of balance.”

A key visual anchor is the external fireplace chimney — a sculptural detail reminiscent of a relic left standing after time and weather has worn everything else away. It evokes the past while grounding the home firmly in the present.

Designed for Balance

The layout encourages connection and retreat in equal measure. A central living space with a fireplace is flanked by two distinct zones: a private main suite with study to the east and a family wing with additional bedrooms, a second living space, and a snug to the west. The north-facing walled garden offers a protected outdoor area, making the home liveable and inviting in every season.

Now shortlisted in the Residential Design category at the 2025 Australian Interior Design Awards, Fishharven is a testament to thoughtful design rooted in place — a serene, enduring sanctuary for its owners, and an architectural triumph for Neil and his team.

Project Credits

• Styling: Nicole Bell Design @nicolebelldesign
• Interiors: Neil Architecture
• Build: Kane Worthy of Worthy Constructions
• Landscaping: Acre Landscape Designers
• Photography: Tom Blachford @blachford
• Words: Jessica Clark @jess__clark

Loved our tour of this rural retreat and want more stylish home inspiration? Take a peek inside this sky-high sanctuary in Sydney’s Darling Point, or explore the small yet mighty Melbourne apartment that packs a seriously stylish punch.