Jacky winter waters is a colorful cabin with an abstract mural in forest setting.

Jacky Winter Waters

Embracing the Essentials: A Minimalist Coastal Retreat

–

Nestled in a beautiful landscape overlooking Waratah Bay and Wilsons Promontory, this coastal retreat embodies the essence of simple, intentional living. Designed to provide a place to rest both mind and body while staying connected to nature, the home strips away excess, offering only what is necessary for comfort and tranquillity. It is not a tiny house, nor is it a full-scale beach house—it is a luxurious yet minimal space, perfect for one or two, with the ability to expand to accommodate up to five.

With its small footprint, the design embraces shelter in its purest form. Everything needed—spaces for cooking, bathing, and resting—exists within a singular, well-considered volume. Yet despite its compact size, the home never feels confined. Tall, raked ceilings create an expansive sense of openness, while a singular internal material—white-washed radiata pine ply—wraps seamlessly around the interior walls, floors, and cabinetry, minimising visual clutter and enhancing the calm atmosphere. Clever storage solutions and custom-designed furniture, including a seat that transforms into a bed, ensure that every inch of space is used efficiently. A locally sourced hardwood timber staircase adds warmth and durability, reinforcing the retreat’s connection to its surroundings.

The retreat extends beyond its walls, inviting the outdoors in; a corten steel deck allows guests to soak in the unique surroundings, shifting light and changing tides.

Country:
Bunurong and Gunaikurnai

Location:
Walkerville, VIC

Project Team:
Imogen Pullar + Nayan Puri

Builder:
MVH Constructions

Photographer:
Marnie Hawson

Stylist:
Jess Kneebone

Total Cost:
<$500K

Year:
2021

Small living space with white washed ply lining, featuring a kitchenette, table, light blue and white seating, and decorative cushions. A staircase with a netting banister leads to a mezzanine, along with an open sliding door leading outside.
Jacky Winter Waters small ply lined living room with a blue sofa, table, wall lamp, orange and white rug, staircase with black netting, and a yellow ottoman.
Jacky Winter Waters calm white washed ply interior is visible through the sliding doors while the exterior walls are covered in a colourful abstract mural.
Jacky Winter Waters minimalist kitchen with white washed ply cabinetry, small sink, and white laminate benchtops, next to an open dining area with a ply table, blue seating, and a round stool. Outdoor greenery is visible through the windows.
Kitchen shelves and cabinetry, wall and ceiling lining are all in the same white washed ply lining at Jacky Winter Waters. A black wall-mounted light fixture is visible above.

“Photographs and words are powerful things. But the best places really have to be experienced to be understood. They engage every sense. They lodge at a cellular level. Linger long after you’ve left. A little like meditation.

So it is with Jacky Winter Waters, an unusual creative refuge on the breathtakingly beautiful land of the Brataualung people of the Gunaikurnai Nation, where spectacular limestone cliffs, towering eucalypts and dense bush meet rolling surf 100 metres below.”

Kath Dolan - Green Magazine

The living area at Jacky Winter Waters features sliding doors leading to a deck with outdoor chairs, overlooking a scenic view of trees and the ocean. The room features ply walls, a small blue shelf, and a kitchenette.
At Jacky WInter Waters a banquette seat unfolds to a bed. White washed plywood is used throughout the interior and a staircase features a black net railing. Cozy seating area with cushions and throw blanket under stairs.
Simple minimal bathroom at Jacky Winter waters with sliding door, plant, towel, and outdoor view.

Designing with Purpose

The site was assessed as having a high Bushfire Attack Level and presented multiple challenges, including steep topography, a highly corrosive marine environment, and no connection to town water or sewerage. These constraints led to a design that is robust and self-sufficient, adapting to its environment rather than imposing on it.

The client’s vision was clear: a home that prioritises health, comfort, and energy efficiency. This meant selecting low-toxicity materials, ensuring continuous insulation around the entire building envelope, and integrating vapour-permeable airtight wraps. The all-timber construction and an advanced heat recovery system provide fresh, filtered air, maintaining exceptional indoor air quality. The home’s passive design allows for natural heating in winter through solar gain, while strategically placed openings invite cooling breezes in summer. Active heating and cooling are only needed in extreme weather conditions, with the airtight wraps and high-performance insulation ensuring a consistently comfortable indoor climate.

The mezzanine bedroom at Jacky Winter Waters featuring a ceiling fan, a large window with an ocean views, a timber chair, and a blue rug.
The mezzanine bedroom at Jacky Winter Waters featuring yellow bedding and a black net partition and a black adjustable wall lamp.
Jacky Winter Waters is a small cabin with colorful abstract mural exterior in a lush forest setting.
Abstract mural with blue, black, white, and beige shapes on a lined cladding at Jacky Winter Water.

“From the street level, I love how one of the characters is peeking out from the bush to say hello to those walking on the beach or street. It’s just the best feeling to see someone crack a smile when they see it.

I absolutely love that it creates a bit of an unexpected moment, yet is also very complementary to the environment and blends into its surrounds.”

Jeremy Wortman

Jacky Winter Waters features a colourful mural on its exterior wall, partially obscured by trees and plants.
Architectural floor plans of Jacky Winter Waters.
Jacky Winter Waters colorful mural and ocean view.

A Collective Achievement

Bringing this project to life was a true collaboration—an achievement made possible by the expertise and dedication of many. Every challenge was met with innovation, resulting in a space that is both a sanctuary and a celebration of its environment.

This retreat is more than just a structure; it’s an experience—one that we are incredibly proud to have shared.

Abstract mural on Jacky Winter Waters facade peeking through the dense forest.
Coastal landscape at sunset with rocky shoreline and bushes.
Perforated metal deck with colorful mural at Jacky Winter Waters, surrounded by lush green trees and foliage, with a group of people gathered in the background.
Jacky Winter Waters metal deck overlooking the sea, two people standing, and outdoor chairs.

“I knew it was going to be cool, but I didn’t know it was going to be that experiential.

Every time I go there I just relax. I sit just there and look out that window. I make a cup of tea and sit there, and don’t think about anything. I think it’s actually achieving that mindfulness retreat concept. You just want to sit there, make a fire, go for a walk onto the beach, eat some delicious food, and sleep. They’re really important things.”

Imogen (architect)

Jacky Winter Waters modern interior with sliding glass door, plywood walls, colorful decor, and a patterned rug on tiled floor. Outside wall features a striped towel and a painted design with a smiling face.