A private house and creative refuge overlooking Victoria’s spectacular South Gippsland coastline, engulfed by majestic limestone cliffs upon the shore of a famously magic beach.

Ideally sized for 1-2 people to comfortably retreat to, Jacky Winter Waters is luxuriously minimal. All amenities have been carefully curated to encourage connection with the natural environment.

Please read full 'House Rules' section before submitting your booking request (at bottom of listing, hit 'View More').

The space
Designed by Imogen Pullar Architecture, the concept for Jacky Winter Waters was to provide the essentials of living, a place to rest the mind and body, and connect with nature. It's not a tiny house, but it's not a full beach house. It is a luxurious minimal space – perfectly sized for one or two to retreat to.

With the small footprint, we are able to strip away the unnecessary elements of a typical house (i.e. entry foyers, hallways, rooms for beds) – and provide shelter in its purest form, somewhere to cook, somewhere to bathe, somewhere to rest — all within the one volume of space.

The small footprint also means that there is minimal impact on the site and the environment as a whole. The space does not feel small or tight, however. Its tall, raked ceilings give a sense of openness, a single internal material – white washed radiata pine ply — wraps around the interior walls, floors and cabinetry, reducing the visual clutter of the interior space.

The large deck is a platform for living outside, where one can experience this unique place, the expansive views to Waratah Bay and Wilson Promontory beyond.

Creating a small footprint retreat of only the essentials of living was quite a challenge on this site. With a Bushfire attack level of flame zone to most of the site, steep terrain, site erosion, the highly corrosive marine environment, and no connection to town water supply or sewerage – meant the house needed to be robust, self-sufficient in terms of water use, and designed to work within the challenging landscape.

On top of these challenges, we set our own brief to create a healthy, comfortable, and energy efficient home by incorporating low toxicity materials, continuous and complete insulation around the entire envelope of the house, vapour permeable air tight wraps, all timber construction, and a heat recovery ventilation system that provides fresh filtered air to the building continuously to maintain healthy indoor air quality. Active heating and cooling is only needed in extreme weather conditions — with the windows providing solar gains in winter, and cooling breezes in summer — and the airtight wraps and insulation help maintain comfortable temperatures in the cooler evenings.

The success of the project came from the collaborative effort of so many people who are all experts in their field working together.

Guest access
During your stay you will have complete and private access to the house itself and surrounding property, including the private track to the beach. The on-site caravan and storage shed will not be accessible and will remain vacant throughout your stay.

Other things to note
Jacky Winter Waters has been designed as a place for contemplative retreat for singles or couples. The property is not yet suitable for pets and children, but we hope to allow for this soon.

To ensure a successful stay, please take note of the following:

-Complimentary Market Lane Coffee and teas are provided along with a variety of breakfast jams and other spreads.

-There is no internet or television at the property. During peak times, mobile reception may be difficult to get.

-The house runs on tank water and gas, please be mindful of water usage.

-All linen and bath towels are provided, but please bring your own beach towels.

-Walkerville has no waste disposal service, so all rubbish and recyclables must be taken away with you. Details on the transfer station will be in your welcome pack.

-All wastewater is treated on-site in our septic system. Please do not flush anything down the drain or toilet other than our provided toilet paper and cleaning supplies.

**Please note, the specific interior objects included in the house may vary slightly to those shown in photographs. **