Down South
In the NSW coastal town on Bendalong, TF Architects and New View Building Solutions have created Down South, a stunning home that sits harmoniously in its pristine bushland surrounds.
Set on a 40-hectare mountaintop site in the small NSW coastal hamlet of Bendalong, Down South is a residence designed to exist in quiet dialogue with its surroundings. Sweeping views across the ocean, lake and mountains are framed by stands of blackbutt and old-growth forest, while the house itself is conceived to sit lightly on the land, allowing the natural slope and vegetation to remain uninterrupted. Built in collaboration with TF Architects and lead builder Chris Hayward and lead carpenter Haydan Ralph of New View Building Solutions, the project was completed over two years and operates entirely off-grid.
The property’s history informs its design. Tony Freeman, the owner and architect, first renovated here in 2015 with Hayward, only for the house to be destroyed during the 2019-20 bushfires. The new build presented an opportunity to create a dwelling that combines resilience, sustainability and a considered relationship with the land, where every decision responds to both function and the surrounding environment.
The house is organised around a central courtyard, where a 12-metre pool and cabana form a quiet, sun-filled heart. Living spaces open directly to the landscape, immersing residents in their surroundings, while the bedroom wing offers privacy and shelter, elevated to provide a treehouse-like outlook over the land. The layout is divided into four zones: an airy, welcoming entry corridor framed in glass; a cluster of bedrooms; a pavilion for living, dining and cooking; and a lower level that steps with the terrain to accommodate a rumpus room, gym and storage. Operable louvres and carefully considered orientation allow for natural ventilation and passive climate control throughout.
Opposite the entry, a covered deck presents a seamless connection to the expansive living, dining, and kitchen pavilion, encased in timber-framed windows and doors. At the end of the pavilion, the living space is sunken, imbuing it with a distinct sense of separation from the dining and kitchen areas while maintaining a sense of flow. The dining room, bookended with 7.2-metre-wide doors, opens to the landscape and courtyard, blurring the boundaries between inside and out.
Materials reinforce the house’s connection to place. Recycled blackbutt sourced on site is used for structure and cladding, with charred finishes recalling the area’s bushfire history. Retaining walls of milled blackbutt logs, along with concrete, dark steel and recycled brick, lend texture and permanence. Inside, details such as finely crafted timber windows and a Jetmaster fireplace lined with emerald tiles bring warmth and refinement.
Supporting Down South’s architectural presence is a robust off-grid system including a 150,000-litre underground water tank, 13 kW of solar panels with 33 kW of battery storage, and an on-site sewage treatment facility. The pool doubles as a reserve for firefighting, reinforcing the pragmatic approach to sustainability. The home’s craftsmanship was recognised with Best Contract Home ($3-5 million) at the 2025 Master Builders Association of NSW Southern Regions Excellence in Building Awards.
Now available as a short-stay rental, Down South offers a rare opportunity to inhabit a home that is sophisticated, self-sufficient and deeply attuned to one of New South Wales’ most dramatic landscapes, where every view and material celebrates its elevated, forested setting.
Architecture by TF Architects. Build by New View Building Solutions. Landscape design by Crafted Living Landscapes. Engineering by Geoff Metzler & Associates. Joinery by Key Kitchens. Pool by Mediterranean Pools.
