Building a #Sustainable home in the #Australian #Outback
May 25, 2025
"In 2024 Anika Molesworth and her partner set out to build a family home in a remote part of New South Wales. They were looking to create, in Anika’s words, 'something comfortable, a beautiful space that complemented the land, and a house that doesn’t cost the planet.' That was the mission. But after speaking with various builders, both local and from afar, and getting ideas on new house builds (mainly kit-home/modular type things) they all just felt wrong. The ideas they were presenting and the materials they would be using, went against the whole idea of sustainability.
"Faced with these new-build issues, Anika’s attention turned to an abandoned homestead on her family’s property. 'It was very humble. Like seriously humble. Tiny windows, small dark rooms, not an ounce of insulation. Never connected to any services. It was going to be a big task making it comfortable.' But Anika could see the potential.
"A few local builders were invited over to have a look and give their ideas. The first one said 'better to build a new home using refrigerator panels.' Which he happened to sell, dismissing the renovation concept as a waste of time and money. Time and again Anika bumped up with people who just could not see the vision and had no idea what she was talking about with ‘recycling, reclaiming and using natural materials’. Local suppliers – from electricians to plumbing – just tried to sell her the same cheap, imported products. When Anika spoke to a local plumbing supplier about composting toilets she was simply met with eye rolling."
Read more:
http://owgf.org/2025/05/25/building-a-sustainable-home-in-the-australian-outback/
More info:
https://outbacksmarthome.weebly.com/
: Fuji X-T20 + XC16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 
