Inspiration

RW Joiners know a thing or two about working with timber. What started as a small family business 40 years ago has grown into a team of 35 staff and a 4000-square-metre factory. Now a second-generation family business, RW Joiners are industry leaders, constantly striving to be at the cutting edge of technology while upholding traditional joinery skills that have become a scarcity amongst emerging trades. While located two hours west of Brisbane in the town of Toowoomba, the team are regularly involved in projects across Australia and often abroad. Recently, RW Joiners were called to provide the joinery for Baillie Lodge’s newly established luxury accommodation, Southern Ocean Lodge, on the cliffs of Kangaroo Island, South Australia. Needing a timber that could withstand the often tumultuous weather conditions of the island while exuding a sense of luxury, Tasmanian Blackwood was chosen for its durability and alluring timeless beauty.

It’s just 7 degrees as the sun peaks over the moody Tasmanian horizon. Native birds begin their morning calls as the orange light begins to dance across the icy waters between Kettering and Bruny Island. While most are enjoying the Tasmanian sunrise with a hot cuppa in the comfort of their home, a new Tasmanian experience offers the more adventurous “a serene escape from the ordinary.” Calmly floating atop the gently lapping waters of Oyster Cove Marina, is Sauna Boat Tasmania. Carefully positioned and constructed on a purpose-built boat, the 80-degree state-of-the-art sauna is complemented by an ocean water plunge area that invites a truly immersive experience. Tasmanian timbers were specified for their durability and radiating beauty, perfectly matching the warmth from within.

St. Lukes is a Tasmanian-based private health insurance company with a mission to help Tasmania become the healthiest island on the planet. Having been in business for 70 years, their newly formed health and wellness hub in the heart of Hobart offers its members and the public a range of health and wellbeing-focused activities from yoga to new-parent classes and everything in between. Award-winning Tasmanian architectural firm Terroir was tasked with a brief to create a health-conscious space that would also inspire, draw new people in, and create excitement around their brand. With tight constraints from the existing building, Terroir drew inspiration locally and abroad, creating a health hub with a design that is world-leading and Tasmanian-inspired.

After setting up her Melbourne-based interior design practice 6 years ago, Meredith Nettleton has been involved in many residential projects showcasing her eye for detail and commitment to excellent and enduring design. Her most recently completed home, Heirloom House, is included in this project list. As the name suggests, the post-war era home had been in the family for generations, and its design, charm, and materials were deeply cherished. Tasked with bringing the beloved family home into the 21st century without compromising beloved design elements, studio mkn played with a timeless and natural material palette. Masterfully creating a space that pays homage to the past while meeting the needs of a young family, the home is rich with texture and warmth and holds space for new and lasting memories to be made for generations to come.

Tucked discretely away in Hobart’s bustling Battery Point neighborhood sits the newly designed Finlay Street House by Christopher Clinton. Once a stable or coach quarters, the heritage listed building has been carefully redesigned to improve the livability of a small space and to restore the charm of the existing building’s footprint. The home has received two Tasmanian chapter awards at the Australian Institute of Architecture Awards, including Award for Heritage and Award for Alterations and Additions. Using Tasmanian Oak as the hero material on the internal fit out of the award-winning home, the prized timber was chosen for its beauty, locality and low embodied energy, establishing a link between the old and new.

Eucalypts are quintessentially Australian. They have quite literally built our nation. With the closure of the Victorian timber industry there has understandably been fear that other states would follow, but Australia’s most loved hardwood, Tasmanian Oak is here to stay. Our supply chain is secure, and Tasmanian timber suppliers are eager to work with architects, joiners, stair-makers, merchants, builders and wholesalers to fill the gaps left by Vic Ash. We can’t solve the whole problem, but engage early, communicate your needs and we’ll help find a local solution. We need to work together to keep Australian timber in Australian homes.