Tasmanian farm stay making waves for its clever, high-spec design

A hitherto little-heard-of farm stay in Tasmania has just been shortlisted for an important international architecture award.

Iron Creek Bay – finalists in the World Architecture FestivalCredit: Peter Whyte

Iron Creek Bay Farm Stay at Sorell, 25 kilometres north-east of Hobart, is a finalist in the World Architecture Festival Awards in the Hotel and Leisure category. The Delatite Cellar Door at Delatite Winery in the Victorian Alps also made the shortlist, as did the Jubilee or “Jube” Hotel in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. The architects will present the projects to a judging panel in Singapore later this year.

For Iron Creek Bay Farm Stay’s architect, Misho Vasiljevich of Misho + Associates, the project is an expression of his love of nature.

For visitors to Tasmania, it’s a much-needed place to stay in an under-served part of the state, and, being on the route between Hobart and Port Arthur and the Tasman Peninsula, it offers a great base from which to explore the south-east.

Iron Creek Bay Farm Stay is on a 60-hectare vineyard and cherry farm property with expansive views across Orielton Lagoon at the mouth of the Coal River towards Hobart Airport and kunanyi/Mount Wellington beyond.

Looking over the farm stay towards Hobart and Mount Wellington.

Having fallen in love with Tasmania through sending their children to be educated there, a Shanghai-based family bought the property in 2016. They intended to build a hotel.

Zoning being an issue, their architect, Vasiljevich devised the farm stay idea – and worked with council to have it meet planning requirements.

The result is a complex featuring 22 budget rooms nearby a reception building which offers a generous space for guests to relax, unwind and socialise.

Then there are 15 guest pavilions offering three, four and five bedrooms, kitchenettes and sitting areas. These are designed for travelling families or groups of friends.

Old farm buildings have been repurposed, including a pre-existing house which has become the reception area, and an old shearing shed which is now a lounge.

While the accommodation prices are very approachable, the finishes are high-spec with hydronic heating, quality linens and clever functionality.

High-spec finishes in the farm stay rooms.

Windows set at angles give exterior walls a serrated effect from the outside and afford complete privacy, despite each pavilion’s proximity to the others.

Sustainability measures include carbon capture and storage, use of Australian grown and manufactured products as much as possible, and onsite power generation as well as sewerage and water treatment.

Another important aspect of the design is its interweaving with the rural environment, incorporating plantation grown hardwood timbers and native plants and a colour palette that reflects the landscape. The awards will be announced in December.

See ironcreekbay.com.au