Under Stars and Sky - Architect-designed Stargazing Cabin on Southern Highlands

Down a rough country lane, past paddocks going gold in the late afternoon light, something genuinely different is waiting.

Under Stars and Sky is an architect-designed cabin on working farmland in the Southern Highlands — a modern interpretation of the Australian slab hut, built by hand over three years. Blackbutt timber milled on-site, a sandstone blade wall, a curved galvanised steel roof. Off-grid, solar-powered, and entirely your own.

The ground floor is warm and unhurried — a wood-burning Esse Bakeheart at the centre of the room, a window seat that catches the afternoon sun, a kitchen stocked with the essentials and nothing you don't need. A covered deck wraps the front, with views west over the dam and across the paddocks beyond. Let the evening find its own rhythm — the fire pit, the stars arriving one by one, a glass of red wine going slowly cold.

Steel stairs lead to the mezzanine king bedroom — skylights directly above the bed, blackout blinds when you want them. Wake slowly as the morning light reaches the paddocks. A handforged ladder from the entry hall leads up to the observatory loft. On a clear Southern Highlands night, the sky is extraordinary. Lie still. Let your eyes adjust.

The farm is quiet. Kangaroos graze at dawn, wombats move after dark, kookaburras make their case for the morning. The surrounding paddocks are working farmland — curious cattle are part of the picture. If you feel brave, the dam is there for a swim. The bottom is muddy and worth it.

Berrima village is 8 minutes down the road: Georgian sandstone buildings, the oldest continuously licensed inn in Australia, an exceptional Italian bakery, fine dining at Eschalot and warm evenings at Josh's Cafe, and platypus in the river if you're patient. Bendooley Estate winery is 10 minutes. Sydney is 1 hour 45 — closer than it feels when you're here.

No WiFi. No TV. Download your music and directions before you leave.
Sleeps 2. Designed for two.