Newton House, a whimsical hilltop home, embodied a couple’s dream to create a lasting legacy.
Wolffdene’s 109 Colwill Crescent was built by a husband and wife duo over many years. Late husband, Colin Newton, who inspired the property’s namesake, was a structural engineer.
By 2016 the home had been built, but estate agent from Willcox Estate Agents Natasha Bercich says the home’s construction was “a big process over quite a number of years”.
“They used a crane only twice in the whole project, and one was to lift in a bath,” Ms Bercich said.
The pair hand-built the house together, mostly using simple tools and recycled materials. A unique property in structure, material, and character, personal details are interwoven into Newton House’s foundations.
“A lot of the pieces and wood and stone actually, all have a story behind them,” Ms Bercich said.
Surrounded by a breathtaking natural setting, the house is designed for outdoor living, “It’s a very much outdoor living type of home as well,” she said.
“The other highlight is it’s actually quite a sustainable home.”
Newton House is a ‘straw bale’ house.
According to YourHome, a guide to environmentally friendly home builds run by the Australian Government, straw bale homes use straw, a low cost material, for structure and insulation.
Remarkably, straw bale homes have a low fire and pest risk due to the compact nature of the material, which limits the flow of oxygen. They are not commonly found in Australia.
“It’s a process that’s mostly done in the UK, but it’s just for ventilation and cooling, and it’s natural. It’s not a man-made product,” Ms Bercich said.
“The way it was built, the air flows through the home so that there’s no need for air con or fans. It’s very, very well thought out.”
No further construction or renovations have been done since 2016. Although the owners had planned for the original build to be more expansive, as reflected in their original plans. When Mr Newton passed away, and circumstances for the couple changed, so too did the floor plan.
The remaining owner, who has recently retired, is looking to pass on her property to enjoy retirement elsewhere. She has held onto the original building plan and will pass both the physical and the vision on to the home’s new owners.
“She’s wanting to pass on the story and the love of nature and the love of the build on to someone else that can appreciate it just as much as she has,” Ms Bercich said.
A book of images documenting the construction process will also be passed on to its new owners.
“This is the kind of home that a computer can’t tell you how amazing the home is,” Ms Bercich said.
“You’ve got to be there and see it and feel it, to understand it.
“It’s not just a normal four-walled home, where you walk into a house, or you see it online. This house definitely exposes a lot of feelings and emotions.”
