Can you have luxury and environmental sustainability at the same time? Yes. Damn right you can! Ridgetop Retreats in Deep Creek Conservation Park show that you can have the best of both worlds.

A friend and I headed south to Deep Creek on the Fleurieu Peninsula to stay at the award-winning Ridgetop Retreats. Walking into the building you notice the stylish décor including wooden floors, cedar venetians and leather sofas.

Not only are they stylish and comfortable, but the three retreats incorporate a range of eco-friendly features. The buildings are designed to maximise energy efficiency, using a number of principles. These include insulation and high efficiency slow combustion heaters. But most importantly, the buildings face north with ceiling to floor windows to capture the warmth of the winter sun. In summer, the sun is higher in the sky, so eaves block the hot sun, keeping the inside cool.

And the design works well. Even though it was winter, the sun shone through the windows making it warm and toasty inside. As a result of these efficiency measures the buildings need less artificial heating and cooling. And that means much lower energy bills.

The large glass windows provide another bonus – you have a panoramic view of the surrounding bushland and wildlife, making you feel more connected to nature. It’s easy to relax as you enjoy the scenery.

There’s also an abundance of natural light in the building, which just seems to lift your mood and make you feel good. Even in the bathroom, light streams in through the high windows. And there are other sustainability features here too. For example, aerobic waste treatment systems are used to break down waste. Also, rainwater is used throughout the place, and the solar hot water system provided plenty of hot water for showers even though it was winter.

The manager, Barry Duyker, is enthusiastic about sustainable design.
‘Good design does not cost more and the benefits are for the life of the building,’ he says, adding that people can experience the merits first hand by staying at the retreats.

And it’s a beautiful place to stay. In the conservation park, there are lots of options for bushwalks – to creeks, waterfalls and hills overlooking the ocean. We set off on a walk and stumbled across some kangaroos quietly chewing on grass. One raised his paw and I’m pretty sure he was waving at us. (That’s what I told myself anyway). Some kookaburras stared at us as we strolled along, and you can also spy many other native mammal and bird species. Some are endangered or vulnerable, so the park provides much-needed habitat for them.

In the evening we sat by the fire, feeling cosy. It was the perfect place to sip wine and look out at the night sky through the huge windows.

These retreats help you experience the tranquility of nature but with all the modern comforts. Their design shows how incorporating sustainability measures into buildings is a win-win for everyone. It reduces the environmental impact and cuts electricity bills. Visit and be inspired, especially if you are doing home renovations or building anew.

Find out more: http://southernoceanretreats.com.au/ridgetop-retreats/

By Carolyn J Wild