The new house is on one of the treasured old fishing village streets backing on to the Whale Hill reserve. It became available when the existing house burnt down 8 years ago.

The site is 300 metres from the shops and two minutes from the coast walks around to Waubs bay or the gulch, with its wharves , fish shops and Governors Island marine reserve.

The house backs on to the Whale Hill reserve, which has magnificent views from its two look outs.

Jo Woodbury a house designer, drew up plans to sit on the footprint of the previous house, using the existing retaining walls.

Passive solar heating is a feature of the design. The north facing window walls were located to capture the sun all day and heat the exposed concrete slab, to act as a heat store. The slab had terracotta colouring in the poured cement so the colouring was all the way through it. The slab was also insulated on its sides to minimize heat loss.

The house is highly energy efficient, fully insulated walls and ceiling and roof and all windows double glazed. Heating is via an efficient Daiken pump when needed, the heating cost is very low.

The house has a zen simple design focus with clean spaces. The kitchen is very Bosch, dishwasher, cook top, exhaust hood and oven. The owner is a keen bread baker and has a top of the line double Bosch wall oven which bakes great bread.

Approval in place for development application to sub divide.