Tour of Donnington Ridge

Due to the rain, the in-person tour of Donnington Ridge has been cancelled. Instead, Rebecca Caldwell, architect at Maytree Studios and owner of Donnington Ridge, hosts an online conversation exploring off-grid and small home design, living with less, and the thinking behind this very personal project.

If you would like to attend one of the online sessions on Saturday 24 October, please find the details below.

11am session
Join on Microsoft Teams
Meeting ID: 416 818 237 188 666
Passcode: 37K6hh6f

2pm session
Join on Microsoft Teams
Meeting ID: 442 567 607 335 953
Passcode: g7Hh6zT2

Located on the traditional lands of the Kabi Kabi and Jinibara peoples, Donnington Ridge is an off-grid cabin in the Sunshine Coast hinterland exploring restraint, resourcefulness and living with less.

An existing structure, no larger than a double garage, has been transformed into sleeping quarters for a family of four. New openings frame the landscape, while charred timber, plywood linings and reclaimed materials elevate a utilitarian building into a warm retreat.

The family escape of architect Rebecca Caldwell of Maytree Studios, the cabin sits within 16 acres of koala-protected bushland. It is not a finished project, but an ongoing exercise in placemaking and a lifetime commitment to caring for the site: removing weeds, nurturing habitat and creating spaces for others to slow down and reconnect, with a campfire, an outdoor bath, a book, wine in the sun and uninterrupted time together.

Solar power, rainwater harvesting, passive design and sustainably sourced materials support a light footprint. Somewhere between camping and a conventional home, Donnington Ridge reflects ideas central to Antml Studios: using fewer resources to achieve more, finding the floor area that is just right, and creating spaces that feel calm, grounded and deeply connected to place.