Out of the blue

The rugged beauty and grandeur of the Australian outback is a strongly iconic feature of the country. In the past, however, the privations and rigours of this environment have meant it wasn't usually associated with luxurious resorts.

To create an authentic outback experience, but without the hardship, Wrotham Park Lodge is a luxury resort that has been developed on a 1.4 million-acre, working cattle ranch situated 300km west of Cairns in northern Queensland.

While much of the surrounding landscape is harsh and dry, the Mitchell River, with its heavily eroded escarpment, bisects the station. The lush, green oasis that has grown up along its banks provides an ideal location for the resort.

Interior architect Amanda Pike of Pike Withers says the station owners wanted to create a luxury resort where guests could experience the outback as it really is.

"Their vision was of resort buildings that were simple and fitted sensitively into this particular environment," she says.

Because the approach to the station is flat and bare of vegetation, the homestead has been positioned so the views can only be appreciated once guests come right up to the lodge.

"The effect of this is to heighten the experience of arriving at the homestead from the middle of nowhere. Guests see, for the first time, the view of the precipice and the cliff into the ravine below," says Pike.

"At sunset and sunrise, the erosion is spectacular, so we have positioned the buildings to make the most of way the sun plays on the eroded soil. This is one of the main features of the site."

The resort buildings are designed to withstand the harsh climate, with the homestead positioned high above the river to avoid flood problems.

In the main building housing the guest reception, bar, restaurant, kitchen, deck and pool, Pike Withers drew on the traditional materials of the outback homestead timber, corrugated iron and steel. However, the architecture is streamlined and materials reinforce the contemporary design. For example, instead of elaborate verandas with decorated posts, columns support a simple overhang.

The same modern interpretation of traditional materials is found inside the homestead. Panels of rusted steel create a feature on the walls in the reception area, and the same material is also used around door reveals. Internal columns are faced with raw concrete panels.

Most walls are lined with timber and the ceilings follow the pitch of the roof. The exception to this is in the bar and cabins, which are the only air-conditioned rooms in the resort. The timber-lined ceilings are lowered, so that the air conditioning can be effective.

"All materials and finishes are pared right back. Undecorated walls and natural materials allow the attention to focus on the simplicity of the structure," says Pike.

The ten individual guest cabins are near the main homestead, but angled for privacy from each other.

Their simple construction interprets the old squatters' quarters that were no more than a tarpaulin strung between two trees with a tent pitched below.

Today, guests retire to air-conditioned cabins that sit on timber decks below a second pitched roof made of steel, which provides extra protection from the heat.

Inside, natural materials, such as leather furniture and timber-panelled ceilings and walls create an environment of contemporary luxury, while still maintaining a strong link with the rugged surroundings.

Story by: Trendsideas