How’s The Serenity At This Handcrafted Tiny House In Victoria
- Words by Peppermint
If you fancy sinking into a warm outdoor bath (in a recycled cast-iron tub, no less) whilst taking in sweeping views of Gariwerd/Grampians National Park, or cooking up a hearty breakfast from a hamper of locally baked and brined goodies, might we suggest you take a peek inside Nook On The Hill? Built almost entirely from repurposed materials, this tiny house embraces eco-friendly principles to reduce its impact while offering a snug sanctuary for those seeking to immerse themselves in nature.
photos HARLEY BROWN / SAFARI GLOBAL / AS WE WANDER
More than five years in the making (and a decade in planning), Nook On The Hill has been a labour of love, handcrafted over 5,000+ hours by owner and builder Benjamin (Benj) Bailey-Webb as a homage to sustainability and slow living. Inspired by his late father, who built four cottages during Benj’s childhood, Benj set out to create a home of his own, which is tucked away down a gravel road in the village of Pomonal, just under three hours’ drive northwest of Melbourne.
Clever craftsmanship not only impresses on the outside; ceramic light fittings, custom furniture and original artwork by neighbour, Stacey Rees, bring in all the cosy, homemade vibes while the bathroom features hand-painted tiles and a handmade ceramic sink. “I wanted as many elements of the house to be as bespoke as possible,” says Benj. “When I didn’t know how to do something, I found an expert and set out to learn from them.”
Designed to encourage relaxation and reflection, Benj describes the Nook as a slow escape from a fast world. “Slow living to me is about living within our means, placing emphasis on quality and using a high level of consideration when deciding on the things in life that we consume,” he says. “Really dialling in on the purpose to our actions and in the end, leaving this place better than how we found it.” For stacks of sustainable DIY inspo (or to book yourself a toasty spot by the firepit) visit Nook on the Hill.
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
Brighten up your inbox with our not-too-frequent emails featuring Peppermint-related news, events, competitions and more!
explore
More articles
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…. Which means we are officially entering party season. Work parties, friend-dos, family get-togethers and then we’re straight into New Year festivities. If you’re lucky enough, you might be staring down the barrel…
Look, I don’t want to make anyone panic but IT’S DECEMBER!!! If you’re planning to give homemade gifts, you’re going to have to act fast. …
Furred, feathered, fishy, scaled… The pets we choose are as diverse as our personalities. (And apparently, quite often we resemble each other.) But they all…
When you hang a painting on a wall, the story stays put. But when you wear a beautifully made garment that may as well be…
Hang out with us on Instagram
“We love that we can bring a hint of imagination and whimsy into everyday life by making ordinary objects fun. We’ve learned to appreciate the little wins and to take a moment for each step we achieve.”
Disillusioned by the realities of fast fashion, design grads Emily May and Sidonie Moore ditched clothing for a business that finds fun in the everyday. Enter @TheNonsenseMaker: a collection of unique homewares, fun wall art, greeting cards and more that breathe life into Emily’s illustrations: “I love the idea of taking real-world objects and changing your perspective in a way that brings magic and whimsy into everyday life!”
In issue 64’s feature ‘It all makes sense’, we chat to the Naarm/Melbourne-based duo about their sustainability philosophy, TV re-runs and their commitment to local makers. At stockists now!
Photos: @MeAndMyGirl
#PeppermintMagazine #TheNonsenseMaker #LocalMakers #SustainableCraft
Any New Year’s resolutions on your list? We love this from @OtterBeeStitching - “be brave enough to suck at something new”.
There’s no points for perfection, but you’ll get a trophy for trying. If nothing else this year, take the leap and try something new.
#OtterBeeStitching #Embroidery #BeBrave #TrySomethingNew #EmbroideryArt
Sunday serving suggestion ☀️
Gorgeous photos from @JolieFemmeStore - who make sweet garments from vintage bedsheets.
#PeppermintMagazine #SlowSunday #SwitchOff #Unplug #ReadAMagazine
A toast to the old you 🥂
We wholeheartedly love this post from the brilliant @EmilyOnLife:
“2026: Reinvent, burn it down, let it go (whatever it is). Year of the Snake it up. Exercise your boundaries, exercise your body, take one teeny step every day towards a life that feels better to be in.
But don’t you dare shit on your old self while you do it.
Hold yourself with reverence and tenderness and respect, because you got you this far. You did your very best with the information and tools you had at the time. You scraped yourself together, you made it work, you survived what felt impossible to survive: again and again and again.
You are perpetually in the process of becoming, whether you can feel it or not, whether or not you add it to your 2026 to-do list.“
Some very wise words from @Damon.Gameau to take us into 2026 🙌🏼
⭐️ We made it!!! ⭐️
Happy New Year, friends. To those who smashed their goals and achieved their dreams, and to those who are crawling over the finish line hoping to never speak of this year again (and everyone else in between): we made it. However you got here is enough. Be proud.
It’s been a tough year for many of us in small business, so here’s to a better year in 2026. We’re forever grateful for all your support and are jumping for joy to still be here bringing you creativity, kindness and community.
We’re also excited to be leaping into the NY with our special release sewing pattern – the Waratah Wrap Dress!
How great are our fabulous models: @Melt.Stitches, @KatieMakesADress and @Tricky.Pockets - and also our incredible Sewing Manager @Laura_The_Maker! 🙌🏼
Ok 2026: let’s do this. 💪🏼
#PeppermintWaratahWrapDress #PeppermintPatterns #SewingPattern #MeMade #WrapDress #WrapDressPattern
