Malua Bay Rebuild
Building a Fire-Resilient Home with a Hybrid Hempcrete System
Malua Bay Rebuild
Building a Fire-Resilient Home with a Hybrid Hempcrete System
Malua Bay, NSW
Supplied by: Respirabuilt
Design Partner: Shelter Building Design
Builder: Jace Vapore, Local Builder
David’s original home in Malua Bay was lost during the 2019 bushfires, when a fast-moving fire tore through the surrounding valley and left little behind. Set just outside Batemans Bay and surrounded by dense vegetation, the site has always been closely tied to the bush. Rebuilding on it meant acknowledging that reality from the outset.
From the outset, the aim was not simply to replace what had been lost. The new house needed to respond to bushfire risk with confidence, while still feeling like a comfortable, well-considered home. Natural materials, thermal stability, and long-term durability were central to that thinking, as was the need to build in a way that made sense for a regional location.
The Challenge
This was another design by Kirstie of Shelter Building Design for us. She shaped the house in response to the site's constraints and the limited flat area available. She set the house at a softer angle than 90 degrees, about 120 degrees, with the centre being the living room, featuring stunning internal feature walls.
Fire resistance was non-negotiable, but so was buildability. The house needed to be constructed in a regional setting, using local trades, without relying on specialist crews or drawn-out construction programs. Labour efficiency mattered, particularly where traditional hempcrete methods can become time-intensive. The solution had to balance fire protection, natural materials, and a realistic construction process, all within the block's physical limits.
The Approach
Construction was carried out by local builder Jace Vapore, who had not previously worked with hempcrete. The hempcrete block system made that transition straightforward. RespiraBlocks were delivered to the site in advance and installed by a local bricklayer using familiar techniques.
By the time the internal casting stage began, the external walls had already received their first coat of lime render. This sequencing allowed the internal hempcrete walls to be cast in a more stable, temperature-controlled environment, which proved particularly valuable given the summer conditions.
The internal casting was completed in just seven labour days. A fully cast hempcrete build would have required several weeks on site, especially in a regional setting and under warmer conditions.
The Outcome
The finished home sits comfortably within the landscape. Externally, the lime render has a softly textured, lightly bagged finish that gives the house an organic, hand-crafted feel suited to its bush surroundings. Internally, hempcrete features walls that anchor the living spaces, contributing both thermal stability and a sense of calm.
More importantly, the house is designed to perform over time. Fire resistance, insulation, and year-round comfort are embedded into the structure itself, reducing reliance on mechanical heating and cooling and offering reassurance as future fire seasons approach.
A practical approach to resilience
This Malua Bay rebuild demonstrates how a hybrid hempcrete system can support high-performance outcomes in bushfire-prone and regional settings without overcomplicating the build. By balancing material choice, buildability, and site constraints, the project shows how resilient homes can be delivered using natural materials and local trades.
Material choices tend to reveal their strengths when applied to real constraints. This project forms part of a wider body of work exploring how hempcrete systems are used across different sites and conditions. If you’re curious about how this might translate to your own build, we’re always open to a conversation. Get in touch to discuss your build.
