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TO THE
geographical heart of NSW sits one of the quiet achievers
of Australian architecture — a collection of contemporary
structures that have captured the essence of bush buildings.
Iconic and familiar in their form, they have the look
and feel of ages, but are only 10 years old.They are the
remarkable legacy of a collaboration between a 'cutting
edge' architectural practice and a major Japanese corporation.
Today BurrawangWest Station operates as a retreat destination,
offering a unique outback experience for corporate or
private groups.
Burrawang West is a 4000-hectare property, 435 kilometres
west of Sydney, between Parkes and Condobolin. It's cattle
country — vast, flat land with a scattering of gum
trees that grow more densely along the banks of a wide,
muddy creek feeding into the Lachlan River. In the early
1990s, this land was acquired by Dr Kajima, president
of one of Japan's largest construction companies, to create
an authentic Australian bush retreat for his corporate
executives. He commissioned Melbourne-based architects
Denton Corker Marshall for the design, and spent
millions of dollars on construction, sparing no expense
for five-star comfort.
For Denton Corker Marshall, BurrawangWest was a project
out of left field. The company had already achieved prominence
as architects of Australian embassies in Beijing and Tokyo.
At the same time as BurrawangWest was under construction,
they were completing the modern, hard-edged Adelphi Hotel
in Melbourne, and one of Sydney's finest skyscrapers in
Governor Phillip Tower.
Their client Dr Kajima, a highly educated man with a Masters
in Architecture from Harvard, had travelled to Australia
often and knew exactly what he wanted:
a set of rustic buildings in the bush. In lesser hands,
the result could have been cliched. Instead, there is
a subtlety to the architecture, a spare and contemporary
interpretation of traditional Australian farm buildings,
coupled with a Zen-like respect for the Grafting of timber
structures. The remote location also required the retreat
to be self-sufficient, with all its power generated on
site, and facilities to collect rainwater and treat waste
water for irrigation on the property. |
| ABOVE:
The 'Jackaroo' and 'Jillaroo' guest cottages at Burrawang
West Station. The simplicity of the buildings belies their
five-star comfort inside. |
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 LEFT:
the shared living areas in the two-suite cottages are
furnished simply with classic, finely crafted timber furniture.
The display cabinet against the wall has steel-mesh door
panels concealing a mini-bar and refrigerator.
RIGHT: the screened verandah off one of the guest cottages.
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 LEFT:
The retreat's apparently ad-hoc grouping of structures
follows the traditionally pragmatic siting of farm buildings
away from the main house. Exterior timbers were left untreated
to weather naturally.
Contemplative nature. RIGHT: a verandah off one of the
guest cottages offers a sheltered
spot from which to take in the serenity of the surrounding
landscape. |
| LEFT
TO RIGHT: a corner of the main 'Homestead'. The
'Woolshed' guest accommodation quarters; this, and
other satellite buildings of the retreat, have been
left un-landscaped in deference to the utilitarian
function of such structures on traditional country
properties. A verandah off the retreat's function
and meeting building. |
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A guest suite in the 'Woolshed'; all visitor
suites are fully airconditioned. |
LEFT
TO RIGHT: a lavishly appointed guest bathroom; the
property uses
rainwater and all grey water from the buildings
is recycled for irrigation. A pergola is flanked
for shade on one side by a tall, dense hedge that
connects the 'Homestead' to the recreational facilities
of the retreat; these include a lap pool, tennis
courts, archery range, sauna and spas, as
well as a separate meeting and function room for
groups.
Sweet Pea, a kangaroo raised on the property, having
been found on the roadside, is now a permanent feature
of the 'Homestead'. |
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When the Japanese economy faltered
and Kajima's corporation sold off some of its assets,
Burrawang West Station changed hands several times.
It was eventually bought in 2000 by the current owner,
an Australian businessman who opened the retreat to
the public, put in an airstrip, and re-established the
property
as a commercial cattle station, now producing Burrawang
Beef.
The main 'Homestead' contains the office and public
facilities: a grandly proportioned sitting room, flanked
by a bar and billiard room and dining room, all opening
to a wide verandah overlooking the creek. A formal hedged
garden beside the homestead leads to a barbecue area
and 20-metre pool, tennis courts, an archery range,
spas, saunas and a separate function building. There
is also an observation tower from which to view the
spectacular night sky by telescope.
Guest accommodation is in separate dwellings that mimic
old farm buildings and are named accordingly: 'The Barn',
'Woolshed', 'Jackaroo Cottage' and 'Jillaroo Cottage'.
Their apparent simplicity belies the luxury inside.
Each is divided into two suites sharing common living
areas. Beds and sheets are of the highest quality; bathrooms
are spacious, marble-lined with claw-foot baths. No
expense had been spared for the comfort of Kajima's
corporate guests, including the substantial collection
of Australian art dispersed throughout the buildings.
That Burrawang has become a cattle property once more
is part of the unique experience of being there. Bill
Royal has been station manager for the last 25 years,
and his knowledge provides visitors with a fascinating
insight into the workings of a cattle station. There
are many other outdoor activities, including boating
and  quad-biking,
but it's the quiet beauty of the buildings and the serenity
of the landscape that makes a stay at Burrawang memorable.
Story: DAVID CLARK Photography: EARL CARTER
 Burrawang
West Station is approximately a five-and-a-half hour's
drive from Sydney.
Groups can charter a flight to the station, or fly Rex
Regional Express, 13 17 13, to Parkes and be collected
by Burrawang West Station vehicles. Enquiries and bookings,
(02) 6897 5277
bookings@burrawangwest.com.au
www.burrawangwest.com.au
| Outside
stories. ABOVE LEFT: the boatshed at Burrawang West
Station is built on the creek shore to house canoes
and fishing equipment for guests. The creek and
river offer good picnic spots along their banks,
which are habitats for a variety of birdlife. ABOVE:
the billabong beside the boatshed. OPPOSITE: while
'The Barn' has an authentic rustic appearance, it,
along with all the property's buildings, has been
Grafted to take account of how each individual timber
board will warp, twist and weather over time. The
fine craftsmanship in the detail is owed to the
best traditions of Australian and Japanese carpentry. |
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