Set on 2.47 acres in a valley with long views, Possum Lodge was built by Nicolas and Joana Lenders of Skyline Projects as their own home. Skyline is known for prestigious local houses and was awarded MBA Builder of the Year, with first runner-up at the national MBA Best Builders Awards in 2025. The form and function here come from experts informed by experience and style.
The architecture draws on contemporary New Zealand alpine building – steep pitched roofs, generous glazing, honest structure – tempered by the material discipline of architectural greats like Vincent Van Duysen. Fourteen metres of glass opens the main living area to the valley, grounded by century-old hardwood floors and rare exposed timber beams.
Inside is a rare balance of a style entirely its own and a warmth that feels universally familiar – European heritage meets Australian hinterland: hundred-year-old Belgian cobblestones in the foyer, handmade zellige in the kitchen, limewashed walls and Belgian lighting, set against that old hardwood. The age and patina give the house permanence and instant warmth.
By day the kitchen recedes so the view can lead. Porcelain benches, an integrated fridge and a concealed bar for juice, coffee or drinks keep the room calm. The picture window looks straight onto the pool, so you can keep an eye on the children while you cook. A hidden butler’s pantry holds the mess, with bench space for bread and pasta, a second fridge and an ice machine. By night, the lights dim, the sculptural timber-and-concrete bar comes alive, and this becomes the room no one wants to leave. The wine flows, the food keeps coming and the conversation runs late. It’s just as lovely for two as it is for twelve.
The master suite is the quiet centre of the house: hotel-style desk, a proper walk-in robe, a moody ensuite with stone his-and-hers basins. French doors open directly to the detached wellness centre next door for an easy evening sauna.
Outside, the deck looks over a new black-tiled pool with a submerged reading step. The detached gym and wellness centre has a full gym, sauna and ice bath – or it can become a teen retreat or kids’ rumpus, close enough to supervise, separate enough to disappear.
Arrival is through hand-cut stone gates flanked by Cuban palms, then a long feature stone wall hand-crafted by the region’s best stonemasons. Two levels of flat lawn (about 2,000m²) sit in a low-maintenance native garden planted for birds, finished with a firepit with views of the last light across the valley.
One title, five buildings, room for everyone: a DA-approved, renovated three-bedroom cottage with parking for five (rental appraisal circa $1,420 per week); a yoga studio with bathroom and views; and a machinery shed with warehousing capacity. Suited to multi-generational living, a home business, or a considered tenancy. Short-term letting is subject to Byron Shire controls – buyers should make their own enquiries.
At a glance:
• 1 hectare (2.47 acres), Possum Creek hinterland
• 20 minutes to Byron Bay, 8 minutes to Bangalow
• Main residence: 4 bedrooms; master with direct access to the wellness centre
• Kitchen with concealed bar and substantial butler’s pantry
• New luxury finishes and appliances
• Detached gym and wellness centre – sauna, ice bath (adaptable as rumpus)
• New black-tiled pool with submerged reading step and views
• Two-level lawns totalling 2,000m² plus firepit
• DA-approved renovated 3-bed cottage, parking for five ($1,420 pw appraisal)
• Yoga studio with bathroom
• Machinery shed / warehousing
• Two-car garage plus five guest parks at the main house
• Newly landscaped, low-maintenance gardens
• Water storage: 110,000 litres
• Council rates: approx. $2,600 p.a.
