Modern Family Retreat, Mandalong

A rural landscape that feels at home in its surroundings

Project Overview

This Mandalong property sits within an active small holding with cattle, horses and a busy blended family environment. The clients wanted a landscape that would sit comfortably within the scale of the acreage, remain low maintenance and feel natural rather than formal. A design that looks right in a suburban block can feel undersized or disconnected in a rural setting, so the landscape needed to be shaped intentionally to suit both the home and the land around it.

The final design features mounded berms for gentle screening, structural native planting, a plumbed dry creek bed to manage drainage, and a curved sandstone crazy paved pathway that flows from the home to the broader property. Every element was created to feel grounded in place while supporting real family living.

About the Project

The vision for the property

The clients wanted a landscape that worked with the scale of their rural block without feeling overly formal. Features like fire pits or pergolas that might suit a suburban home would look out of proportion with the surrounding paddocks and dam. Their goal was a natural bush inspired landscape that blended seamlessly into the setting.

Key goals

The project needed to:

Showcase the client’s love of grass trees
Resolve drainage concerns along the front patio in a way that felt intentional rather than remedial
Create a compliant and visually sympathetic landscape beside the pool
Frame and soften the transition to surrounding paddocks, barns and fencing
Provide a clear pathway to the front door without creating a bold straight line that cut the garden in half
Deliver privacy from the road while still keeping sweeping views

This led to the creation of a natural bush garden with structural and textured native planting, mounded berms for interest and gentle screening, and a dry creek bed that doubles as a drainage system and visual feature. The pathway was designed to angle away from the house, curving through the garden and eventually constructed in sandstone crazy pave softened by plantings between the stone.

The Site and Design Approach

Site characteristics and challenges

The property sits on low-lying ground and becomes boggy in wet weather, which made both design and construction challenging. The garden is large in scale and required careful shaping so it would feel settled within the open landscape rather than exposed or sparse.

Who created the design

The Looking Up Landscapes team completed the full design for this project.

Core design priorities

Construction and Project

Designed with construction in mind

Because the design was created by the Looking Up Landscapes team, every decision was made with construction sequencing, compliance and long-term durability in mind. This ensured a smooth transition from design to build with no compromises.

Coordination with other trades

No external trades were required on this project, allowing the team to manage all elements directly.

The Finished Landscape

The result is a rural garden that feels calm, cohesive and in harmony with its environment. The berms provide subtle screening without blocking views. The dry creek bed manages drainage while adding visual character. The sandstone pathway guides visitors naturally to the front entry without dominating the landscape. Every area feels considered yet relaxed, ready for family life, visitors and the rhythm of a working small holding.

Speak to the Team

If you are planning a rural landscaping project and want a design that feels natural, balanced and built to last, our team would love to help. We collaborate closely with homeowners to create landscapes that work beautifully within the scale of your property. Let’s talk about your project.

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