Pumphouse PointEST. 2015

The heart rate quickens as the turnoff approaches, then down 2km of unsealed road to a wilderness paradise. The intercom at the front gate alerts the team to new arrivals and prompts guests to pinch themselves as the experience begins. The team smile as they welcome guests into the reception lounge (a converted cottage, formerly the Station Manager’s living quarters), inviting them to sit by the fire and enjoy a glass of bubbles as they learn more about the property and the adventures ahead.

Our team escort guests to their rooms on Golf Buggies that quietly trundle about the property, carrying luggage, supplies and guests too relaxed to walk. First stop is the exquisite Shorehouse – a textbook example of art deco design over two storeys, with magnificent foyer stairwell, atmospheric dining/lounge area and six peaceful rooms on the upper level. Each Shorehouse room is unique, with views of the forest, lake, Pumphouse and mountains beyond.

Just 25m past the Shorehouse at the water’s edge is the flume, the 240m walkway out to the Pumphouse. Once upon a time, the flume carried water (beneath the walkway) from the Pumphouse to the St Clair Lagoon. The journey along the flume is simply breathtaking, as the real world drifts further away with every step.

The grand doors of the Pumphouse open wide to reveal magnificent mountain views through the glass of the Pumphouse lounge, with roaring log fire and quiet conversation in the foreground. The interior walls are rough sawn Tasmanian oak, concealing 12 rooms over three levels. Each room boasts its own distinct connection to the lake and a deep sense of tranquility – the unique effect of hovering above highland waters. In addition to the cosy ground floor lounge is a dramatically elevated mezzanine lounge, which also converts to a boardroom with neighboring library.

Exterior deliberately left in original condition and treating the building as a ruin, articulating a clear distinction between the existing heritage fabric and the new installations within. Guests are delighted by the contrast between the untouched exterior and refurbished interior. This also preserves heritage values and reflects the harsh conditions of the location.

Industrial heritage informs interior design features including exposed copper and brass pipework, black steel fixtures and original pump turbine displayed through a glass panel in Pumphouse floor. Not only does this innovation create a striking contemporary space, it adds value to the guest experience as a journey through our industrial past.

Plain and neutral colour palette and complete absence of artwork throughout interiors of both buildings. Guest focus is drawn away from their immediate surrounds, through the windows to the lake and mountains beyond. This innovation reinforces their sense of place – outside of ‘normal life’.

Interior design using rough sawn timber, wool, linen and copper. This honesty in materials reflects and enhances the guests’ immersion in the natural environment.

- Our architects were awarded 'Best Commerical Architecture' at the 2015 Tasmanian Architecutre Awards for their work on Pumphouse Point.
- We have been featured in a range of design and architectural magazines, including Dezeen Magazine, Arch Daily and Artichoke.

Australia’s only accommodation set over a lake. Not just over a lake, but 240m out in the middle of it – no accommodation in the world boasts these attributes.

Industrial vs Natural – a breathtaking juxtaposition. Temple-like industrial relic set against dramatic wilderness; a symbol of man-made power contrasts the awesome power of Mother Nature. It’s an intriguing standoff between man and nature that sets us apart from every other property in Australia, perhaps the world!

An industrial relic, reborn. Not all properties were former industrial icons boasting neoclassical architecture and well preserved artifacts.

Lake St Clair is Australia’s deepest lake, and we're sitting right in the middle.

There are two bars at Pumphouse Point… but no bar staff. This is because guests are free to help themselves to drinks at any time, based on an honesty system. This unusually trusting approach facilitates discovery as guests are left to sample the list at their own pace.

It’s not a minibar, it’s a LARDER! Our larders are far better than traditional minibars, with a broader range, better quality of produce and supermarket prices. Our larders are not there to make money from a captive audience, but to facilitate experience by encouraging platters on the lounge or picnics by the lake.

Located inside a World Heritage Area. To be located inside a National Park is already unique, but when that National Park is one of the most celebrated Wilderness World Heritage Areas on earth, it becomes a feature worth shouting from the rooftops.