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Perched on a ridge overlooking Hepburn Springs, Breakneck Gorge Oikos is a stunning new one bedroom retreat with an inspiring aesthetic.

Arthur, owner of Breakneck Gorge Retreat, decided to move from beachside Melbourne to cliff top Hepburn after finding an extraordinary piece of land with 360-degree views on a visit to friends in 1999. This unexpected discovery sparked a creative venture and lifestyle change that has seen the creation of three unique architect designed buildings perched on top of Breakneck Gorge on the edge of Hepburn. The first project was to build a private residence for Arthur and his partner, and this was followed shortly after by a stunning accommodation escape called Breakneck Gorge Akora.

The most recent addition to the property is Breakneck Gorge Oikos (pronounced eekos). This bold, angular, ultra-modern luxury accommodation clings to the edge of Breakneck Gorge and was recently photographed for entry into the international Dezeen Awards for the best architect, designer and interior designer on the planet.

Oikos joins Akora as the second accommodation at Breakneck Gorge Retreat. These two luxury accommodations, which derive their names from Greek and Aboriginal words for dwelling, are inspired by the Australian landscape and Arthur’s Greek heritage.  The vision was to create a dream destination for lovers of nature, architecture and romance;

We formed a view that the ultimate luxury escape combined privacy and a connection to nature and the environment.

The natural wonderland of Breakneck Gorge is on display immediately on the drive into the property as you take in breathtaking views and weave your way through a mob of kangaroos who have made this safe-haven their home.

Designed by the architectural firm Robert Nichol and Sons, Oikos has turned out to be an edgy building with an inspiring aesthetic; a real eye catcher. The original brief was to create a sculptural form, windowless on the eastern side for privacy, but which opened in every other direction with glass to take in the majestic surrounds and expansive views over Breakneck Gorge, Hepburn Springs & Daylesford’s Wombat Hill in the distance. It is rare a building project exceeds expectations, but the creative designers and the skilful precision of local builder Nick Andrew and his team came together to achieve this.

The owners are excited to finally be opening Oikos as a companion dwelling to Akora.

We wanted to realise the potential of this breathtaking property and its mesmerising views with distinctive architecture that creates a lasting impression and does justice to the land on which these dwellings sit.

The creative process to match an interior to such a distinctive exterior (the entire building is wrapped in Corten rusting metal) involved selecting artisan materials for Oikos. The refined interior has a Mafi walk on art wooden floor, porcelain tiles from Japan, honed marble and granite accents, a hand-crafted free-standing polished cement bath from Boyd Alternatives, authentic Featherstone chairs and a bespoke floating bed.

We have selected furniture by iconic Australian designers to complement the interior emphasis on texture.

The owners are keen to give guests a unique experience when visiting their 20-hectare private retreat at Elevated Plains (the first rural property on the edge of Hepburn Springs and Daylesford) and all only minutes from the main street of Daylesford. Oikos and Akora are set in park-like architecturally designed gardens with an extensive vegetable garden and bird aviaries hidden from sight by a 70-metre cement ha-ha wall.

We are still captivated after all these years with the stunning views that continually change from sunrise to sunset. We hope that spending time at Breakneck Gorge will leave our guests feeling on top of the world.