What a hemp house in Sydney Morning Herald coverage tells us about hempcrete, heat and the road to mainstream.
A hemp house made the property pages of the Sydney Morning Herald on 9 October 2026, in a feature by journalist Emily Power. It’s welcome mainstream coverage for a material our industry has been championing for years.
The house at Eagles Reach
Graham Creed, former ABC News national weather presenter, and his partner Bridgit English built their off-grid, two-bedroom hempcrete home in 2019. It sits on Eagles Reach, a 44-hectare former cattle farm at Nooroo, north of Newcastle, which they’ve regenerated as wildlife habitat. The walls give thermal regulation and fire resistance. Combined with double glazing, ventilation and tiled floors, the home stays comfortable through the seasons. English describes the retreat as “magical”, right down to Milky Way views from bed.
The property is now listed at 299 Nevilles Road through The Agency Gloucester’s Amanda Robertson, by expression of interest.
Why hemp over hebel
Heat was the driver. The couple had been living in an off-grid shed that overheated, so they wanted something more heat-resilient. Their builder, Shane Hannan, offered a choice between hemp and hebel (a lightweight concrete). After inspecting hemp homes he’d built, they chose hemp, drawn by its look and feel.
Hemp’s growing profile
The article places the home ahead of the Zac Efron and Joost Bakker hemp project in the Tweed Valley, which has put the material in the spotlight. Experts quoted say wider uptake still needs more public awareness, builder training and manufacturing advances.
Builders and researchers weigh in
Sydney builder Nick Sowden completed one of the city’s first hempcrete homes in 2015, after training through Australian Hemp Masonry. His company has built seven, mostly in the inner west. He points to insulation, thermal mass, humidity control and carbon storage, and shares a client story of a house staying around 24 degrees through a severe heatwave with no air-conditioning. He also calls for Australian standards and more builder education.
UNSW’s Associate Professor Ailar Hajimohammadi explains that hempcrete’s porous structure insulates and also regulates moisture. She acknowledges it generally costs more upfront, though a straight price comparison ignores its benefits. Local suppliers and prefabricated hempcrete components could bring costs down and speed up construction, she says. A relatively small industry also needs more local processing and manufacturing.
What it means for the sector
For the Hemp Building Directory, this is a useful snapshot: owners choosing hemp for performance, builders building capability, and researchers pointing to prefab and local supply as the next steps. If you’re planning your own build, start with the builders and suppliers in the directory.
Source: Emily Power, “How Graham and Bridgit built an idyllic oasis from an unusual material,” Sydney Morning Herald, 9 October 2026: https://www.smh.com.au/property/news/how-graham-and-bridgit-built-an-idyllic-oasis-from-an-unusual-material-20261009-p611cd.html
FAQ
Is a hemp house good for hot Australian summers?
Hempcrete’s insulation and thermal mass help keep indoor temperatures stable. The house at Nooroo was built specifically to cope with heat.
Is hempcrete fire resistant?
Yes. The article notes the hemp walls at Nooroo provide fire resistance, a plus in bushfire-prone regions.
Is building with hempcrete more expensive?
Generally yes, according to UNSW’s Dr Hajimohammadi, though comparisons should account for performance benefits. More local suppliers and prefab components could reduce costs.
Can you build a hemp house off-grid?
Yes. Creed and English’s home is off-grid, with the walls’ thermal performance reducing reliance on heating and cooling.
Disclaimer
HBD do not warrant the quality or experience of anyone listed on this directory.
We have relied on the information provided by the business and its representatives.
This site is not intended to provide and does not constitute building advice, or other professional advice.
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