Sun Ranch: A luxurious showcase of sustainability

Welcome to ‘The Hotel of Good Times’

Sun Ranch is an accommodation experience like no other. This laid-back 55-acre retreat and former cattle ranch in Coopers Shoot, NSW, transports its guests to a different place and time. Design-led from the ground up, 70s nostalgia meets cowboy meets rock ‘n’ roll meets Spanish influence meets authentic Australiana. It’s eclectic, it’s unexpected, it’s playful, and it’s truly unique.

Offering luxurious stays for couples, families and even their furry friends, 11 accommodation options span six 2-bedroom barns and a five-bedroom adults-only long house – the property’s lovingly renovated original homestead.

Fully off-grid and surrounded by land that has been regenerated with 15,000 endemic trees and plants, native wildlife is in abundance. Black cockatoos, pink galahs, wallabies, and even the rarely seen platypus call this place home. While you may be transported to another world, you’re still definitely in the heart of the Australian countryside.

But it’s not just accommodation with a difference. It’s an immersive experience where guests can fully absorb themselves in an authentic adventure of their choosing, with an array of luxury facilities, gourmet dining options, and out of the ordinary activities. It’s also a sought-after destination for weddings, events, corporate retreats and offers a full ranch buy out for a truly exclusive experience.

It’s such a special place, it’s even been recognised in Time Magazine’s “World’s Greatest Places”.

And at the heart of it all? Six custom-designed Cedarspan barns, carefully curated into 2-bedroom private accommodation spaces that showcase just what is possible when innovative design meets sustainable thinking.

Sustainability by design

These six Cedarspan 4050 barns straddle the ridgeline that cuts through the landscape. Each measures a spacious 7.4m x 9m and comprises two bedrooms, a bathroom, and spacious open-plan living with a clearly defined, fully equipped kitchen and a luxurious lounge area.

But beyond their generous proportions and thoughtful layout, these barns represent something more significant. A building approach that inherently aligns with the vision for authentic sustainability and off-grid living that defines Sun Ranch.

Greenspan’s PreCrafted building system naturally supports environmental responsibility as one of the most sustainable methods of construction from end to end. The precision manufacturing process takes place in a controlled factory environment minimising waste. Any offcuts and materials are carefully managed and repurposed wherever possible, rather than ending up in landfill. Unlike traditional on-site construction, where material waste can be extensive, the PreCrafted approach ensures every piece of timber is measured, cut, and used with purpose.

This efficient use of materials extends to the timber that every Cedarspan is constructed from. Sustainably sourced and naturally durable, the timber we carefully select requires minimal treatment or maintenance over its lifetime. It’s a renewable resource that sequesters carbon, improves with age, and eventually returns to the earth.

It’s building in harmony with nature, not in opposition to it.

Sustainability in action

But sustainability doesn’t stop at the manufacturing process, instead extending from delivery, to installation, to the building’s entire lifespan.

Produced as modular panels, each barn could be delivered on a truck as flat-packed components ready for rapid installation on site. Not multiple vehicles on the road, repeated trips, numerous trades, and endless deliveries over weeks and months, all contributing to emissions and fuel consumption.

Once on site, the benefits continue. No heavy machinery and trucks coming and going through the site during construction and over extended periods. Less labour, which means fewer vehicles accessing the property. And crucially, minimal environmental disruption to the landscape upon which the barns are placed.

The buildings’ pier-mounted installation system also treads gently on the landscape. Rather than requiring extensive excavation, concrete slabs, or significant earthworks that would permanently alter the natural contours of the hillside, the pier system allows each barn to sit lightly on the land. The soil beneath remains largely undisturbed. Water can continue to flow naturally. The existing ecosystem isn’t disrupted. And the elevated position provides not only spectacular valley views but also maximises exposure to the sun for highly efficient solar power capability.

It’s construction that works with the land, not against it.

Sustainability for life

Where a Cedarspan’s sustainability really shines, though, is in the years and decades that follow installation – the operational lifespan of the building, when most structures consume the majority of their environmental resources. And the quality of construction and materials used means these barns will stand strong for generations.

The thermal performance of each building plays a crucial role in the off-grid success of Sun Ranch. The natural insulative properties of timber cladding, the insulated Colorbond® roofing, the deep wall cavities that allow for the fitting of full insulation. Even the clearspan cathedral ceiling plays its part in passive climate control, creating natural thermal air circulation. And the strategically positioned alpine porch and custom verandahs shade the interior from the sun through summer, while allowing it to penetrate during winter.

For a fully off-grid operation like Sun Ranch, this passive performance is invaluable. Every degree of temperature maintained naturally is a degree that doesn’t require solar power to heat or cool. When the building itself is part of the solution, it’s not a constant drain on the earth’s limited resources.

It’s sustainability that’s built in, not added after.

Off-grid on point

Of course, additional infrastructure is also necessary to ensure all the comforts and modern conveniences a luxury resort of this calibre commands. And Sun Ranch’s approach to this is as dedicated to sustainability as the buildings themselves.

Each barn is equipped with multiple solar panels, positioned to capture the abundant Byron Bay sunshine and generate clean, renewable energy day after day, year after year. Rainwater tanks harvest and supply all the water needed for each barn, making the most of the region’s natural rainfall through each barn’s substantial roof area and effective guttering and downpipe systems. Wood burning fireplaces provide a natural heating method during cooler hinterland evenings, without drawing on solar reserves. Internally, the walls and ceilings are lined with timber, not only for the aesthetic appeal, but also doubling the insulative effect of the exterior cladding.

And while a passive design and build perform remarkably well in maintaining comfort, the extremes of the Australian climate do sometimes call for the modern convenience of a backup system. With ample solar power to hand, air conditioning and ceiling fans are available when the heat really rises. But thanks to the inherent thermal properties, they’re systems that run less frequently and far more efficiently.

Environmental responsibility even stretches to the interiors’ furnishings and fitout. Salvaged timber clads the exterior structural posts. Kitchen benches are crafted from recycled brick. Throughout, natural and sustainably sourced materials and finishings dominate. 

Customisation through collaboration

Partnering with Greenspan was not only the solution to sustainability, however. It’s a building system that provides the starting point for complete customisation, and with such a creative aesthetic in mind, this was essential.

Our Design Solutioneers work collaboratively with every customer on every project. It’s not a case of picking a design out of a list, adding some windows and doors, and putting up a building that looks like every other. The structural integrity, the quality materials, the skilled craftsmanship all come as standard. But the opportunities for personalisation are virtually limitless, and nothing showcases this like Sun Ranch.

For Sun Ranch, this meant a design journey to transform the Cedarspan 4050 into a building that was uniquely suited to both the landscape and the creative vision.

To extend the indoor living space to outdoor enjoyment, the front of each barn features a customised alpine porch with wrap around decking from which to enjoy the views. Two further decked verandahs were added to the rear on each side to create a private outdoor escape from each bedroom. Board and batten cladding is painted in warm, grassy brown to merge with the surrounding landscape, with “Monument” roofing, plus windows and doors in “Black”, completing the earthy, grounded palette.

Lined up along the ridge with their striking façade, they rise as if born from the earth, successfully delivering an elusive balance between commanding presence and respect for their environment.

Enter creative perfection

Step inside any of these six barns and you’ll be lost for words. Each follows a carefully considered layout that maximises space, light, and functionality across its 7.4m x 9m footprint, sleeping up to four people more than comfortably.

Two generous bedrooms anchor opposite ends of the barn, each opening via double doors onto those private decked verandahs. Between them sits a centrally located, magnificently retro bathroom where a skylight window invites in natural light by day and reveals the star-filled Byron Bay sky at night.

The front section is dedicated to open-plan living, where the signature Cedarspan clearspan cathedral ceiling takes centre stage as a dramatic timber-clad feature. The soaring roofline creates an impressive sense of height and space, while walls lined in board and batten mirror the exterior cladding, creating a seamless visual flow from ceiling to floor.

This continuous use of timber creates a sense of calm and cohesion that’s instantly relaxing. It becomes a neutral, organic backdrop for the carefully chosen furniture pieces, funky accent tiles, and splashes of earthy colour that define the ’70s California ranch aesthetic that has been reimagined for the 21st-century traveller.

Double doors front and centre are framed with large sidelights and topped by an attractive gable window. This creates a natural distinction between the kitchen positioned to one side and the lounge area to the other, all of it spilling outside onto the decked alpine porch.

The kitchen comes fully equipped with quality appliances and every mod con. Relaxed breakfasts centre around the reclaimed brick-clad island bench. In the lounge, a fireside custom daybed provides the perfect spot for cosying up. And throughout, the attention to detail with every single finishing touch enhances the experience – from the incredible French linens to the one-off furniture pieces that tell their own stories.

With natural light pouring in through strategically positioned windows that frame views of the rolling Byron countryside, it’s accommodation that feels luxurious and authentic, unique but still timeless, lavish yet rustic, connected to nature while offering every indoor comfort. 

Good times for life

Sun Ranch stands as a showcase of what’s possible with the Cedarspan building system. It represents the almost limitless possibilities that exist when sustainability and design flexibility partner with creativity and a thoughtful vision.

These six striking buildings nestled into the hillside are proof that you don’t have to choose between environmental responsibility and exceptional design. That off-grid doesn’t mean a lack of comfort or refinement. That PreCrafted construction can deliver a truly bespoke outcome.

Not only did the Greenspan system align with the values of Sun Ranch’s developers, but the result has also achieved global critical acclaim, appearing in prestigious publications worldwide. While it has now changed hands, it’s still ‘The Hotel of Good Times’, and with six Cedarspans standing strong at its centre, we know it can continue in this name for decades to come.

Why not experience it for yourself and book a stay? https://www.sunranch.com.au/

And if you can’t get there just yet, follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunranch_byron/

(Trust us…it’s worth it just for the vibe!) 

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Each of these Cedarspan 4050’s measures 7.4m x 9m and is set on an elevated pier-mounted grid floor. They feature board and batten cladding, roofing in “Monument” Colorbond® and “Black” aluminium windows and doors. They were further personalised by adding a private decked verandah off each bedroom, and a customised alpine porch with a wrap-around deck to soak up the beautiful surrounding hilltop views.

All measurements are approximate.

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