krakani lumi - a resting place at wukalina

Between the beach and a lagoon of wukalina/Mt William National Park you’ll find our new standing camp of krakani lumi nestled among the banksias. Designed by Taylor and Hinds in collaboration with the palawa community, this is an integral part of wukalina Walk.

Designed by an award-winning Hobart firm Taylor and Hinds, krakani lumi evolved through close conversation with the pakana/palawa community and the Aboriginal Land Council. The camp stands on our traditional homelands and is where the majority of the four-day Walk is spent including the first two nights.

wukalina Walk is a 4-day/3-night journey. We are proudly palawa owned and operated and offer guests a guided experience of cultural activities, traditional foods and two days of hiking.

krakani lumi is approached from the sand dunes and coastal heathland of a nearby beach and is not visible until you arrive. The resting place, as its name translates in our language of palawa kani, offers both a communal site for gathering and a series of pavilions that act as sleeping quarters for walkers.

The buildings themselves were designed to minimise environmental impact. Each one was airlifted into position to prevent damage of the area. Bird habitat is built into the exterior walls of each of the six huts.

Drawing inspiration from the half-dome forms of palawa homes, their exteriors are clad in charred Tasmanian timber that camouflages them in the surrounding bushland. Inside, you sleep exposed to the fresh air yet protected from insects and animals by zippered mesh doors. The comfortable linen and bedding are supplemented with quilted wallaby furs.

The structures are designed to promote natural ventilation, capturing cool sea breezes in summer and maximising exposure to morning sun in both summer and winter.

The communal hub is a long building with three separate areas. There’s a striking dome-ceiling gathering/resting space at one end near the outdoor fire pit. Next to that is the kitchen with a long table that comfortably seats 12 along with cool and dry store,. The amenities are at one end and can be accessed from outside closer to the pavilions.

Rainwater is collected and stored on site, and energy is generated by means of a small solar array. Wastewater is managed so there is little or no impact to the underlying geology and soil. The Clivus Multrum toilet system is best practice dry composting – exceeding the requirements of developments on sensitive ecological4 sites.

krakani-lumi maximises the experience of the landscape. It’s constructed of locally sourced, lightweight timber and cladding which, through a charring process, promotes a natural insulating capacity, increasing its inherent fire-protection and also assisting in reducing the visual impact. 

All structures use a low impact footing design and access to the site is by foot, with maintenance and provisioning afforded by a nearby vehicular track. 

The vegetation around the site acts as a natural buffer that affords additional protection from inclement weather and strong winds. 

In terms of energy needs, krakani-lumi is self-contained and autonomous, the communal building is powered by photovoltaic array and all cooking is conducted either in the traditional manner on a campfire, or with gas. Power is supplemented by an emergency backup generator.

We hope you’ll be comfortable at our new resting place.