We’re Grant & Cathy Wills.  In 2012 we relocated from Sydney to the Barossa, where Cathy spent her early years, and where generations of her family have lived since the early 1840’s.  We settled in our new home, the historic Gnadenfrei schoolhouse in the heart of the village of Marananga, where we’ve discovered an extraordinary community of neighbours and friends.

In 2018, the land adjacent to our cottage became available for sale. As we are passionate about safeguarding the environment of peace, nature and community that we and our neighbours share, we decided to purchase this land and construct two eco-villas. 

Stephen Sainsbury Architects designed The Villas, infusing the design with their belief that environmentally responsible architecture can create beautiful inspiring luxurious places.  The Villas were constructed using their Ecoshelta minimal impact, prefabricated modular buildings.

Building The Villas was an extraordinary experience.  Under the expert guidance of the Ecoshelta project management team, The Villas were built to lock-up in under 3 weeks, by a small group of family and friends working together, to whom we owe our gratitude.  In addition to the local trades who subsequently connected services and completed the internal fit out, The Villas have the fingerprints of friends, family and neighbours who gave of their time, expertise and moral support throughout the project.  As Grant would later reflect, ‘a community created these Villas’.