A year long Masterclass series exploring natural and alternative building systems across Australia’s climates, regions, and regulatory realities.
The Complete 10-Part Masterclass
Natural building is not one material or ideology — it’s a landscape of approaches shaped by climate, context and regulation.
This series allows you to compare systems, understand trade-offs and build a coherent framework across Australian conditions.
10 in-depth, 2 hour sessions
Live access + lifetime recordings
Practitioner-led insights. New guest each session
Build a complete comparative understanding
Live Q&A (if attending live)
Includes session resources & further learning
Price
Full Series – $397
Single Session – $50
NBA Members receive discounted access.
The Natural Building Masterclass: Building for Australian Conditions — is a monthly online learning series bringing together experienced Australian natural builders, designers, and practitioners.
There is currently no national program in Australia that brings together multiple natural building materials, systems, and design approaches and examines how they perform across different climates, landscapes, and regulatory contexts in one cohesive series.
This masterclass was created to fill that gap.
Rather than focusing on a single material or ideology, the series takes a comparative, practical approach, helping participants understand what works where, why, and under what conditions.
Masterclass Format
10 Monthly Sessions
March – December 2026
Attend Live Session:
Wednesday evenings
6:00 – 8:00pm AEDT
(typically the last Wednesday of each month)
Watch on demand:
Live sessions are recorded and available for lifetime replay.
What You’ll Learn?
Across 10 sessions, the series explores:
Natural and alternative building systems used in Australia
How different materials perform in different climates
Adapting international ideas to Australian conditions
Council approvals, compliance, and real-world constraints
Cost, sequencing, and construction logistics
Who This Is For?
This series is designed for:
Owner-builders and aspiring owner-builders
Builders and trades interested in natural materials
Architects and designers working across Australian climates
Sustainability practitioners and educators
Anyone exploring healthier, lower-impact building in Australia
Why This Series Is Different?
This unique Masterclass series is:
National in scope
Covers multiple materials and building systems
Grounded in Australian climates and conditions
Led by practitioners with real-world experience
Practical, honest, and comparative rather than prescriptive
Is This Right for You?
This series is designed for those who want clarity — not ideology.
Whether you’re planning a build, advising clients, or expanding your professional knowledge, the Masterclass offers practical insight grounded in Australian conditions.
Explore Individual Sessions
Prefer to focus on a particular material or topic?
Select one or more sessions to explore specific materials, systems or design approaches.
Healthy Homes for People & Planet
Session 1 of 10
Talina will explore housing design through a health lens, focusing on how buildings can support human wellbeing while reducing environmental impact. The discussion will cover indoor air quality, material choices, climate-responsive design, and creating homes that are regenerative, resilient and supportive of long-term occupant health.
Rammed Earth Across
Australian Climates
Session 2 of 10
Stephen brings decades of experience building rammed earth structures across Western Australia. This session will examine where rammed earth performs best, thermal mass considerations, material selection, and long-term durability and maintenance.
Hemp Homes in Practice
Session 3 of 10
Kirstie will share practical insights from designing, building and living in hemp homes in Australia. The conversation will cover approvals and compliance pathways, sourcing materials, construction logistics, and real-world performance outcomes. Kirstie will also talk to the development of the Hemp Standard, looking to aid compliance for hemp houses into the NCC.
Individual Session Registration
Sessions 1-3 available for registration from March 2nd. Session 4-10 to be released soon.
Alternativly: Register for the Complete Masterclass series now and Save $103
Building with Cob in the Tropics
Session 4 of 10
Focused on hot, humid climates, this session explores adapting cob construction for tropical conditions. Key themes include moisture management, durability, and design modifications to address heat and humidity challenges. Dougal is a rammed earth specialist in Qld who will also be speaking to its application across hot and humid climates and what design features are critical for working with earth in hot and wet places.
Bushfire Resilience & Innovative Compliance Pathways
Session 5 of 10
Marty will focus on bushfire-resilient design and how innovative building methods — including the use of waste and unconventional materials — can comply with the NCC and achieve council approval. Drawing on Earthship projects as examples, he will discuss; performance solutions, navigating regulatory pathways, and pushing boundaries while remaining compliant.
Natural Building from
Workshop to Reality
Session 6 of 10
Earl will draw on extensive hands-on experience across diverse sites and climates. This session will focus on preparing for a first natural building project, sequencing and finishes, avoiding common mistakes, and assembling the right team for your site.
Traditional Timber Framing
& Straw Bale Systems
Session 7 of 10
This collaborative session explores hybrid structural systems combining timber framing with straw bale infill. Discussion will include structural logic, sequencing, regional adaptation, and developments in the Australian straw bale industry.
High-Performance Homes in Australia
Session 8 of 10
Sarah will unpack Passive House principles in Australian climates, examining air quality, thermal comfort, sound performance and cost considerations. The session will explore how high-performance outcomes can be achieved on realistic budgets.
Prefabricated Straw Panel Systems
Session 9 of 10
Sam will discuss scalable straw panel construction and how it compares to traditional straw bale methods. Themes include speed, efficiency, cost, climate adaptation and emerging applications across Australia.
Superadobe & Earthbag Building
Session 10 of 10
Closing the series, Hayden will explore over a decade of experience with Superadobe and earthbag construction. The session will consider structural performance, design flexibility, inclusivity and adapting radical design ideas to Australian conditions.
Access the Full 10-Part Masterclass Series
Build a complete framework across materials, climates and performance considerations.
Register for the
Complete series and Save $103
How the Series Works
Each session runs for 2 hours.
Foundations + Guest Deep Dive. Attend live or watch on demand.
6–7pm | Foundations with Rachel Goldlust
This recurring session establishes the core principles of natural building in Australia — materials, climate, health and performance.
7–8pm | Guest Presenter
A specialist presentation from an invited industry professional, offering focused expertise on this session’s topic.
Both parts are recorded and available for replay.
Design beyond ideals — towards buildings that truly work.
Empowering practical building knowledge for diverse Australian conditions.
© 2026 Natural Building Australia
ABN 25 954 186 329
Digital Products:
Digital course access is provided immediately upon purchase. Under Australian Consumer Law, once online access is granted, cooling-off rights do not apply. Refunds may be issued in line with our Refund Policy.
Acknowledgement of Country:
We acknowledge that all our work takes place on unceded Aboriginal land — Always Was, Always Will Be.
Contact: [email protected]
Connect: @naturalbuildingAus