Owning or building your own home is the great Australian dream. We take pride in our homes; no matter how big, small, or strange they may be.

An owner’s personality can really shine through when you look at a home, and sometimes a level of quirkiness comes out in the home design. Here are some of Australia’s most unusual homes… Yes, these are real homes!

Our Choice of Australia’s Most Unusual Homes

Klein Bottle House

This architectural marvel is located on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. It’s not just a pretty face, however. The house has won numerous awards including World’s Best House at the World Architecture Festival. The lucky owner of this unique home uses it as their weekend house.

The Perforated House

Brunswick in Melbourne is often known for its creative energy, and the design of this unique home is certainly displaying the creative energy of its owner. Resembling a cardboard cutout, this house is as much an art installation as it is somebody’s home. Apparently constructed with the intention to critique the attitudes towards heritage and ornament, the home has a striking presence and inspires thought amongst all passers by.

Klein Bottle House

Perforated House

The Steampunk House

Inspired by the owner’s memory of a small clay pot during his school days, this house oozes quirkiness and personality. The three storey home is built on a small inner city block in South Melbourne, and the blue clay plot is embodied in the façade built from 10,500 individually glazed and laid bricks. The house was featured on Grand Designs Australia, and has become somewhat of a local icon.

Rolling Cubes

Located in Port Elliot, South Australia, this futuristic house emulates a couple of rolling dice. The owner is a local builder and he designed the house to be functional too, with aerated concrete floors that are designed to cool the house through natural means. The three bedroom home has a unique shape as the walls form obtuse angles – a true architectural statement.

Underground Apartment

Coober Pedy is famous for its heat and opals. It is also famous for underground homes like the Underground Apartment. This particular apartment has an integrated telescope for viewing the constellations, but if guests prefer to just relax, they can make use of the plunge pool. Certainly a unique property… How many people can claim to live underground?

Rolling Cubes

Underground Apartment

Clayfield House

Sometimes a house is designed around certain limitations rather than an owner’s personality. Located in Brisbane, this property had to abide by various covenants that were proving to be quite restrictive. In this case, it was a timber and tin covenant, so the house was designed in an almost inside-out manner. The result is a modern dwelling with a courtyard at its centre, and the added benefit of being climatically optimal due to its materials.

Whether you’re in awe of these designs, inspired by them, or just plain confused, one thing is for sure: none of the owners can be accused of fitting the mould and disappearing in a sea of houses in their respective neighbourhoods.

A home is a personal showcase, and these examples show what is possible if you truly want to show the world what you’re about.

Boinga Bob’s Temple

A Warburton local and accomplished engineer and builder, the owner of this house (Bob) has a passion for tackling building challenges. Bob’s home is a constantly evolving work in progress, and it certainly showcases the eccentricity for which he’s known in his local community.

Wolf House

What do you do if you’re an esteemed architect needing to combine your home and office? Taras Wolf decided to build a truly modern residence in Chadstone, Victoria. The home office includes 10 level changes and a total of 28 linked spaces. An avid car lover, Wolf’s design studio even houses his classic Mercedes convertible.