Tucked away in the tranquil alpine woodlands of Crackenback in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Mill Cabin offers more than just a secluded mountain escape — it hosts an annual artist residency that invites creatives to slow down, reflect, and make art in one of Australia’s most inspiring natural environments.
A Unique Residency Experience
The Mill Cabin Artist Residency is a self-directed, week-long program designed to provide artists with uninterrupted time and space to focus on their practice. Each year, one artist from across Australia is selected to spend seven nights at the cabin in September, a period intentionally chosen for its quieter, reflective seasonal quality.
Unlike many structured residencies with formal schedules or workshops, Mill Cabin’s program embraces creative solitude. Artists are encouraged to bring their own materials and supplies — the only on-site provision is an artist’s easel — and are responsible for their own food and travel arrangements. This minimalist approach invites true immersion in both artistic work and the surrounding landscape.
At the end of their stay, residents leave behind a statement about their experience along with a small piece of artwork or sketch, creating a subtle legacy that connects future visitors and residents to the creative history of the place.
Inspiration From Nature
Mill Cabin’s location adds to the residency’s appeal. Perched on a 15-acre sub-alpine bush block with sweeping views of the Snowy Mountain peaks, the setting offers a rare combination of isolation, wildlife encounters, and dramatic light and landscape — conditions that many artists find deeply generative. The cabin itself blends thoughtfully with its surroundings and is off-grid, powered by solar and designed to minimise environmental impact.
For visual artists, ceramicists, textile makers and sculptors, the Snowy Mountains provide both a literal and metaphorical canvas: snow gums, distant ridges and the play of seasonal weather all contribute to a context that encourages reflection and experimentation.
Celebrating Past Residents
Mill Cabin’s residencies have already begun to foster creative engagement. In previous years, artists such as Ella Dunn have been selected for her distinctive artistic voice and narrative richness, bringing new work and perspectives to the residency’s evolving legacy.
Meanwhile, the 2025 residency was awarded to Christopher Henderson, whose work stood out for its unique references to rural Australian life and storytelling. His practice — drawing from both personal experience and cultural narratives — reflects the rich interplay between artist and environment that Mill Cabin seeks to nurture.
More Than Just Accommodation
Although Mill Cabin doubles as unique accommodation for visitors year-round, its artist residency program underscores a deeper belief: that creative work and care for place are inseparable. By offering a quiet refuge set within an iconic Australian alpine landscape, the residency encourages artists to step away from routine, engage deeply with their practice, and return with fresh ideas rooted in time spent among the mountains.
For artists interested in applying, the residency usually opens with a call for submissions early in the year, inviting practitioners in fine art, ceramics, textiles and sculpture to share their goals and artistic vision.
