The Darkinjung

Named for the Traditional Owners of the Central Coast

The Darkinjung is named in honour of the Darkinjung people, the Traditional Owners of the Central Coast of NSW. Darkinjung Country extends from the Hawkesbury River in the south to Lake Macquarie in the north, and west to the Wollemi ranges. The Darkinjung people have cared for this Country for tens of thousands of years, and continue to do so today through the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council and Darkinjung Aboriginal Cultural Heritage.

This design is our smallest and most accessible granny flat — built to exempt development standards so most homeowners on Darkinjung Country (and neighbouring Awabakal, Wonnarua and Worimi Country) can build without council approval. It's named The Darkinjung because it's the entry point for Central Coast and Lake Mac families looking to add a granny flat to care for elders, house adult children, or create rental income — and because Darkinjung Country is where Koori Constructions is based.

Why The Darkinjung is our most popular design

Since we launched our named granny flat library in 2024, The Darkinjung has been our most-quoted design. Three reasons:

1. Exempt development = no council approval needed (on most sites). At exactly 60m², The Darkinjung sits at the upper limit of NSW exempt development rules. If your site isn't bushfire prone, heritage listed, or flood affected, and you have 3m setbacks available, you can build The Darkinjung without lodging a CDC or DA. That saves $2,000–$3,500 in certifier fees and 2–4 weeks of approval time. You pay deposit, we design to your site, we get engineering sign-off, and we start construction 2–3 weeks later.
2. Two proper bedrooms, not a bedroom + study. A lot of 60m² granny flats scrimp on bedroom size to fit a separate lounge. The Darkinjung does the opposite: we give you two genuine double bedrooms (Bed 1: 3.0m × 3.2m = 9.6m²; Bed 2: 3.0m × 3.0m = 9.0m²), both with built-in robes, both big enough for a queen bed + bedside tables. The trade-off: lounge/dining/kitchen is open-plan (22m²), not separated. Most families prefer this — the living area feels bigger, and the bedrooms are private.
3. It's the most affordable turnkey granny flat we build. At 60m² and single-storey, The Darkinjung has the lowest material and labour cost of any of our designs. Turnkey price starts at $165,000 (site-dependent — see Pricing section below), which includes everything: slab, frame, roofing, cladding, windows, doors, kitchen, bathroom, flooring, painting, electrical, plumbing, driveway crossover, stormwater connection, and handover with Occupation Certificate. No hidden costs, no variations (unless you request custom upgrades).

Layout and dimensions

Standard inclusions (what's in the $165,000 base price)

What's NOT included (and what it costs to add)

Our $165,000 base price is genuinely turnkey — you can move in the day we hand you the keys. But some items are site-dependent or optional, so we quote them separately:

Item	Why not included	Typical cost to add
Split-system air conditioning	Not mandatory under BCA; ceiling fans + insulation often sufficient for Central Coast / Lake Mac climate. Many clients add air con to living area only.	$2,400 (1 × 3.5kW Daikin in living) or $4,200 (2 × 2.5kW in living + Bed 1)
Deck or patio to rear courtyard	Base price includes 3m × 3m concrete slab. Timber deck is optional upgrade.	$4,500 (12m² treated pine deck with balustrade + stairs if required)
Driveway crossover	Only required if granny flat needs separate vehicle access + existing driveway can't be used. Most sites use existing driveway.	$4,500 (3m wide × 6m long concrete crossover + council approval + kerb cutting)
Fencing	Existing boundary fences usually remain. New fence only needed if subdividing lot or privacy screen required between main house + granny flat.	$180/m (1.8m Colorbond fence, Monument or Surfmist, including posts + rails)
Landscaping	We leave perimeter cleared + levelled. Turf, mulch, garden beds, retaining walls are owner's scope (or we quote separately if requested).	$3,500–$8,000 (depends on site size + what you want — typical: instant turf to perimeter, 2 garden beds, mulch, 3 feature plants)
Garage or carport	Not required under current SEPP Housing rules (older SEPP AFH required 1 carport; SEPP Housing 2021 removed this). Most clients park in existing driveway.	$8,500 (single carport, 3m × 6m Colorbond skillion roof on posts) or $22,000 (single lock-up garage, 3m × 6m Colorbond, roller door)
Appliances (dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, fridge)	These are chattels, not fixtures. We rough-in plumbing + electrical; you supply appliances (or tenant does if it's a rental). We CAN supply if you want them included in the build loan.	$850 (dishwasher, Omega 60cm freestanding) + $1,200 (7kg front-loader washer + dryer combo, Haier or Electrolux)
Furniture	Granny flat is unfurnished at handover.	N/A (owner/tenant supplies)
NBN connection	We install conduit from granny flat to street. NBN connection is arranged by tenant/owner with ISP after handover.	$0–$300 (depends on NBN Co new development charge — usually $0 if street has existing NBN infrastructure)
Council contributions / Section 7.11 or 7.12 fees	Some councils charge developer contributions for new dwellings (Central Coast, Lake Mac, Newcastle, Maitland). These are council fees, not builder costs. We notify you if applicable when we get your planning certificate.	$0–$8,000 (varies by council + zone — most common: $3,000–$5,000 for granny flats in growth areas; $0 in established suburbs)
Sewer/water connection beyond 15m	Base price includes up to 15m of new sewer + water line. If your granny flat is >15m from existing connection point, we charge per metre for extra pipework.	$120/m (sewer) + $85/m (water) beyond 15m
Elevated floor frame (if sloping site)	Base price assumes near-level site (max 500mm fall across building footprint). If your site has >500mm fall, we may need elevated timber floor frame instead of slab-on-ground.	$8,000–$15,000 (depends on height + stumps required — we quote after site measure)
Retaining walls	If your site needs retaining to create a level building pad, that's separate to the granny flat build cost.	$450/m² (timber sleeper retaining, H4 treated, max 1.2m height) or $650/m² (besser block retaining, engineered, max 2.4m height)
Demolition of existing structures	If there's an old shed, carport, or garage on the site where you want the granny flat built, we can demolish + remove it, but it's quoted separately.	$2,500–$6,000 (depends on structure size + asbestos presence — asbestos removal $180/m² additional)
Asbestos removal (if present on site)	If soil testing finds bonded asbestos fragments in the building area (common in pre-1990 residential sites), we engage licensed asbestos removalist.	$180/m² (bonded asbestos removal + disposal, licensed removalist, clearance certificate)
Geotechnical report (if required by council or certifier)	Most sites don't need geotech. Certifier may request it if soil is reactive clay Class M/E, or if site has fill >600mm depth.	$1,800–$2,500 (geotech engineer site visit + lab testing + report)
Surveyors peg-out	Not required for exempt development or CDC (we measure from boundaries using your title plan). DA sites may require registered surveyor peg-out as a DA condition.	$850–$1,200 (surveyor site visit + pegs + plan)
Accessible bathroom upgrade (NDIS SDA compliance)	Base bathroom is step-free (hobless shower) but not full SDA Silver. If you need NDIS funding compliance, we upgrade to grab rails, ambulant toilet, roll-under basin, wider doors.	$4,800 (SDA Silver package) or $8,500 (SDA Gold package with ceiling hoists + wider circulation)

Pricing

Timeline

Stage	Duration	What happens
Free site assessment	1 day site visit + 2 days quote prep	You book online or call 0448 368 354. We visit your site, measure, photograph, soil-test. You receive written quote within 48 hours.
Deposit + design	2 weeks	You accept quote + pay 5% deposit. We prepare site-specific floor plan + elevations + engineering. You review + approve (1 round of minor changes included).
Approvals	0 weeks (exempt) or 2–4 weeks (CDC) or 8–16 weeks (DA)	Exempt: No approval needed, we proceed straight to Construction Certificate. CDC: We lodge CDC application, certifier assesses, CDC issued in 2–4 weeks. DA: We lodge DA, council assesses, DA issued in 8–16 weeks (often longer).
Construction Certificate	1–2 weeks	Certifier reviews final plans + engineering, issues CC. We notify council of commencement.
Construction	12–16 weeks	We build per approved plans. Key milestones: slab pour (week 2), frame erection (week 4), roof on (week 6), lockup (week 8), fit-out (weeks 9–14), final fix (weeks 15–16). You can visit site anytime (we send you weekly photo updates via email).
Final inspection + handover	1 week	Certifier conducts final inspection. If pass, certifier issues Occupation Certificate. We deep-clean, hand you keys + OC + maintenance manual. You move in or advertise for rent.
Total time (exempt sites)	15–21 weeks from deposit to keys	2 weeks design + 0 weeks approval + 1 week CC + 12–16 weeks construction + 1 week final = 16–20 weeks typical.
Total time (CDC sites)	19–27 weeks from deposit to keys	2 weeks design + 2–4 weeks CDC + 1 week CC + 12–16 weeks construction + 1 week final = 18–24 weeks typical.
Total time (DA sites)	25–39 weeks from deposit to keys	3 weeks design + 8–16 weeks DA + 2 weeks CC + 12–16 weeks construction + 1 week final = 26–38 weeks typical. DA timeline is council-dependent and can extend to 6–9 months if council requests additional reports or neighbour objections trigger hearing.

Why choose The Darkinjung over a bigger design?

The Darkinjung is our smallest granny flat, but it's the right choice for many clients. Consider The Darkinjung if:

• You want exempt development (no council approval). At 60m², The Darkinjung is the largest granny flat you can build under exempt development rules. Anything bigger (61m²+) triggers CDC pathway, which adds $2,000–$3,500 in certifier fees and 2–4 weeks timeline. If your site qualifies for exempt, The Darkinjung saves you money + time.
• You're building for ageing parents or adult children (not rental income). Two bedrooms is enough for most family situations. The Darkinjung gives your parents/adult child a private, self-contained home with dignity, without the cost of a 3-bedroom design.
• Your block has tight setback constraints. The Darkinjung's 10m × 6m footprint (plus 3m setbacks = 16m × 12m total site area required) fits on most residential blocks in Central Coast / Lake Mac / Newcastle suburbs. Bigger designs like The Wonnarua (78m², two-storey) need deeper setbacks + more site area.
• You're budget-conscious. $165,000 turnkey is the most affordable granny flat we build. If you're financing with equity release or using savings, The Darkinjung keeps the loan/outlay low while still delivering a quality, permanent dwelling.
• You want to test the rental market before committing to a bigger build. Some clients build The Darkinjung first, rent it out for 2–3 years to see the income (typical rent: $350–$450/week in Wyong/Gosford/Lake Mac = $18,000–$23,000/year gross), then decide whether to build a second granny flat or upgrade the main house. The Darkinjung gives you cash flow + optionality.

Payment schedule

We use a milestone-based payment schedule (5 progress payments + final payment). This protects you — you only pay for work completed and inspected.

Milestone	% of contract price	Example: $165,000 job	Trigger
Deposit	5%	$8,250	On signing contract (triggers design + approvals work)
Slab payment	20%	$33,000	After slab poured + passed certifier slab inspection
Frame payment	25%	$41,250	After frame erected + roof trusses on + passed certifier frame inspection
Lockup payment	25%	$41,250	After roof sheeted + windows/doors installed + external cladding complete (building is weatherproof)
Fit-out payment	15%	$24,750	After kitchen installed + bathroom tiled + flooring down + internal painting 90% complete
Final payment	10%	$16,500	After final certifier inspection passed + Occupation Certificate issued + keys handed over
Total	100%	$165,000

Finance-friendly: If you're financing with a construction loan or equity release, this payment schedule matches how banks release funds (they inspect at each milestone before releasing the next payment to us). We provide tax invoices + statutory declarations at each milestone for your bank.