About Us
CABN is an immersive nature-based accommodation experience that combines wellness, nature, and culture. Positioned in pristine environments throughout South Australia, with plans for other sites around Australia in the near future, we provide off grid cabin retreats for guests who want to relax, rediscover nature, disconnect from everyday life and reconnect with each other.
CABN has made previously inaccessible locations available to our guests through valued partnerships, and each property has a distinct point of difference. Our ‘cabin in the woods’ accommodation at Kuitpo Forest is highly sought after, and Cape St Albans on Kangaroo Island is the best place to experience wildlife in the wild, with the most spectacular ocean views. And experience CABN at three of South Australia’s most popular wine regions, each with their own unique characteristics.
Our Story
CABN was created to provide guests with the same experience that our founder and CEO, Michael Lamprell was seeking, at a point where the stress and anxiety were affecting all areas of his life.
Michael has always been a business owner, including a company representing key retail brands for 18 years. In 2016 he discovered transcendental meditation, and the revelations of this practice led him on a new life journey. He went on a study trip to the US that included a leadership course at Harvard, and while on the trip he read a book called The Minimalist which resonated on multiple levels. The concept of minimalism was a revelation after running a business that relied on consumerism.
It was at this point he vowed something had to change. The idea of living a simplified, authentic and genuine lifestyle appealed to him, as did the opportunity to create a sustainable, off-grid experience. Having grown up spending so much time outdoors and living an adventurous life, he reflected that every happy childhood memory involved camping, hiking, cycling and travelling with the important people in his life. He has enormous respect for nature, the environment, regional communities and First Nations culture, which provided the foundation for all of Michael’s amazing childhood experiences.
It made Michael want to create an experience that provided people with the same opportunity – to disconnect from everyday life and reconnect with each other. While completely removing ourselves from the pressures of the daily grind is not a reality for most, it has been proven that escaping even for a short break is enough to recharge. Therefore, Michael set out to bring the concept to life and CABN was born.
Commitment to Sustainability
Building and creating an experience that respects the environment has been the essence of CABN from the beginning, and our architecturally designed cabins are redefining the perception of going ‘off-grid’.
Our planning begins with prioritising sustainability initiatives and minimising our environmental impact, without compromising on delivering a unique and memorable experience for guests. It is an opportunity to increase the profile and change perceptions of eco-friendly travel – our guests don’t have to compromise on comfort to support sustainability.
Our key initiatives include
- Designs that incorporate energy saving measures and eco efficient methods in the construction process
- Pre fabricating our CABN’s to eliminate transportation of all our materials and labour to sites, and minimising impact to the environment. Once built, our CABN’s are then transported to site
- CABN’s are powered by the sun
- Water saving measures, including low-flow fixtures, rainwater harvesting systems and a comprehensive waste management system.
- Partnering with Zero Co. in the war against waste, meaning our bathroom and kitchen amenities are grey water safe, plant-based formulas, vegan and cruelty free.
- Partnering with ‘Who Gives a Crap’ supplying all of our cabins with eco-friendly sustainable toilet paper.
- No single use plastic amenities, such as water bottles, and our housekeeping team top up refillable soap bottles.
- Communicate a ‘leave no trace’ philosophy, asking our guests to participate in our recycling program and at certain locations, remove their rubbish to support recycling.
- Partnering with local producers to source fresh, organic, locally produced food to minimise transport, highlight the produce of the region and support the local economy.
- Guest communications pre-arrival and in-cabin encourage sustainable practices and are an opportunity to educate about sustainable living, highlighting the small things that collectively can make a big difference.
- On our largest site at Cape St Albans, we provide information and self-guided experiences to share knowledge of the property’s birdlife, wildlife, stargazing and First Nation’s culture.
We strive to educate our guests and empower them with knowledge of sustainable practices and off-grid living to make conscious decisions, both during their stay and in their daily lives, for positive impact on the world around us.