CAB ROTO collaborated with WD Architects to design Warrior Restaurant, a full-service dining venue within the Crocodile Hunter Lodge at Australia Zoo.

With no head chef or restaurant manager in place during the design phase, we relied on past experience to establish an efficient and intuitive restaurant, bar, and back-of-house layout. While the client had extensive experience in café-style operations, this was their first full-service restaurant, requiring careful consideration of workflow and service dynamics.

The design reflects an earthy, Australian aesthetic—robust timber tones, rusted steel, and a balance of agricultural and industrial elements, reminiscent of a refined woolshed.

Hardwood reclaimed from an on-site grandstand built by Bob Irwin Senior was repurposed for joinery. Before committing to its use, we personally selected, dressed, and tested the heavily weathered timber in our own workshop, revealing the solid material beneath.

The same approach applied to other reclaimed elements—old glass panels and louvre blades were sourced and sorted by CAB ROTO for integration into joinery installations, introducing filtered light while referencing traditional Queenslander homes.

To illustrate the effect, we built a working model of a glass-louvred bulkhead with LED lighting in our shop, giving the client a tangible sense of how the final piece would function.

Other key materials include rough-sawn cypress log hearts, cut and shaped into substantial bench seats to reinforce the rustic, outdoors-in aesthetic. Hot-rolled steel beams serve as internal dividers, framing screens of reclaimed timber, while charred timber wall panels add warmth and depth.

This level of involvement—physically handling, testing, and prototyping materials—ensured the integrity of each design element. The result is a space that feels grounded, purposeful, and uniquely tied to its place.

Photos: Australia Zoo