The tiny homes near Brisbane proving the best things come in small packages
List
By Celeste Mitchell
It wasn’t so long ago that finding a tiny home was like searching for a walking scorpionfish on the Great Barrier Reef. But our collective quest for minimalism has seen south-east Queensland become flush with tiny house options in recent years, with options ranging from bespoke cabins built from reclaimed materials to luxe off-grid getaways with mini bars and hot tubs.
They’ve got all the nature-dosing benefits of camping without the canvas, and usually, a flushing loo.
Test out one of these tiny homes near Brisbane yourself next time you book a weekend away.
Sunshine Coast
Ikigai Tiny Home with Pool
Photo by Ikigai Tiny Home
Discover an enchanting hideaway at Ikigai in the heart of the Sunshine Coast. A secluded cottage escape, this self-contained abode comes complete with luxury queen bed, a kitchenette stocked with all the essentials, and an open firepit perfect for counting the constellations with a hot chocolate in hand. Does relaxing by the water sound like your ideal afternoon? Take your pick; a bubble bath in an outdoor claw foot bath or a dip in the light blue private pool? – there’s no right or wrong way to wind down.
Tuchekoi Tiny House
Embrace an off-grid lifestyle in the Mary Valley when you book a stay at this tiny home, set on a five-acre hobby farm. The compact cabin took two years to build, with every creature comfort carefully catered for and powered by solar and biogas. You’ll find a coffee machine, games, books, TV and even a washing machine in the space, which sleeps up to four people. It’s worth upgrading to have the cedar eco hot tub filled with rainwater and heated for your arrival so you can sink straight into the slow life and soak up the views.
Hale Douglas
Photo by @haledouglasnoosa
This pet-friendly tiny home sits in the backyard of a suburban Sunshine Beach home but with its Hawaiian boho surf theme (a hale is a traditional Hawaiian house), you’ll feel like you’ve escaped to the shores of Hanalei Bay. Hand built from mostly reclaimed and repurposed materials, the weatherboard-clad cabin will inspire even the most clueless DIY renovator. After exploring the beaches, walking trails and cafes of Noosa, kick back in the hammock chairs on your deck before climbing the ladder to the loft bed. Reusable coffee pods filled with local roasts are on hand to use in the Smeg coffee machine come morning.
Blackwattle Farm
Animal lovers will fit right in at Blackwattle Farm. Set against the picturesque backdrop of the Glasshouse Mountains, this tiny abode is an ideal base to explore all the Sunshine Coast has to offer. Although Australia Zoo is just around the corner, the farm’s own magical menagerie of animals is just as delighting. You can find miniature pigs, alpacas, cows, goats and resident dogs happily roaming the property. There is a self-contained cabin which is open planned, with a king size bed, kitchenette, microwave, large lounge, fans and TV. Pets are welcome on request.
Kookaburra Park - Garden Studio
This Kenilworth campground is like Disneyland for families who love laidback adventures, and the chance to handfeed rescue animals and cuddle guinea pigs each morning. While Kookaburra Park offers campsites, vintage caravans and a bunkhouse, solo travellers or couples who prefer not to rough it can book the Garden Studio tiny home with its Queen bed and full size shower and toilet. Hike into town to tackle a doughnut from Kenilworth Bakery then return to enjoy your own ‘garden shack’ with its own firepit, hammocks and outdoor table.
Tiny Away - Kookaburra and Cockatoo Cabins
Photo by @tiny.away
Hidden away near the burgeoning hinterland town of Palmwoods, these two tiny homes are for those who crave the simple life. With chicken, sheep, and mini-horses to keep you company on the 17-acre farm stay, each tiny house provides a comfy reprieve with a kitchenette, air conditioning, puzzle books and games. Cockatoo Cabin is set across one level with floor-to-ceiling windows while Kookaburra Cabin has a small deck and a loft bed.
In2theWild – Tiny Heidi
Much like her free-spirited namesake character, conjured by Swiss author Johanna Spyri, Heidi can be found amongst the wildflowers in the Mary Valley, just outside the township of Imbil. Perched on a a former pineapple plantation with views across Kenilworth Bluff, Tiny Heidi sleeps four comfortably. The family-friendly tiny home is stocked with books, games, and everything else you could need so all you need to pack is your food and a willingness to switch off and soak it all in.
Brisbane
Unyoked - Remy, Selina, Kojey and Dante
Photo by @emmanevison
Purveyors of outdoor adventure, Unyoked have set up their tiny homes in four secret Queensland locations so you can disconnect from everyday life and plug into nature. There’s Remy, 1.5 hours south-ish from Brisbane City in the greenery-strewn Undullah. Or check out one of their three digs in Mount Maroon, around 2 hours south-west of Brisbane. Nestled away amongst towering gums at the base of a rugged cliff face you’ll find Kojey, Selina and Dante (the latter two are dog-friendly). Once you’ve parked your car and walked to your private site, you’ll find Negronis, mix tapes, and a hammock slung between the trees to keep you occupied until it’s time to cook up over the coals and snuggle up under the doona in one of two beds.
Scenic Rim
Binna Burra's Tiny Wild House
Photo by @nomadasaurus
Nestled atop the majestic Bellbird clifftop, Binna Burra’s Tiny Wild House boasts stunning vistas of Lamington National Park. This hinterland haven designed exclusively for adults provides the perfect escape for the stresses of everyday life, allowing you to connect with nature and experience a sense of peace that few places offer. Just because it’s a tiny house doesn’t mean you miss out on all the usual comforts. You’ll find a two-seater couch, outdoor dining table, fully-equipped kitchenette and floor length windows looking out over the valley. Guests can also pair their stay with a dining experience in the Binna Burra Tea House, just 3 minutes up the road.
Ketchups Bank Glamping - Baya
Photo by @ketchupsbankglamping
Baya’ means ‘to come in to view’ in the Indigenous language of Traditional Owners, the Yugumbeh people. And the vistas that surround this glamping retreat in the Scenic Rim cannot be understated. The tiny home has a hammock net perfectly paced for you to drink in the mountains while bifold windows in the kitchen let the outside in, and a ceiling window above the loft bed allows you to watch the stars and summer storms.
Located 15 minutes from Boonah, there’s farm gates and walking trails aplenty on your doorstep, but the pull of your private fire pit, rainfall shower and comfy linen bedding is pretty hard to top.
Moogie Pod
Just 90 minutes from Brisbane is Moogerah's trendiest tiny home getaway, Moogie Pod. Situated in the Fassifern Valley, this innovative container conversion offers a seamless blend of contemporary design, natural surroundings, and all the modern comforts you need for a relaxing retreat.
At first glance, Moogie Pod may appear to be just a box, but the deceptively spacious interior maximises the beauty of its surroundings with floor to ceiling windows. Outside, you'll find a BBQ, private deck and your very own firepit to sit and stargaze.
In2theWild - Tiny Charlie
Photo by @ashleydobson
Escape the big smoke in search of pastoral folds of land and luxurious digs to retreat in for a night or two. You’ll find Charlie set upon picturesque properties, around 45 minutes from Toowoomba, where you’ll wake to morning fog and toast the sunsets around your own private fire pit.
In2theWild - Tiny Norah
Photo by In2theWild
A little way north of Toowoomba, you’ll find aptly named Tiny Norah snuggled into the sprawling golden pastures of Coalbank. Before you reach your destination, explore the local towns on the way and stock up on some local produce to enjoy with a cook-up by the fire. Inside, you’ll find a queen bed cornered by two massive windows, so you’ll feel like you’re outside even while you’re cosy in bed. There’s also another double bed up in the loft, meaning you can bring the whole family.
Gold Coast Hinterland
Palmer and Gunn
Palmer and Gunn Tiny Home
This ‘wee tiny’ sits beside a steam in the Gold Coast Hinterland, built from reclaimed materials and kept company by resident Belted Galloway cows and honeybees. Beneath the high-pitched ceiling you’ll find a queen size bed with high quality French linen, a beautifully restored bath and brass railway carriage rack for your bags. But outside on the deck with its 1930s wood-fired coal burner, or in the wood fired cedar hot tub, is where you’ll spend much of your time.
