Be the first to stay in these new off-grid tiny homes across Victoria

Taylah Darnell Taylah Darnell
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Small stays built for big escapes.

Every now and then, we all need to switch off – not just from our phones, but from the traffic, the deadlines, the noise of city life. One of those off-grid, no-reception kind of escapes that allow us to breathe a little deeper, sleep a little longer and return home feeling fully refreshed. Looking for an excuse? Tiny Away just opened six new tiny homes across Victoria.

All about Tiny Away’s latest tiny homes

Launched in 2017, Tiny Away was born from a simple idea – to give city dwellers a chance to escape the grind and recharge in nature. Nine years and over 500 tiny homes later, and the Victoria-based company are welcoming six new additions to the family.

Golden Hour Hideaway by Tine Away in Glenlyon, Victoria
Each new tiny home promises seclusion in nature. (Image: Supplied)

While each retreat offers something different, they all share a few common characteristics. Primarily, a serene location that promises seclusion, privacy and full immersion in nature. Each one is crafted with sustainable materials, designed to not only respect its surroundings but enhance them. Compact by nature, the tiny homes also consume less energy and use fewer resources, guided by a leave-no-trace philosophy.

“These new additions underscore Tiny Away’s commitment to creating low-impact, high-experience stays," said cofounder Jeff Yeo. “From forest hideaways to coastal sanctuaries, each home is thoughtfully placed to nurture both nature and guest wellbeing."

Hollow Mountain Getaway in the Grampians, Victoria
Off-grid living meets luxury at each Tiny Away retreat. (Image: Supplied)

But going off-grid doesn’t have to mean roughing it. Despite being small in size, the tiny homes are thoughtfully equipped with modern comforts. Guests can enjoy a kitchenette with cooking essentials, split air-conditioning and a bathroom complete with toilet, hand basin and gas-heated shower.

Where are the six new tiny homes?

Tiny Away has retreats in both Australia and around the world, including all states bar the NT and ACT, as well as New Zealand, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan and Europe. Luckily for Aussies, the six new additions will be on home soil, in Victoria to be exact. Here’s where to find them.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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Bush Serenity by the Sea

Bush Serenity by the Sea in Bolwarra, Victoria
Stay in bushland just minutes from the sea. (Image: Supplied)

It’s all in the name here – think bird-filled bushland just minutes from the coast. Bush Serenity by the Sea can be found in Bolwarra, just under an hour’s drive from Port Fairy. Grab a coffee in the historic town of Portland before exploring local boutiques or tackling the Great South West Walk . It’s one of the country’s best spots for whale-watching during migration season, so keep your eyes peeled!

Hollow Mountain Getaway

Hollow Mountain Getaway in the Grampians, Victoria
Venture into the heart of Grampians National Park. (Image: Supplied)

The Grampians National Park is already home to one of the most spectacular road trips in Australia. Now, it boasts one of the most spectacular tiny homes, too. Hollow Mountain Getaway sits at the base of the park’s iconic Hollow Mountain – hence its name. The beautifully designed tiny home may tempt some to stay inside, but head outdoors to discover scenic lookouts, towering cliffs, local wildlife and Indigenous rock art.

Heartstone Hill

Heartstone Hill in Wendesley, Victoria
Take a dip in the pool with national park views. (Image: Supplied)

Perfect for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts, Heartstone Hill in Wensleydale is in a prime position for access to the Great Otway National Park. While the tiny home itself is stunning (and boasts a gorgeous pool), waterfalls, hiking trails and the towering giants of Redwood Forest all beckon. Foodies should also check out the boutique wineries and distilleries along the Otway Harvest Trail .

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Golden Hour Hideaway

Golden Hour Hideaway in Glenlyon, Victoria
Each tiny home is designed to relax and recharge guests. (Image: Supplied)

Nestled in Glenlyon, a small town in the charming region of Daylesford, Golden Hour Hideaway is cradled by bucolic fields and rolling hills. Guests are encouraged to take full advantage of their bountiful surrounds, from the region’s destination hot springs to cellar door tastings and local markets. Don’t miss nearby Trentham Falls either, located in one of Victoria’s top towns of 2025.

Olive Sanctuary

Olive Sanctuary in Taggerty, Victoria
Stay on a working olive grove in Victoria’s High Country. (Image: Supplied)

Just outside the town of Taggerty in Victoria’s High Country, you’ll find the Olive Sanctuary . This rustic-chic tiny home is situated on a working farm and olive grove, offering firsthand insight into real country living. Whether you choose to while the weekend away onsite and sample the farm’s harvest or explore nearby Cathedral Range State Park , guests are spoilt for choice.

Celestial Haven

Celestial Haven in Toolangi, Victoria
Stargazers should book Celestial Haven in Toolangi. (Image: Supplied)

Celestial Haven isn’t deep in the forested region of Toolangi for no reason. With zero light pollution and uninterrupted views of the night sky, it was built with stargazers in mind. Whether you’re looking for the perfect base to watch the upcoming Perseid meteor shower or simply appreciate a star-studded sky, you’re in for a treat. Other drawcards include nearby vineyards, walking trails and the Healesville Sanctuary , home to a range of adorable native animals.

Bookings for all six new tiny homes, as well as other retreats across Australia, can be made via the Tiny Away website. Prices vary depending on location and date.

Taylah Darnell
Taylah Darnell is Australian Traveller's Writer & Producer. She has been passionate about writing since she learnt to read, spending many hours either lost in the pages of books or attempting to write her own. This life-long love of words inspired her to study a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Technology Sydney, where she completed two editorial internships. She began her full-time career in publishing at Ocean Media before scoring her dream job with Australian Traveller. Now as Writer & Producer, Taylah passionately works across both digital platforms and print titles. When she's not wielding a red pen over magazine proofs, you can find Taylah among the aisles of a second-hand bookshop, following a good nature trail or cheering on her EPL team at 3am. While she's keen to visit places like Norway and New Zealand, her favourite place to explore will forever be her homeland.
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The perfect mid-week reset an hour from Melbourne

    Kellie Floyd Kellie Floyd
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    Winding down in the Yarra Valley, where ‘work from home’ becomes ‘work from wine country’.

    Steam from my morning coffee curls gently into the cool valley air, mist-veiled vineyards stretch out in neat rows below me. Magpies warble from trees, and the morning’s quiet carries the soft bleating of lambs from a nearby paddock. Midweek in the Yarra Valley has its own rhythm. It’s slower, quieter, with more empty tables at cafes and cellar doors, and walking trails I can claim all to myself. It’s as if the entire region takes a deep breath once the weekend crowd leaves.

    walking trails in the Yarra Valley
    You’ll find walking trails are less crowded during the week. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    I haven’t come here for a holiday, but to do a little work somewhere other than my home office, where I spend too much time hunched over my desk. Deadlines still loom, meetings still happen, but with flexible work evolving from ‘work from home’ to ‘work from anywhere’, I’m swapping the view of my front yard to the vineyards.

    A quiet afternoon at Yarra Valley Dairy

    holding a glass of wine at Yarra Valley Dairy
    Wine time at Yarra Valley Dairy, where you can enjoy a toastie or bagel in the cafe. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    With the Yarra Valley just over an hour from the CBD, many Melburnians could drive here in their lunch break. I arrive late in the afternoon and am delighted to discover the Yarra Valley Dairy still open. On weekends, I’ve seen queues spilling out the door, but today there’s only one other couple inside. There’s no need to rush to secure a table; instead I browse the little store, shelves stacked with chutneys, spices, artisan biscuits and gorgeous crockery that would look right at home in my kitchen. It’s hard not to buy the lot.

    a cheese tasting plate atYarra Valley Dairy
    A cheese tasting plate at Yarra Valley Dairy.

    I order a coffee and a small cheese platter, though the dairy has a full menu, and choose a wooden table with bentwood chairs by a wide window. The space feels part farm shed, part cosy café: corrugated iron ceiling, walls painted in muted tones and rustic furniture.

    Outside, cows meander toward milking sheds. If pressed for time, there’s the option of quick cheese tastings – four samples for five dollars in five minutes – but today, I’m in no rush. I sip slowly, watching a grey sky settle over the paddock. Less than an hour ago I was hunched over my home-office desk, and now my racing mind has slowed to match the valley’s pace.

    Checking in for vineyard views at Balgownie Estate

    Restaurant 1309 at Balgownie Estate
    Restaurant 1309 at Balgownie Estate has views across the vines.

    As my car rolls to a stop at Balgownie Estate , I’m quietly excited, and curious to see if my plan to work and play comes off. I’ve chosen a suite with a spacious living area and a separate bedroom so I can keep work away from a good night’s sleep. I could have booked a cosy cottage, complete with open fireplace, a comfy couch and a kettle for endless cups of tea, but as I am still here to get some work done, I opt for a place that takes care of everything. Dinner is served in Restaurant 1309, as is breakfast.

    oysters at Restaurant 1309, Balgownie Estate
    Oysters pair perfectly with a crisp white at Restaurant 1309.

    On my first evening, instead of the usual walk about my neighbourhood, I stroll through the estate at an unhurried pace. There’s no need to rush – someone else is preparing my dinner after all. The walking trails offer beautiful sunsets, and it seems mobs of kangaroos enjoy the view, too. Many appear, grazing lazily on the hillside.

    I wake to the call of birds and, after breakfast, with the mist still lingering over the vineyards, I watch two hot-air balloons silently drift above clouds. Perched on a hill, Balgownie Estate sits above the mist, leaving the valley below veiled white.

    kangaroos in Yarra Valley
    Spotting the locals on an evening walk. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Exploring the Yarra Valley on two wheels

    the Yarra Valley vineyards
    Swap your home office for a view of the vineyards. (Image: Visit Victoria/Cormac Hanrahan)

    Perhaps because the Yarra Valley is relatively close to where I live, I’ve never considered exploring the area any way other than by car or on foot. And with a fear of heights, a hot-air balloon is firmly off the table. But when I discover I can hop on two wheels from the estate and cycle into Yarra Glen, I quickly realise it’s the perfect way to step away from my laptop and experience a different side of the region.

    COG Bike offers pedal-assist e-bikes, and while the bike trail and paths into town aren’t particularly hilly, having an extra bit of ‘oomph’ means I can soak up the surroundings. Those lambs I heard calling early in the morning? I now find them at the paddock fence, sniffing my hands, perhaps hoping for food. Cows idle nearby, and at a fork in the bike path I turn left toward town.

    It’s still morning, and the perfect time for a coffee break at The Vallie Store. If it were the afternoon, I’d likely turn right, in the direction of four wineries with cellar doors. The ride is about 15 kilometres return, but don’t let that put you off. Staying off the highway, the route takes you along quiet backroads where you catch glimpses of local life – farmers on tractors, weathered sheds, rows of vines and the kind of peaceful countryside you don’t see from the main road.

    A detour to the Dandenong Ranges

    legs hanging over the sides of the train, Puffing Billy Railway
    The iconic Puffing Billy runs every day except Christmas Day.

    The beauty of basing myself in the Yarra Valley is how close everything feels. In barely half an hour I’m in the Dandenong Ranges, swapping vineyards for towering mountain ash and fern-filled gullies. The small villages of Olinda and Sassafras burst with cosy teahouses, antique stores and boutiques selling clothing and handmade body care items.

    I’m drawn to RJ Hamer Arboretum – Latin for ‘a place for trees’. Having grown up among tall trees, I’ve always taken comfort in their presence, so this visit feels like a return of sorts. A stroll along the trails offers a choice: wide open views across patchwork paddocks below, or shaded paths that lead you deeper into the quiet hush of the peaceful forest.

    The following day, I settle into a quiet corner on the balcony of Paradise Valley Hotel in Clematis and soon hear Puffing Billy’s whistle and steady chuff as the steam train climbs towards town. Puffing Billy is one of Australia’s most beloved steam trains, running through the Dandenong Ranges on a narrow-gauge track. It’s famous for its open carriages where passengers can sit with their legs hanging over the sides as the train chugs through the forest. This is the perfect spot to wave to those on the train.

    After my midweek break, I find my inbox still full and my to-do list not in the least shrunken, just shifted from one task to another. But I return to my home office feeling lighter, clearer and with a smug satisfaction I’d stolen back a little time for myself. A midweek wind-down made all the difference.

    A traveller’s checklist

    Staying there

    Balgownie Estate offers everything from cellar door tastings to spa treatments and fine dining – all without leaving the property.

    Playing there

    the TarraWarra Museum of Art, Yarra Valley
    Visit the TarraWarra Museum of Art. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Wander through Alowyn Gardens, including a stunning wisteria tunnel, then explore the collection of contemporary artworks at TarraWarra Museum of Art . Cycle the Yarra Valley with COG Bike to visit local wineries and cellar doors.

    Eating and drinking there

    Olinda Tea House offers an Asian-inspired high tea. Paradise Valley Hotel, Clematis has classic pub fare, while the iconic Yering Station offers wine tastings and a restaurant with seasonal dishes.

    seasonal dishes at the restaurant inside Yering Station
    The restaurant at Yering Station showcases the best produce of the Yarra Valley. (Image: Visit Victoria)