REWILD
What to expect from a tiny home holiday with kids.
Tiny homes are cabin-like dwellings built on wheels. They’re simple, eco-friendly, and a financially sustainable option for people who choose to live in them. For travellers, however, the tiny home holiday trend is booming, with multiple companies popping up offering tiny home holidays in remote parts of Australia and the world.
March 2024
For our tiny home holiday, we decide on a stay in Tiny Thomas, located in Upper Colo in NSW’s Hawkesbury region. Once booked, we’re told we’ll receive the address a couple of days before check-in.
As promised, two days prior an email lands in my inbox revealing the address, access code, and a wilderness guide with all the essential information we’ll need for our off-grid stay. Check-in is 3pm, so we choose a Saturday and Sunday night stay, giving us time to finish off last-minute packing in the morning and stop into the historic town of Windsor for lunch and a walk on the way.
The drive to the Tiny Thomas cabin by Into The Wild Escapes is scenic. A winding road runs along the top of the mountain ridge and I catch glimpses of Colo River and the expansive valley below. We turn onto a dirt road and quickly lose phone reception and internet access. A wave of anxiety washes over me. Did I remember to tell our parents we won’t have reception? What if there’s an emergency? I rationalise that everyone will be okay without us for two days. I relax and enjoy the drive, taking in the eucalyptus trees and bulging rock formations. Into The Wild Escapes recommended downloading offline Google Maps, so we still have a guide to find our dwelling and pull up to a gate with a discreet sign that lets us know we’re on the right route.
Tiny Thomas is located within a horse paddock, and it’s essential to ensure the gate is always closed. Our neighbours are four rescue horses and Tiny Thomas is aptly named after the protagonist in the novel, The Horse Whisperer, a cute and fitting touch.
The interior of our tiny home is bougee and minimalistic with a black, white and wood colour palette, highlighting natural materials. Huge windows are perfect for taking in the surrounding views. The beds are comfortable, all with chic linen. The kitchen has a two-element gas cooktop, mini fridge, sink and all the pots, pans, plates, glassware and cooking utensils we need for our stay. Fresh-smelling, eco-friendly hand wash and dish liquid are provided. The space is calming and has all the comforts of home, but doesn’t take away from the beauty of the outdoors. It complements the natural surroundings. Outside, there’s a Weber BBQ, a large picnic table, a fire pit with plenty of seating, and a swing set for kids.
We unpack our bags and tuck them into the storage space beneath the beds, then pop handy items into the storage drawers to ensure there’s plenty of space for us to move around. Our daughter loves to climb up and down the bed to look out the window at the horses and serene fields beyond.
Into The Wild Escapes’ tiny homes use sustainable energy sources and endeavour to provide up to three hours of off-grid heating and cooling. However, this is largely determined by the weather during a stay. In our wilderness guide we find tips and tricks to keep the tiny home as warm as possible during the cooler months, such as boiling water on the stove, which is surprisingly efficient at heating the small space.
Being off-grid also means Tiny Thomas has a composting toilet. I have instant flashbacks to year 10 camp and the horrible stench of these eco-friendly alternatives. Thankfully, this is a high-tech eco cabin. Wood shavings and deodorising spray are provided and a fan is constantly running. I don’t smell a thing throughout our two-night stay.
Yes! Tiny Thomas very comfortably sleeps six guests with two queen beds, one in the window, one in a loft and two bunk beds. We bring a portable cot for our 14-month-old which easily fits in the kitchen area. We also bring our Ingenuity seat for her to sit in at meal times.
There’s ample storage underneath the beds as well as kitchen cupboards and storage boxes in the loft. Kitchen facilities allow guests to prepare bottles and baby food if necessary. There are a couple of books and a Jenga game for older kids, and it’s recommended to bring your own as well. Of course, the best feature is the endless fun to be had outside, searching for kindling, meeting the horses, exploring the property, or simply seeing who can ‘cooee’ the loudest throughout the valley.
We wake up to the sound of absolute silence… well, apart from our daughter demanding a feed. We make coffee and cuddle up in bed all together to enjoy the view as the sun starts to rise. Once caffeinated, we fired up the Weber and fried up bacon, eggs and toast for a scrumptious breakfast outdoors on the picnic table. There’s a picnic basket provided to easily carry everything we need outside in one trip. Our horse friends are grazing nearby and graciously accept apples I’ve been saving for them.
We spend the day exploring the property. We find a herd of cows and calves, walk around the lake, sit in bed taking in the view, and as the sun starts to set we light the campfire and enjoy a nourishing family dinner.
I am 100% a tiny home convert! I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy it, not being a fan of camping, but this city-slicking, five-star hotel-loving mum is a fan of the tiny home experience. I loved that we were able to fully immerse ourselves in the outdoors and enjoy quality, distraction-free family time with the creature comforts I can’t pass up, like hot water, coffee and good bedding. Turns out there are no emergencies and it was so cathartic to switch off and truly enjoy the company of my little family.
Please note: this article is a Holiday with Kids digital exclusive.
Imagery: © Ben Ware