Eco-friendly tiny homes are all the rage these days, so when I got offered the opportunity to stay at one recently, I jumped at the chance to get back to nature.
I was given a list of around 10 Tiny Away homes to choose from, but after much thought and research I couldn’t help but pick a place that was located right in the heart of Wine Country – the Hunter Valley.
Despite nearly every individual I know visiting the Hunter Valley in recent years, I had personally never stepped foot in the place – probably because I’m not a massive wine drinker (except for that work Christmas party about 10 years ago… sorry, boss).
But like many people informed me prior, the Hunter Valley is more than just vineyards and wine tastings – there’s breweries, distilleries, and cheese and chocolate shops.
Well, sign me up!
With my bags packed and loaded into my fabulous new Toyota Kluger Grande, we hit the road bound for Pokolbin.
This luxurious SUV was a dream to drive. It was spacious, packed plenty of punch and, given the hybrid nature of the vehicle, not even an extra tank of petrol was required for the entire journey – talk about eco-friendly!
After about two-and-a-half hours on the road, we finally arrived at Tiny House 888 – our perfect tiny home located in Central Pokolbin in the heart of Wine Country.
Once we pulled up, I immediately took out my phone to start snapping pictures of this incredible property located in the middle of the wilderness. I mean, I had to make the people back home jealous, right?
After I was satisfied that I had taken enough photos of this cute, little rural escape, my wife and I stepped inside and were quite surprised at how spacious this tiny home actually was.
Not only did it feature a decent sized and comfortable bed, but it also had a smart television, split air conditioning, fridge and the necessary kitchen amenities and cooking equipment you’d need for a two-night stay.
The bathroom was also a pleasant surprise. I revealed to my wife the night before we left that we’d be using a compost toilet for our upcoming stay and to be truthful, I almost had to look for another guest to bring along with me. Fortunately, her fears were alleviated when she saw the bathroom in person.
For people that don’t know, Tiny Away homes follow ecologically sustainable principles, which means their bathrooms include a waterless eco-friendly compost toilet, hand basin and gas heated shower. It’s designed in this way to satisfy people’s needs with natural resources and processes to save water and of course, the environment.
Another great aspect of this tiny home experience is that you’re completely away from all the hustle and bustle, so once you’re done visiting all the incredible sites of the Hunter that day, you can retreat back to your property and not have to see or hear from a single soul.
Tiny House 888 isn’t just charming on the inside, outside is just as appealing. Surrounded by trees, fire trails and fairy lights, we spotted several kangaroos enjoying the serenity just like us whilst relaxing outside. And when it started to cool down and dusk was setting in, the nearby fire pit was just about begging us to be lit.
If you’ve never been to the Hunter Valley before, it’s seriously a great weekend away for couples, friendship groups and families.
And when you’re staying at centrally located accommodation like Tiny Away’s Tiny House 888, the best the Hunter has to offer is basically on your doorstep.
Of course this wouldn’t be a travel review without some recommendations, so be sure to give these places a visit if you’re making the trip up north.
A fun stop for lunch is 4 Pines at the Farm in Pokolbin. Born a decade ago from a casual conversation between a beer-loving father and son, 4 Pines at the Farm is large venue home to exceptional beer and seriously awesome food.
A visit to the Hunter wouldn’t be the same without some cheese and crackers, and the Smelly Cheese Shop at Pokolbin Village is the perfect stop to pick up everything you need for a little picnic by a vineyard or a cheeky snack back at your accommodation.
Like I mentioned earlier, wine isn’t really my thing but the good news for me was, the Hunter Valley is home to some great distilleries as well.
I was able to enjoy a free tasting at the glitzy Small Mouth Vodka, located in the Hunter Valley Gardens precinct, and sipped on some delicious gin and moonshine at the famous Hope Estate, which has been home to some exceptional concerts over the years.
If you’re after a sweet treat you can’t go past these two fine establishments – Cocoa Nib Artisan Chocolate at Keith Tulloch Wine and the uberpopular Sabor Dessert Bar on Broke Road. Photos I posted from these two places had everyone hounding me when I returned home.
What I really liked about Sabor is that they can pair a wine with your dessert – so how could I say ‘no’ to a glass of port with my Black Forrest cake?
Lastly, dinner. The Hunter Valley is home to dozens of incredible restaurants and award-winning places to eat. You probably wouldn’t be able to go wrong with anywhere you selected, but for us, we tucked into a scrumptious nine-course meal at Goldfish Bar & Restaurant at Roche Estate on our first night before we concluded our trip away with pizza, pasta, and yummy salad at the amazing Baumé Restaurant, located on the grounds of Ben Ean at Pokolbin.
Next time you’re in the Hunter, consider going off the beaten track. It may just be what you need to return to nature, whilst having a bit of fun on the side.
The author stayed courtesy of Tiny Away, and a vehicle was provided by Toyota.
Nathan Taylor
Nathan Taylor is the Weekender's Deputy Editor and Senior Sports Writer. He also compiles the weekly Chatter on the Box TV column. Nathan is an award-winning journalist, who has worked at the Weekender for a decade.