Our fab getaway to a ‘tiny house’ in Greenbushes, WA

With budgeting a priority at the moment for many, some of us are forsaking big trips overseas for smaller staycations closer to home.

While my partner Ben and I enjoy getting away on occasion, the current climate in WA (literal weather, that is, with temperatures of up to 45 degrees in Perth alone) had me thinking less about traditional camping recently, and more on the glamping side of things. So I was thrilled to come across a company called Tiny Away who offer an array of “tiny houses” that travelers can stay in during country trips – air con and other mod cons included.

Their name might be a little on the twee side but the service they offer is such a clever idea for short-stay holidaying, with Tiny Away introducing a series of stunning new ‘mini’ houses across Western Australia.

These impressively self-sufficient “compact homes on wheels” are made with sustainable materials and include rainwater collection tanks for showers, with some operating under solar panels.

A couple of weekends ago, I was happy to break away from the domestic trappings of my city home and take a two-and-a-half hour drive with my partner, to a town called Greenbushes, half an hour out of Bunbury.

There we stayed at ‘Wally’s Retreat’, a farm tucked off the main road that has not one, but two, Tiny Away houses on it. Wally himself is actually Warrick, a friendly chap who has lived on his farm for decades now, knows the area like the back of his hand, and pulls all stops in ensuring your stay is a great one.

Opening the mini fridge in our tiny house, we were thrilled to see a tray generously stocked with locally produced cheeses, while lining the side shelves were bottles of rose, milk, eggs, cold water, and more.

Tiny Away operators such as Warrick are passionate about their hosting and sometimes do a more impressive job in providing for their guests. Put it this way, you wouldn’t get this generous treatment in a dodgy motel off the highway.

Some Tiny House hosts go over and above the call of hospitality. Unlimited cheeses, anyone?

Indeed, Tiny Away gives travelers a chance to stay in rural areas otherwise closed off to traditional accommodation like hotels or motels. And they fit in plenty of amenities for such a humble-sized space, including cosy queen-size bed, a kitchenette stacked with microwave, hot plate, toaster and kettle, and a setting of table and chairs to dine at, or take out onto your mini patio so as to soak in the country air.

For a fairly humble-sized space, Tiny Away’s tiny houses pack in the comfort factor.

Basically, it’s all about experiencing the great outdoors in comfort and safety; being in the thick of country but not having to worry about how wild the wildlife really might be. Once camped in our Tiny Away house at Wally’s Place, we relaxed in the air-con for a lot of our trip, but also ventured out, packing a lot in our two-day stay.

We visited the Greenbushes mine lookout, soaking in the views of one of the biggest lithium mining operation in the world – certainly the biggest in Australia.

The vivid contrast of the grey Eucalyptus, slate rocks and green bushes might just be how this place got its name.

The walk up to the lookout is a pleasant one, dotted with sitting benches inscribed with inspirational quotes. In and around Greenbushes town centre are a skateboard park, cafes and cake stores, an old courthouse and gaol (spelt ye olde way), Masonic lodge, RSL hall and other heritage buildings. So there are plenty of amenities and history to fill up your time.

We also dipped our toes in the water at Greenbushes Pool, a local watering hole that locals and out-of-towners alike enjoy for camping, barbeque-ing, trekking and wildlife-spotting. It’s a beautifully serene spot on the Greenbushes map.

If you want to delve further into the town’s history, there’s always the Discovery Centre, an interactive venue where you can experience a bit of mining yourself thanks to some fancy simulation.

Mucking about on a Fordson Tractor in Greenbushes Heritage Park.

Then there’s Bridgetown, a small town just 14kms from Greenbushes but packed with great antique shops, cafes and pubs. Heck, I even spotted a cool record store – Karma Llama Records – that stocked some rare vinyl finds. And to think I had to travel out of the big city to discover this place.

After a big day out in the heat (still, cooler than Perth on these particular days), nothing felt better than a cool shower back at our convenient accommodation, and a nice lay-down. Then it’s shower-time to get ready for a night out at the big local pub, the Shamrock Hotel.

This two-story brick and iron structure serves not only as a nice slice of heritage property in Greenbushes, it’s the main watering hole for locals and visitors alike. The hotel consists of a front bar and formal dining room, a rear lounge, kitchen and even second-story accommodation. The food is your typical pub fare but, since FIFOs make up much of their market, the portion is sizes are way generous. I paired my big chicken parmie with a glass of locally brewed cannabis-infused ginger beer. I’ve never tried a beverage with cannabis as an ingredient but let’s just say this one drink left me feeling very relaxed.

The Shamrock is just a 10-minute walk from Wally’s Place so if I wanted to, I could have forsaken driving there and made the most of a few more of those ginger beers! Still, a full day of running around meant a great night’s sleep in our cosy abode.

Warrick says two of the main benefits of Tiny Away houses compared to traditional hotels or motels are the out-of-town quietness, and the sense of security – since guests are on a private property, not in some scary commercial residence where the taps mightn’t even work.

“We get some mining workers staying over, but they’re looking more for whole package of food and accommodation together. Generally our guests are tourists with a 50/50 split of overseas guests and general travelers who prefer out-of-town accommodation.”

By the way, you might have noticed the photo at the top of this review with my partner Ben holding our pet Chihuahua/Jack Russell Ringo – the dog himself looking very happy with our accommodations. Most Tiny Away hosts actually allow pets; just ask your host nicely and they’re sure to be able to accommodate. And for the record, Ringo had a great time, too, messing about with Wally’s two beautiful dogs, Rosie and Max.

Booking a Tiny Away house is easy. Simply go online and see what’s available and suitable for your road trip itinerary. Detailed instructions on how to check in are emailed to you a day before your check-in date, and you can also pre-order fresh farm produce including vegetables, seasonal fruits, eggs and sometimes milk. Heck, if you’re lucky you might get a very generous host like we did, and there’ll be cheese and wine waiting for you at the other end.

Antonino Tati

For more information and to book, visit tinyaway.com and have a little more fun on your next mini road trip.