Tiny Away Review: A weekend in Windeyer in a Tiny Home.
If you’d have told me that I would’ve been without reception for 48 hours, I would’ve laughed and said never. Little did I know that our Tiny Away adventure would mean no wifi, seeing more Australian wildlife in two days than I’ve seen in 26 years and re-learning how to appreciate the little things.
We chose the ‘Dream Alpaca’ Farm in Windeyer to stay at from the options available at Tiny Away. It was the perfect location - around a 3/4 hour drive from Sydney, 45 minutes from wine country in Mudgee and far enough to feel like a real adventure.
On Friday night after work, we packed the car and headed for what would be a life changing weekend away. If you’re heading toward Mudgee, I’d highly recommend taking the path through Bells Line of Road. The Blue Mountains are beautiful, and the drive is very scenic (and fun!).
We arrived at the Dream Alpaca Farm at around 10pm at night, and were greeted by the lovely Fernando, farmer and owner, and his faithful farm dog, Carlos. We’d been running behind schedule, and I’d worryingly sent Fernando a message letting him know that we were running late. His message back simply said, “Don’t worry about the time. You get here, when you get here.” That was our first indicator that this was going to be a very special, unusual weekend.
When Fernando greeted us, he gave us a tour of the Tiny House and let us know that on his farm, there was no such thing as time. It was a place to relax, to appreciate nature and to ditch the phone. As someone who works in social media, that was a very daunting thing - I always joke about not being able to live without my phone, and here it was… the ultimate test.
As it was so late when we arrived, we both jumped straight into bed and passed out. The next morning we woke up to the sun streaming in, and could finally see the beauty that surrounded us. Roaming the farm were alpacas, lambs, sheep, peacocks, working dogs, horses, chickens and geese.
Our Tiny Away house was fitted with everything you’d ever need, and more! Air con, lights, every modern appliance and everything we’d need for a big cook-up. The queen bed sat on it’s own sub-level within the house, and you simply climbed up a ladder/stairs and you were there. I thought it’d be claustrophobic sleeping with the roof less than a metre above our heads, but it actually ended up being quite cosy!
Let me be frank, that if you’re looking for a luxurious weekend away, this isn’t the Tiny Away home for you. While there was a shower, it was more of a quick rinse off (the hot water was sporadic), and the toilet was an eco-toilet, meaning you’d do your business and then rather than flushing, put some spray in there some shredded wood chips/paper to absorb the smell. Again, not luxury but a true experience for living sustainably.
That morning Fernando offered to give us a farm tour, and OH MY LORD it was the best three hours of my life. First, we headed over to the alpacas to hand feed them and learn more about them. Alpaca fur is not only much warmer than sheep wool, but easier to work with and alpacas are easier to care for. My favourite was Nicola, who was the eldest and the queen bee of them all. She was sassy as anything, and when she’d eat from your tub she’d look you dead in the eyes, making the weirdest sounds you’ve ever heard.
Next up was a ride on the farm ‘limousine’, AKA the farm ute. This bad boy had an enormous tray up the back, so Joe, Carlos and I stood on the tray, and held on for dear life. If you love 4WDing, it’s like that but on steroids. We explored the entire property (400 acres!) across various tracks (and loads of off-roading), and met so many characters along the way.
Fernando was an incredible host, stopping regularly and educating us about the area. The farm actually is on top of an old gold mine, where people found gigantic nuggets! These days, people still come to Fernando’s farm to try their luck but instead of panning, they bring high-tech metal detectors. During these three hours, we learnt so much about farming, the passion it takes and also the devastation it can have.
Living so centrally in Sydney, it’s hard to really feel affected by the drought. While we’re all abiding by the water restrictions, for some of us, we’ll never truly feel the pull of the drought. Fernando’s farm has 12 dams, and 2020 was the first year that every single one of them dried up. Fernando had to sell sheep and alpacas as he couldn’t physically afford water for them, and times got really difficult. He was so grateful for the recent storm and the rainfall it brought, and it really hit home for me. While we may not feel or see the affects of drought, my goodness can it really ruin someone’s livelihood.
The rest of the weekend was spent exploring the local Mudgee region (Walter Wines and Lowe Wines are a must visit), and checking out the rest of the property. We headed to the Gold + Fleece for dinner, which was definitely the most authentic, local Aussie pub I’ve ever visited. Here’s a funny story for you - Joe has been in Australia for less than a year, but had the most Australian experience of his life at this pub.
The toilets were out the back, and Joe was sitting there doing his business, when someone came into the (dark) toilet block, and said “Whoever is in the toilet, remain calm but a brown snake has just come in. Put your feet up!”. Poor Joe, sat on the toilet, feet in the air, helplessly watching as this brown snake slithered across the floor before making a pass for the bin! This local guy was so chill about the snake, and grabbed a rake and removed the snake from the toilet block! When Joe came back and told me, I couldn’t stop laughing - welcome to Australia!
If you’re looking for an incredible weekend away, I cannot recommend a stay with Tiny Away enough. Their tiny houses are designed to be eco-friendly, and are built with sustainable materials. The farmers receive a share of the profit, and it’s a form of sustainable tourism that I am so proud to support. You can read more about Tiny Away here and book your next trip now!