Off-grid huts, retreats & cabins in NSW

Sustainable luxury in the tropics at Arcadia

Just looking at the outdoor bath tells you everything you need to know about Arcadia’s Nimbin retreat. Carved from a single piece of granite and sitting on a wooden deck that looks onto a bushy, green canopy, the bath looks both exquisite but completely in touch with its surroundings. The rest of the cabin, within a huge area of lush farmland, is built with a similar philosophy, based on natural, high-quality materials that work with the colours and textures of the land. Find the kitchen stocked with local honey, coffee and tea; the living room with books, boardgames and a fireplace; and your bedroom with a stargazing picture window and blackout blinds for total shutdown sleep time.  

Switch off: Follow the winding Turntable Creek to Nightcap National Park for an immersion into breathtaking environmental history. In 1979 a group of protestors blocked bulldozers from destroying the rainforest of the Terania Basin. Those original trees, some more than 1,000 years old, are still there. Take the Protesters Falls Walking Track to explore the historic rainforest, home to picturesque waterfalls, rare fauna and a cute picnic area.   

The Cabin at Arcadia, Nimbin - Credit: Arcadia Nimbin/Lismore City Council

Off-grid minimalism with a crew at Budgalong Spicers Creek

Set in the bush of the Dubbo area, Budgalong Spicers Creek has two sustainable off-grid safari-style tents, both with elegant but minimal design so you can focus on the wilderness around you. They’re also a rare off-grid experience designed for groups, with each tent featuring two rooms and housing up to four guests. Gather around the fireplace sharing stories, take in the views via a beanbag on the front deck and wander through the bush with snacks in packs. 

Switch off: Collaborating with wellness workshop company Moore Nourishing Life, Budgalong hosts adhoc three-day retreats centred around unplugging. Embrace a wholefood diet, recentre with a guided meditation, go for mindful walks and gather for dinner to debrief and unwind. Check their website for dates and to register your interest.  

Budgalong Spicers Creek, Spicers Creek - Credit: Stephanie Hunter

Stargaze in the Mudgee countryside at Hepburn Retreat

In the middle of a paddock, far from the lights of the big city, the night is painted with colours, constellations and stories. And, in your cabin at Hepburn Retreat, you and the cows outside will be the only ones looking. The cabins, 45 minutes from Mudgee, are a retreat from screens, busyness and noise. All three sustainable, solar-powered cabins are set within 180 acres of countryside, populated only with cows, horses, chickens and occasional mobs of kangaroos. Spend your time chatting around the firepit, cooking local eggs on the barbecue and watching the night sky move across the horizon.  

Switch off: Match Hepburn’s sustainable, local-first philosophy and get all of your produce for the weekend, plus maybe a local cheese or handicraft, at a local market.  

Hepburn Retreat, Ilford - Credit: Amber Hooper/Hepburn Retreat

Off the snowfields and into comfort at Crafters Cabins

Finish a Snowy Mountains adventure with a plush reward – a luxury stay at one of Crafters Cabins’ off-grid cabins, where you’ll feel like your only neighbours are the local kangaroos and echidnas. The two-person cabins host a king-bedroom and a sun-drenched lounge featuring a fireplace, a comfortable couch and a luxurious couple’s shower. Outside, spend an afternoon sinking into a bath looking onto the gums and hills of the Jindabyne area. If you want to get back to the slopes the next day, it’s just a 25 to 30-minute drive to Thredbo and 10 minutes to the Bullocks Flat Skitube station. 

Switch off: The Snowy Mountains is one of the best hiking areas in NSW. In spring and summer you can ascend the country’s highest peak among colourful wildflowers, and in winter, try a snowshoe expedition with K7 Adventures. 

Crafters Cabins, Crackenback - Credit: Crafters Australia

Go offline at regenerative farm Kestrel Nest EcoHut in the Snowy Valleys

Nestled in rolling farmland just a short drive from Tumut, Kestrel Nest EcoHut is the perfect escape for families wanting a screen-free stay. Created with recycled tin and timber by husband-and-wife team David and Louise, the hut features a deluxe queen bed, a bunk bed for the kids, and either lamb-dotted farmland or rugged wilderness in every direction. Relax in the outdoor bath on the wraparound verandah, stargaze in the hammock, toast marshmallows in the fire pit, go birdwatching on the protected bush trails, and take a dip in the picturesque creek. 

Switch off: David and Louise can organise a tour to connect you deeper with the land that surrounds you. See first-hand the artistry in the tools and crafts of First Nations peoples with Wiradjuri Wolgalu man Shane Herrington’s Wolgalu Footprints workshop, book into the Farming With Habitat Tour to understand life on a sustainable farm, or try the Bird Watching Tour and try to spot the 141 species that have been sighted in the area. 

The outdoor bath at Kestrel Nest EcoHut, Tumut

Cosy up in your own private igloo at Hideaway Domes

While you won’t be surrounded by snow in this igloo, the stunning solar-powered Hideaway Domes surround guests in a different but equally breathtaking scene: 1,000 acres of native bushland tucked away on a working beef and sheep farm in Mudgee. Your dome has all the comforts of a deluxe cabin – queen bed, linen, indoor fireplace, kitchenette and en suite – and the transparent bay window and roof windows allow you to stargaze right from your bed. Go for hikes in the day and at dusk, settle by the firepit and spot the wedge-tailed eagles, kangaroos and echidnas coming out to play. 

Switch off: Arrange a visit to the nearby Mudgee Observatory to learn more about the celestial sea above you. 

Hideaway Domes, Mudgee

Go wild at Tanja Lagoon Camp

Tanja Lagoon Camp's eco-luxe accommodation is on the edge of a wild coastal lagoon just a short drive from Tathra on the sparkly Sapphire Coast. The safari-style tents sleep two and feature fully equipped kitchens, en suites and minimal separation from the sights and sounds of the natural environment. Or bring the family and nestle into one of the spacious, light-filled eco-cabins. Use of the camp’s kayaks and canoes is included so you can spend your days paddling around the lagoon’s island and beaches or just peacefully float around like the local pelicans and swans. 

Switch off: Forget your phone and pack your binoculars. Not only will you spot an array of native mammals, reptiles and birds, if the season is right you may spy humpback whales as they migrate along the coast. 

 Tanja Lagoon Camp, Tanja

Find a galaxy far, far away at Dark Sky Eco Resort

Located right on the doorstep of the Warrumbungles, renowned for its clear night skies and epic stargazing, Dark Sky Eco Resort is a fully off-grid lodge on a private emu farm near Coonabarabran. Inside the generously sized yurt-shaped lodge you’ll find everything you need to unwind, including a fireplace, outdoor spa and barbecue on the deck. While Wi-Fi is available, you won’t need it. The 184-acre property is yours to explore by foot or golf cart, and you even have your own private observatory to use at night. 

Switch off: Join the guided emu safari to meet, feed and even pat one of the world’s largest birds, or take a tour to the Siding Spring Observatory to see the planets through an 11-inch telescope. 

Dark Sky Eco Park, Coonabarabran

A stylish escape among an alpine landscape at Mill Cabin

Just a 15-minute drive from Jindabyne, cosy Mill Cabin in the Snowy Mountains looks like a quaint old stockman’s hut from the outside, but inside it has all the little luxuries of a lovingly curated modern home – toiletries by Leif, Cultivar robes, In Bed bed linen, a well-appointed kitchen and a bookshelf stuffed to the brim with books and board games so you won’t even notice the absence of a TV. A stay here is as much about getting cosy and slowing down as it is about exploring the undisturbed remote area. With views out to snow-capped Mount Perisher, you’re close to ski fields, hiking trails and natural swim spots on the Thredbo River and Lake Jindabyne. P.S. there's also a woodfired outdoor bathtub.

Switch off: Explore the mountain landscape by foot and embark on the Snowies Alpine Walk, which follows the breathtaking Snowy River Valley from Guthega to Charlotte Pass. 

Mill Cabin, Jindabyne

Find upcycled luxury at architecturally unique Wilga Station

Made with recycled farm materials and sporting a sloping grass-topped roof, Wilga Station looks like it’s been lifted from the ground. The hut is the creation of the Keith family, third-generation farmers, and lies in the middle of a working sheep farm. Although you’ll be surrounded by the sheep, sheds and the rolling hills of the Bathurst area, inside the hut is understated, country luxury – a king-sized bed looks onto a picture window showing off the farm’s scenery, an outdoor barbecue and fireplace invites you to take that complimentary local wine outside with you, and the window seat is perfect for an afternoon of reading. If you want to try the local produce, talk to the Keith family about a two-course dinner package delivered to the hut. 

Switch off: During the day, explore the farm’s walking trails, swim in the natural pond and nearby creek, or go on a farm tour with owner Hamish Keith (he might even cook something for you). 

Wilga Station, Evans Plains

Dome living on the edge of a national park at Scribbly Farm

You’ll feel like you’re staying in the middle of the Southern Highlands bush, but with the comforts of a charming rural retreat, at Scribbly Farm, where you’ll sleep under the cover of a cosy dome. The dome connects to a wooden hut made with sustainable building practices (timber is sourced from the farm you stay on), and offers studio living that encourages you to digitally detox (Wi-Fi is only available in certain pockets for emergencies), so the only thing to engage with is each other, the bush and the wildlife around you.  

Switch off: Scribbly Farm sits on the edge of Nattai National Park, a natural escape decorated with gum forests, sandstone cliffs and seasonal wildflower blooms. Walk the Starlights Trail and see a scenic mountain view from the Wollondilly lookout. 

Scribbly Farm Premium Dome Bush Retreat, Scribbly Farm - Credit: ⓒ Bodhi Photography 2023

Solar-powered hot tubs and pizza ovens at Gilay Estate  

The view from Gilay Estate stretches far onto the Liverpool Plains of Quirindi, and you’ll be privy to those views whether you’re in the outdoor bath, watching cheese bubble in the Gozney pizza oven, or just waking up in the king-sized bed. When the sun goes down and nature seals itself behind the veil of night, your uniquely designed hut has all the comforts to end the day with peace: relax in front of the fireplace with complimentary sparkling wine, soak in the woodfired hot tub, put on a tune and lay out one of the hut’s board games, or pull out the yoga mat and unwind on the deck.  

Switch off: Try your hand at off-grid cooking with their custom-made Gilay Grill set up over the open outdoor firepit.  

Gilay Estate, Quirindi - Credit: Morning Swim Studio

Off-grid on the water at Sydney’s Lilypad 

Even in the city there are off-grid retreats to disconnect from the world, and Lilypad offers you just the chance. The luxury solar-powered villa floats on the waters by Palm Beach, and is only accessible by boat. This secluded retreat has everything you need to indulge in luxury, with an infrared sauna, an open fireplace, an outdoor and indoor lounge and a drinks list designed by a sommelier (included in the booking). All food is included in the booking, and you can add on an onboard massage to truly relax. 

Switch off: Take Lilypad’s two paddleboards out for a spin, if you’ve got the balance and core to manage it, paddle to a nearby bay and spend the afternoon on the sands of a secluded beach.  

Lilypad, Palm Beach

Have a glamping adventure at Myall River Camp

Just an hour’s drive from Newcastle, and sitting between a river and beach near the Myall Lakes National Park, Myall River Camp is a secluded nature retreat where you can do as much – fishing, cycling, bushwalking and boating – or as little as you want. Choose a spacious canvas and timber-clad safari-style glamping tent with its own verandah and four-poster bed, or book into one of their sustainably built tiny houses, complete with en suite bathrooms, outdoor firepits and stylish interiors with vintage furniture.

Switch off: The surrounding waters give you the ultimate digital detox. Swim, kayak or paddleboard in the Myall River (the tea tree oil in the water from nearby trees is said to rejuvenate skin and hair), look out for the river’s resident dolphins or go birdwatching in the mangroves.

Myall River Camp, Hawks Nest - Credit: Sue Stubbs

Sleep in one of Unyoked’s tiny cabins in the wilderness

When you have to fill out a questionnaire to find the ‘right’ kind of nature to suit you, you know this is going to be a one-of-a-kind getaway. Unyoked’s tiny solar-powered cabins built for two are dotted in secret spots across the state and have been designed with the scientific benefits of escaping to nature in mind. With a small hike to get to some of the cabins, it’s an expedition before you even arrive. But it will be worth the journey, with a luxurious bed, premium bedding, cooking equipment, bush walks and, depending on the cabin, yoga mats and a mini book library to keep you occupied.

Switch off: Make the most out of your off-grid trip and choose a cabin without reception – Sufjan or Roscoe in Gloucester Tops or Heike in the Lower Hunter.

Woman enjoying view from her cabin, Unyoked - Credit: @emily_marie