Southern highlands Airbnb with six cottages and a train carriage hits the market

If a quiet escape from city life is calling your name, a popular short-term property that has hit the market may well be the answer to your prayers.

Little Forest at 800 Old Hume Highway, Alpine, in the southern highlands region, is home to five cottages and a converted 1920s train carriage.

It’s tucked away from the hustle and bustle of city lights and traffic on more than 16 hectares of land just a two-hour drive from Canberra.

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The cottages each sleep between four and 14 people and include antique furniture, clawfoot baths and slow-combustion stoves. 

The train carriage, affectionately known as Angas, was originally part of a train that did overnight trips between Melbourne and Adelaide. Angas sleeps 10 people in nine rooms, each named after a southern highlands town.

“Each home has its own unique feature,” said selling agent Henry Capel of One Agency Maday Property. “You can live in one of the homes and use the rest of the cottages and the train as a short-term-stay rental property. The options are endless.”

Investors hoping to earn a bit of coin from the purchase will be pleased to know that it costs about $4700 a night to book out the entire property, according to Stayz. To book individual cottages, the price ranges from $378 to $781 a night on Airbnb.

Mr Capel said its guests have included writers and artists who’ve “come to let their creative juices flow with the beautiful landscape as a backdrop and inspiration”.

“It’s more than simply an acreage property. Little Forest provides an entire lifestyle – an opportunity for a change of pace,” he said.

The gazebo overlooking the lake has been a popular spot for wedding ceremonies, as well as corporate groups.

“The mature gardens and natural landscape framing the property would leave a lasting impression on anyone who visits,” Mr Capel added.

For parties hoping to enjoy shared spaces, there are two sizable barbecue areas and a wood-fired pizza oven. There’s also a fireplace area for those hoping to toast some marshmallows and make some s’mores.

The latest Domain House Price Report shows the median house price in the southern highlands is now $1.155 million, up 35.9 per cent year-on-year. 

Government records show Little Forest was last purchased in 2016 for $2.6 million.

“We’ve had a whole host of buyer inquiries since we launched,” Mr Capel said. “It’s a unique opportunity with plenty on offer.”