'I didn't think tiny homes were for kids, but this one completely changed my mind.'

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An echidna was the first thing we saw when we arrived at our weekend stay. 

My kids — aged 2, 5 and 8 — crept up and squealed in delight as they watched it wobble through sticks and gum leaves, just steps behind our accommodation. We'd arrived at Tiny Wombat, our off-grid home for the next two nights nestled in lush bushland on Sydney's outskirts.

I often dreamscroll pictures of isolated homes with their window beds, cosy fires and outdoor spas and long to rest there uninterrupted for hours. My first preference is obviously a kid-free tiny home stay. But as city dwellers, I like to break up the hurried routine and ground their bare feet in dirt as often as I can. So, when I found Tiny Wombat, which sleeps six, I booked it immediately.

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It sits inside the Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, a 35-acre property in Dural, home to injured and orphaned native animals. Tiny Wombat and a second home, Tiny Wallaby — run by Into The Wild Escapes — are the first homes to open inside an Australian wildlife sanctuary.

When you stay, you can book a tour to meet the cutest of our wallabies, possums and birds. We did this, which I'll get to later — and it was no regular zoo visit — our kids said it was the best animal experience they've ever had.

Tiny homes are surprisingly spacious.

My first impression was how isolated it felt. A small black home surrounded by swaying eucalyptus trees with only birds as noise. It felt like we were in regional Australia, but we'd just crossed Sydney Harbour 30 minutes ago.

The second thing I noticed was how much fit into the luxe tiny home. There were four linen-clad beds – a double by a large window, a bunk bed and a double mattress up in the loft. A long window bench and seating looked out to nothing but trees, the bathroom fit a shower and toilet, and the kitchen had everything we needed — including a fridge, crockery and coffee. 

Behind the home was a clearing with stone steps to the deep woodfire spa, a barbecue, picnic table, and log seats around a campfire made for stories and marshmallows. 

Image: Supplied

Feels rural — but it's not really.

Now, I'm no camper. So, a two-night stay under the stars, but with a roof, mattress and toilet was the dream setup. 

When you have little kids, nothing beats getting them outside and slowing everything down. We went for walks and found kangaroos just a short distance away. We sipped teas and coffees while still hot for once. 

We ate meals in the sunshine and listened to bird songs, while soaking in the outdoor bath with the scent of eucalyptus and woodfire. While my kids don't have their own screens, they do watch TV, and I thought they'd miss it on a long weekend — but I didn't hear a word about it over three days. They treated the loft like a kid-only fort for drawing, reading and card games. 

My favourite time of year for outdoor adventuring is spring. And we were blessed by the weather Gods in early September. The days were warm and dry enough for walks, and a toddler to run around nude. But the evening still had a crisp coolness to enjoy an open fire and star bathing in the spa.

We were treated to a blood moon, so our nights had a rural darkness with tree shadows dancing from the most full and radiant moonlight.

It reminded me how easy, and important, it is to do nothing. To stop rushing. To stop filling in time and to just be.

An advantage of staying here is you get the restorative benefits of being off-grid where light and noise pollution is low — but if needed, shops are only a drive away. You don't have to overpack, or stress about forgetting nappies.

If you don't feel like cooking — you can eat at the Hills district's best cafes. We did a mix of both. Sausages and eggs on the barbie. Cool drinks by the fire and spa. 

Then we explored the semi-rural suburb with a big breakfast and takeaway baked goods from Wild Pear café, and lunch at SALT Café at Galston, nestled in the picturesque Galston Persimmon Orchard. 

Image: Supplied.

Tour the Hills Wildlife Sanctuary 

For the kids, their highlight (besides the loft) was the wildlife sanctuary tour. Supported by donations, the volunteer-run Hills Wildlife Sanctuary provides care and a home for injured and surrendered native animals. Its goal is to rehabilitate wildlife and return them to their natural habitat.

If you stay at Tiny Wombat or Tiny Wallaby you can add on a guided tour through exhibits for a hands-on and educational experience.

Volunteer Nat Conway, who has been at the sanctuary for two years, engaged us all immediately with her passion for conservation work and retelling of rescues. The older kids hung on her every word as she introduced lizards and emus by name and shared how they came to live at the sanctuary. During a lesson about reptiles, they got to hold a children's python, bearded dragon and a shingleback lizard. 

Image: Supplied.

They sprayed water to keep a green tree frog comfortable and hand-fed grubs to a frilled-neck lizard. We walked past owls, wombats and dingoes. My kids mixed meals for a ring-tailed possum and squirrel glider, before patting them as they handed over their lunch.

We fed kangaroos by hand and got a glimpse of a baby joey hiding in mum's pouch. My children left the sanctuary with memories they'll never forget and a large snakeskin for show-and-tell.

If you're looking for a weekend away, this might be the best Sydney staycation. A nature escape as a family, not even an hour away.

The huge bonus was learning about our precious wildlife and giving our kids a lesson on the importance of caring for our community and our littlest creatures.

Feature Image: Supplied.