Tin Chalet

Top choice in Victoria


A genuine off-the-grid getaway, this solar-powered double-storey cottage is constructed from corrugated iron. Its charming interior features a wood-fired stove, reclaimed timber and plenty of quirky, old-fashioned character. By the river and surrounded by forest, it occupies an organic farm and orchard run by Jill Redwood, the inspiring environmentalist who set up Environment East Gippsland. There's a two-night minimum stay.

There's a heap of great books, a chess set and even a solar-powered radio to pass the time in the evenings. Redwood has a whole menagerie of farm animals – from Clydesdale horses and guinea fowl to chickens, geese and goats (along with goats' cheese and milk). There's plenty of native wildlife, too, including wombats, parrots and kookaburras.