Hauslein's Affordable Gunyah Is a Tiny House Like Few Others Around: At Home in the Jungle

Folks, the word Gunyah means a hut or shelter, typically used by aborigines, peoples native to the land of Australia. However, this is a tiny home we're talking about, so throw the idea of a straw hut out the window. Instead, please think of this 5 m (16.4 ft) long unit as your go-anywhere habitat where you can relax, cook, and sleep in utter safety when everything in the natural world is out to get you; we all know how dangerous Aussieland can be.

Now, to hook you a little bit, let me point out that what you see in the gallery and the video below starts off with a price tag of no more than $100,760 Australian, which is roughly $65,500 American. Wait a minute; a tiny home for around $65K!? Yup. Let's see how this is possible and if it's the sort of unit you want or need.

This, however, is dictated by the sort of lifestyle you want to live or what a tiny home means for you. Some people use these trailer-mounted habitats for short weekend trips out of town. Others, for year-round living, no matter the place, even selling their landlocked homes in the process. Well, the Gunyah is a weekend-style unit, typically suitable for only short periods of living or for as long as you can stand your own bodily aromas.

Overall, the Gunyah is 5 m (16.4 ft) long and 2.5 m (8.2 ft) wide, but as small as that may sound, this thing can still accommodate up to four sleeping guests and even has a loft bedroom! In all, 18 sq m (194 sq ft) of living space is made available. More than enough to create an interior the likes of what you see in the image gallery.

Now, I can sit here and tell you all about aspects of this unit, like the termite-resistant timber frame, red cedar cladding, and fiberglass earth wool insulation, but who cares about how this thing keeps me warm? Instead, let's take a little trip through our imagination to really get a feel for a life lived in a Gunyah.

I want you to picture making it out in the middle of nowhere, literally, much like the setting where Hauslein places the Gunyah; it looks like a friggin swamp! Do take note of the additional porch we see. That's got to be optional, for sure. After all, it's even sitting on another trailer.

From here, pretend that you're those two lovebirds hanging out in a hammock. Picture a fire nearby, roasting away at some hunk of meat, or maybe you have an outdoor grill set up. Enjoy the smells, get lost in the movement of flames and smoke, and let the sounds of leaves rustling through treetops ease you into relaxation. Kick back until it's time to flip those burgers. There is an indoor galley with the works if outdoor cooking isn't your thing.

Once it's time to enjoy your meal, why not do so inside, where there's no dust or insects that want to ruin your state of being? Here's where we can start to see what Hauslein deems as important for the outdoor lover. You'll be able to enjoy your meals at a tabletop integrated into the unit's wall, where a large trap door lifts to let you see the world outside. Best of all, this feature lets you freely communicate with your friends or family outside.

With bellies full, why not kick back on the couch mounted at the rear of the unit, or maybe there's a bed waiting for you there? This is dependent on the layout you ultimately choose. Mounting a TV in this space is possible, but I'd go for something a bit more quiet, like a library. All you need are some shelves.

Regarding sleeping arrangements, one of the floorplans Hauslein places at your disposal does include bedrooms, one downstairs where the couch is, and another as a loft elevated above the world. While this allows up to four guests to crash for the night, I'd replace one of the bedrooms and turn it into an adventure toy storage fit for e-bikes, kayaks, and even some climbing gear. Maybe you want a gym in your mobile home.

Now, Australians are lovers of the outdoors, no doubt about that! With that in mind, I need to point out that Hauslein does craft each Gunyah with the possibility of taking things completely off-grid. This includes systems like solar panels, batteries, management systems, and plenty of water to live out your days in comfort. But things can always be taken a bit further by throwing some cash at your Gunyah during the customization process.

So let's say that you've fallen in love with this little treat of a mobile habitat. What now? Well, there's a catch; Hauslein is an Australian crew, and as far as I know, they only ship within the land down under. Still, this shouldn't stop you from using the Gunyah as inspiration for a tiny home done right with the outdoor lover in mind.