The holiday rental marketplace has just released a sneak peek of its annual Most Wishlisted Homes in Australia list, revealing six of the most desired stays across the country. The common thread? Tiny homes, connection with nature and stays with drawcards such as stargazing and outdoor baths.
Here’s what the data reveals about our travel appetite right now
Pepper Tree Passive House was revealed as one of the most wishlisted Airbnbs in Australia. (Credit: Pepper Tree Passive House)
Airbnb’s Most Wishlisted Homes in Australia reveals that travellers are seeking short, low-pressure escapes that provide relief from the hustle and bustle of metropolitan cities.
“The destinations and homes that are featuring on people’s wishlists reflect a desire for digital detox and local travel," says Susan Wheeldon, Country Manager for Airbnb Australia and New Zealand. “As people look for ways to disconnect and reset, the homes featured in the Most Wishlisted Airbnbs for 2026 point to a desire for nature-led stays, from tiny homes to off-grid retreats, that offer various options for those looking for a chance to reset."
The key trends from this year’s list include:
Tiny homes – small, minimalist stays are some of the country’s most wishlisted properties on Airbnb
Nature immersion – frequent search terms on Airbnb’s website include ‘rainforest’ and ‘seclusion’, highlighting the demand for regional, off-grid and quiet escapes
Stargazing and sleeping under the stars – wishlists are increasingly featuring transparent dome and bubble accommodation that allow travellers to watch the night sky
Aesthetic outdoor baths – hot tubs and outdoor baths are a common feature among top Airbnb listings
Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.
AI Prompt
Here are the six most-wishlisted Airbnbs in Australia for 2026
Red Rock Hut, King Island in Bungaree, Tas
King Island’s Red Rock Hut promises stillness and solace.
Those craving solace and solitude may find no pad more ideal than Red Rock Hut, an ultra-secluded tiny home on the west coast of Tasmania’s remarkable King Island. Replenish your soul in the private, wood-fired hot tub and barrel sauna, then watch mighty waves rise and fall from beneath warm, 1000-thread-count bed linen.
Pepper Tree Passive House in Unanderra, NSW
If ‘contemporary chic tree house’ takes your fancy, you’re in good company. This sustainably designed, two-bedroom loft, set against the backdrop of Mount Kembla in the suburbs of Wollongong, ranks among the most wishlisted Airbnbs in Australia for 2026. The pièce de résistance is the 60-year-old, fairylight-draped pepper tree that rises through the elevated terrace, where guests no doubt linger for breakfast and evening tipples. Though Pepper Tree Passive House’s cantilevered wings and beautifully furnished bedrooms make a compelling case, too.
Escape to a modern treehouse. (Credit: Pepper Tree Passive House)
The interiors draw on natural materials. (Credit: Pepper Tree Passive House)
The cabin offers thoughtful architecture surrounded by bush. (Credit: Pepper Tree Passive House)
Magical Rainforest Retreat in Main Arm, NSW
Step into another world at Magical Rainforest Retreat, NSW.
Magical Rainforest Retreat is an apt name for this unique tropical cabin located across a rustic wooden bridge seemingly pulled from a children’s fairytale. Set along a meandering creek amid towering rainforest in the NSW Northern Rivers region, the romantic one-bedder has Balinese-inspired interiors, an open-plan timber terrace and an adorable swinging chair over the creek. It’s one of the most wishlisted Airbnbs in Australia for good reason.
Weekly travel news, experiences insider tips, offers, and more.
Palm Pavilion in Church Point, NSW
The house blends timber and minimalistic design. (Credit: Palm Pavilion)
Palm Pavilion is hidden with trees in NSW's Church Point. (Credit: Palm Pavilion)
Enjoy a breezy terrace and outdoor pool perfect for groups. (Credit: Palm Pavilion)
This boutique rainforest-encircled home lies just 45 minutes from Sydney’s CBD on the edge of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. Architecturally stunning, Palm Pavilion hosts up to eight guests across multiple storeys and features a generous outdoor patio with a private pool, along with wide-open windows that flood the space with natural light. Girls’ long weekend plans sorted.
Star Gazing Bubble ‘Etoile’ in Agnes, Vic
Etoile bubble accommodation is proving that stargazing stays are trending with travellers.
Bubble Retreats’ Etoile dials the wow factor all the way up, thanks to its dreamy transparent ceiling – a front-row seat to one of the country’s premier dark-sky displays. Overlooking Wilsons Promontory National Park, this adults-only retreat sleeps two and comes self-contained with a thoughtfully designed kitchenette, ensuite, private deck primed for barbecue dinners and stargazing nightcaps. Consider it your own little world under the cosmos.
Romantic Lake House Retreat in Hunchy, Qld
Get back to nature at this lakeside tiny home. (Credit: Romantic Lake House Retreat Montville)
Tucked within the Sunshine Coast hinterland, this Romantic Lake House Retreat feels a world away from civilisation yet is located just minutes from restaurants, hiking trails and gorgeous waterfalls. The off-grid, eco-designed home has exclusive access to a private lake, where seasonal baby turtles glide through the water. You won’t have wi-fi –but that’s the point. Here it’s all about slow, intentional living.
Want to see more stories from Australian Traveller in your Google search results?
Tick the box next to "Australian Traveller". That's it.
Eleanor Edström is Australian Traveller’s Associate Editor. Previously a staff writer at Signature Luxury Travel & Style and Vacations & Travel magazines, she's a curious wordsmith with a penchant for conservation, adventure, the arts and design. She discovered her knack for storytelling much earlier, however – penning mermaid sagas in glitter ink at age seven. Proof that her spelling has since improved, she holds an honours degree in English and philosophy, and a French diploma from the University of Sydney. Off duty, you’ll find her pirouetting between Pilates and ballet classes, or testing her friends’ patience with increasingly obscure vocabulary.
Big skies and otherworldly landscapes are the hallmarks of Australia. Discovering them in-depth becomes easier with the experts.
Australia’s extraordinary landscapes make this vast continent like no other place on Earth, offering an unforgettable feast for the senses as you traverse deserts, cruise on vast inland lakes and dine under star-studded skies. What makes this land special is the people you’ll meet along the way, and the chance to forge a deep connection with the country and its people. The new AAT Kings small-group tours focus on the incredible experiences available in remote places that might otherwise seem daunting.
With an average of 16 guests and a maximum of 24, the tours offer intimate access to the best Australia has to offer, with special behind-the-scenes encounters led by knowledgeable experts.
1. Tasmania and Flinders Island Explorer
Fly over beautiful Flinders Island as part of a tour of Tasmania. (Image: Luke Tscharke)
Escape the tourist trail in north-eastern Tasmania while still seeing everything the island state has to offer. From coastal villages to bucolic rural scenery, the six-day Tasmania and Flinders Island Explorer tour offers world-class food and wine, with the bonus of a flight to Flinders Island.
From Launceston, the tour winds through the verdant Tamar Valley and includes a stop at Fork It Farm, where guests are given insight into sustainable farming while snacking on a house-made charcuterie platter paired with Tasmanian wines.
Fly by private plane to secluded Flinders Island, uncovering pristine beaches and savouring local seafood and wine. Explore the main settlement and learn about the history of Settlement Point and Wybalenna before soaking up views of the island and Bass Strait and exploring part of Strzelecki National Park. From there, it’s another scenic flight to Bicheno, flying down the east coast of Tasmania and across the stunning Bay of Fires and Wineglass Bay (a taste of what’s to come by land).
Other highlights include the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Brickendon Estate, still run by the same family since its founding in 1824, where the property’s convict history will be revealed.
In Devonport, a heritage train ride will track alongside the Don River to Coles Beach before returning to learn more about Tasmania’s railway history and vintage locomotives at Don River Railway.
2. South Australian Outback Adventure
Fly over the Anna Creek Painted Hills. (Image: Emile Ristevski)
From Adelaide, the highlights of the eight-day South Australian Outback Adventure tour open up the rugged grandeur of the Flinders Ranges, Wilpena Pound and Arkaroola. Home to the Adnyamathanha people for tens of thousands of years, the natural beauty and wide open spaces of this remote region unfold as you explore from both land and air.
Looking to the skies for a new way to experience South Australia’s outback, a scenic flight over the striking outcrops of the colourful Anna Creek Painted Hills and the shimmering saltpan of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is an eye-opener like no other.
Wilpena Pound Resort, owned and managed by the Indigenous community, is a haven in the midst of Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park. It’s worth the hike to enjoy sweeping views over the natural amphitheatre before your journey continues through dramatic gorges, where you may spot endangered yellow-footed rock-wallabies.
At the award-winning Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, dive deep into the region’s billion-year-old geological history with an expert guide as you tackle the steep ascent of the Ridgetop Track in an open-air 4WD. When the sun goes down, look up at the dazzling wonders of the Milky Way in this International Dark Sky Sanctuary.
3. Broome and the Kimberley Highlights
See the iconic Bungle Bungle Ranges from the air. (Image: Tourism WA)
From Broome’s sparkling beaches to the red dirt of Kununurra, the Kimberley region is one of Australia’s most extraordinary and unforgettable places. It’s a region of contrasts, beginning with multicultural Broome and the history of pearl divers.
Kick off your Broome and the Kimberley Highlights experience with a tour of Broome led by a local Aboriginal guide. You’ll learn about 40,000 years of culture as you explore historic landmarks, discover bush foods and medicinal plants and enjoy a private didgeridoo performance.
Learn about Broome’s rich pearling history at Willie Creek Pearl Farm, on the banks of a turquoise tidal estuary that provides the perfect environment for growing the South Sea pearls for which Broome is world-renowned. Then cruise the calm waters to see the oyster farm before a masterclass that reveals the secrets of the pearl industry.
As you continue your discovery of the Kimberley, fly over the dramatic striped domes of the Bungle Bungle Range, the Argyle Diamond Mine and gorgeous Lake Argyle, Western Australia’s largest freshwater body of water. Take a sunset cruise on the lake, which is dotted with more than 70 islands and is a birdwatcher’s paradise. The water teems with freshwater crocodiles, barramundi, bream and cod.
Complete your seven-day exploration of the Kimberley in Kununurra with a local Aboriginal guide to hear Dreamtime stories and wander through the ‘mini bungles’ of Mirima National Park.
4. Outback Contrasts
Expand your knowledge at Karrke Aboriginal Cultural Experience. (Image: Tourism NT/ ArchieSartracom)
From Alice Springs, the six-day Outback Contrasts adventure includes the wonders of Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon, offering premium accommodation and exceptional experiences. Ancient rock art, creation stories and the spiritual essence of the land will be revealed as you discover some of Australia’s most iconic landmarks.
A highlight of your stay in Alice Springs will be meeting chef Rayleen Brown, who shares her knowledge of Aboriginal native foods with a tasting of the many flavours of Central Australia’s wild harvest bush tucker. More culinary indulgence will follow at Discovery Resorts – Kings Canyon in the heart of Watarrka National Park, where you’ll enjoy a degustation menu and paired fine wines under the desert moon.
After a sunrise walk on the rim of Kings Canyon, head off to the Wanmarra community to learn about the Luritja and Pertame people’s spiritual connection to the land at Karrke Aboriginal Cultural Experience. Crossing desert scenes, you’ll arrive at Uluru and end the day watching the setting sun’s changing palette on the ancient landscape.
More awe-inspiring landscapes will be revealed as you wander between Kata Tjuta’s tallest domes in Walpa Gorge and explore the rugged beauty of Simpsons Gap in the West MacDonnell Ranges.
