‘No more power bills’: How this house stays warm in the iciest winters

When the three little pigs built a house of straw, it ended in disaster for the unfortunate trio. 

But a straw-bale house on a wild, windy beach in Tasmania is proving the fable wrong.

The home is one of just two private landholdings on the famous Neck of Bruny Island. 

The long, thin isthmus is one of the most iconic land bridges in the world and regularly appears in lists of Australia’s best beaches.

Winters on Bruny Island are cold and the winds are ferocious – sometimes surpassing 100 kilometres per hour. 

But inside the straw bale house, it is warm and toasty all year round thanks to the straw’s powerful insulation properties. 

“Since purchasing it in May 2022, the current owners have completed extensive upgrades inside and out,” selling agent Jude Viney from Fall Real Estate Hobart said. 

“This way of life has many attractions – no more power bills is just one of them.”

Straw bale construction is nothing new. 

There are records of a hay-bale schoolhouse in Nebraska dating back to 1896 – although by 1902, it had reportedly been eaten by a herd of local cows. 

The Bruny Island house is built from thick, 45-centimetre hay bales. The ceiling is stuffed with wool insulation and the floor is lined with polystyrene foam, resulting in an ultra-efficient thermal envelope. 

Unusually, the straw bales have been left visible in the interior walls. 

The exposed straw, combined with reclaimed myrtle and celery-top timbers, lends the home a rustic quality.

There are three separate buildings scattered across the site: a two-bedroom main residence, a small artist’s studio and a two-bedroom guest cabin. 

A short walking track leads to a vast, ten-kilometre stretch of deserted beach. 

Meanwhile, a sheltered bay on the other side of the isthmus is the perfect place to kayak, fish and gather oysters.

The property is a haven for native wildlife, including echidnas, quolls, sea eagles and black cockatoos. 

It’s also home to some less popular creatures. 

Offers Over $1,350,000

3003 Bruny Island Main Road, South Bruny TAS 7150

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“If you are afraid of spiders, small bugs etc, this is not the home for you,” warns an Airbnb listing for the property. 

“Please be aware of this when booking as this home is a bush location and we cannot guarantee you won’t be visited by an Aussie critter or two during your stay. We will not refund for small bugs/spiders in this home.”

The property is on the market for offers over $1.35 million.

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