Through this tiny doorway lies a home fit for a hobbit

If you have ever wanted to get away from it all, this cottage in the Tasmanian wilderness could be your answer. 

Tucked away in a valley at the foothills of Cradle Mountain, this handmade home took 37 years to create.

$795,000

52 Ladybird Lane, Lorinna TAS 7306

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It is the quintessential cabin in the woods, with thick slabs of honey-coloured timber and tiny dormer windows. 

A narrow door with a handcrafted leadlight window leads into a cosy kitchen with a wood-burning stove.

The four-bedroom house is located in Lorinna, a small hamlet in western Tasmania famous for being entirely off-grid. 

About 100 people live in the eco-community, which is a hotspot for those curious about alternative lifestyles. 

The community may be small, but there is a cornucopia of things to do: yoga, aikido, movie nights, pizza parties, soccer games and theatre performances. 

The town’s population swells during the summer months, when backpackers flock to volunteer at organic farms and the local Buddhist centre.

The house at 52 Ladybird Lane has its own rich history as a community gathering place. 

Shakespearian plays were once held in a secret tower at the top of the house, and today the space is a perfect cubbyhouse for children. 

Outside, the nine-acre garden backs onto a creek. 

The property is a magnet for wildlife, including echindas, platypuses, wombats and pademelons.

Along with chickens and “four resident geese”, there are vegetable beds, polytunnels, two ponds, outbuildings and a dizzying array of fruit and nut trees. 

Plus, the house is completely off-grid so the owners never have to pay a single power or water bill. 

“The hand-crafted, 37-year-old homestead is north facing with solar passive features, and a tucked away, ‘end of lane’ location with a permanent creek running through the southern border,” the listing says. 

“Its presence on the landscape beckons entry, like a cosy nest waiting to be enjoyed.” 

The property is on the market for $795,000 and is being sold directly by the owner, Chris.