PALMER & GUNN - Queensland, AUSTRALIA
THE WEE TINY
Palmer & Gunn is a beautifully converted wee tiny nestled in the Gold Coast Hinterland. The space was built using reclaimed materials and vintage fittings, with each piece of furniture and decor thoughtfully curated by the owners, Fiona and Clancy.
When you arrive, you’ll immediately notice that every element has been carefully considered. High pitched ceilings, polished floorboards, mottled glass paned doors and windows, antique furniture and fittings, a cast iron fireplace and the newly installed cedar wood plunge pool/hot tub all sit by a bustling creek and create the perfect setting for a peaceful getaway. The small thoughtful touches ensure that your stay is tranquil and memorable.
THE LOCATION
Palmer & Gunn is located in Austinville, one hour drive south from Brisbane. Tucked away in the Gold Coast Hinterland, the wee tiny is only 15 minutes from the highway but this distance makes all the difference when seeking out the sweet sounds of nature. Perched next to Mudgeeraba Creek with no television and wifi, you are invited and encouraged to truly be off-grid and escape the rat race, if only for a night or two.
Frolic in the creek, snooze in the shade of the gum trees, play board games in front of the fire and sit on the small verandah listening to the birdsong greet you in the morning or the buzzing cicadas at dusk.
If you truly can’t sit still for too long, Springbrook National Park is merely 30 minutes drive where you can spend a day hiking and taking a refreshing dip in swimming holes and underneath waterfalls. Alternatively, the Gold Coast is not far either. Spend time lazing on the beach, shopping at local boutiques or eating out at some of the best cafes on the Gold Coast.
THE SPACE & AMENITIES
The wee tiny was designed to be a sustainable space for guests to enjoy whilst limiting one’s impact on the environment. The stellar feature is that Palmer & Gunn runs completely on solar power and purposefully limits your reach to modern appliances. There are two USB ports to charge your smartphones and no power sockets for plug-in appliances.
The space is cosy but sufficient for two people. Inside, you’ll find a queen bed decked out with luxurious French linen sheets. Air-conditioning is available but only limited to nighttime use. The restored cast iron claw foot bath tub invites you to soak and unwind and the composting toilet keeps with the sustainable design (note: it does not smell at all and detailed instructions for use are provided). Take note of the Twyfords basin and Victoria toilet fixture adding that little bit of history in a modern setting. Eco-friendly bath and washing products are also supplied.
Outside on the charming wooden porch, you’ll find the outdoor kitchen kitted out with all you need during a stay. The 3 burner gas stove and small oven are perfect for cooking meals for two (note: the gas burner takes a while to heat up a pan and doesn’t burn too hot so crack open a bottle of wine as you may need to factor in a bit more cooking time than usual) and we found the gas fridge provided ample room for the food that we brought for our two night stay. All cooking utensils including aluminium foil and baking paper are provided.
An amazing antique cast iron fireplace sits in the opposite corner of the verandah and is the epitome of charming old stuff. Heed the warning and instructions of using this little burner and cosy up with a cup of hot organic loose leaf tea or beverage of your choice in front of the fire.
The latest addition to Palmer & Gunn is its cedar wood plunge pool and hot tub. Oozing Finnish sauna vibes, we were thrilled to take a dip in here, particularly coming off a sweaty hike at the nearby Twin Falls circuit. You can have a go, like us, at using the wood burner to turn it into a hot tub but please be careful and ensure that the wood burner is never out of your sight. It does take a couple of hours for the water to heat up so you will need to stoke and feed the flame every now and then, but again, it’s so easy to dawdle around the tiny that those hours will fly by.
KEY NOTES
We stayed at Palmer & Gunn for two nights in early January.
During our stay, we experienced hot and sunny weather, an afternoon storm, overcast mornings and cloudy evenings. We didn’t need to use the air-conditioning on either nights and found the linen sheets suitable for a comfortable night’s sleep. The tiny can become quite hot on clear, sunny days, particularly during the summertime. Often there is a light breeze that drifts down along the creek so if you plan on hanging around, we’d recommend grabbing the picnic blanket and setting up a morning picnic in the shade of the gum trees or taking a swim in the creek (at your own risk).
Come winter time, we would imagine that the temperature in the hinterland drops a number of degrees so be sure to bring warmer clothes during your stay.
The water in the cedar wood tub is not chlorinated so rinse your swimwear straight after soaking as the water may leave some residue.
As the tiny is next to a creek, there are plenty of insects. Fortunately, we didn’t encounter too many mosquitos. This is probably because the creek flows and there is not a lot of stagnant water. There is some insect repellent inside the tiny if you require. There are the odd flies and wasps that fly around during the day when you throw open the windows and doors so keep this in mind before closing up for the night.
THE HOSPITALITY
The hospitality was second to none.
All instructions and information provided by Fiona was communicated promptly in the warmest manner. The self check-in and check-out process was smooth and uncomplicated. The small hand written welcome note and locally made honey were additional touches that went above and beyond expectations.
We simply have no hesitation in recommending Palmer & Gunn to anyone.
THE LOWDOWN
Austinville is one hour’s drive south of Brisbane or 30 – 40 minutes from the Gold Coast. You will need a car to reach Palmer & Gunn.
If you’re looking to book a couple of nights at this wee tiny, here is the Airbnb booking link!
*This stay was provided complimentary by Palmer & Gunn. All photos, words and opinions are our own.
