From Lenswood to White Sands: Popular Airbnb rentals in South Australia

From a houseboat on the Murray River to an “Earthship” made of car tyres, these are the weird and wonderful South Australian properties travellers are dreaming of escaping to.

Exclusive: South Australians are dreaming of an escape to the country as the school holidays draw near.

With international travel off the menu and restrictions around some domestic borders, travellers are looking to explore their own backyards.

Airbnb has exclusively revealed to News Corp the incredible homes they are hopeful of escaping to.

A two-bedroom cottage surrounded by Adelaide Hills wineries and perched atop a 16-acre block with stunning views of picturesque Lenswood was Airbnb’s most ‘wish-listed’ home in South Australia for the period June to August.

Named “Ode to the Orchard”, the property is just 40 minutes from Adelaide’s CBD.

Those after an escape were also looking at a quaint, timber tiny house set on the edge of a natural spring that flows into the Sturt River.

Despite it’s small size, it’s suitable for two guests and features a bathroom and kitchenette.

Third on the South Australian ‘wish list’ was a stunning apartment in Belair, about 30 minutes from the CBD.

Inside the stylishly-appointed home, floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of the trees, and outsides, guests can relax in the hot tub on the private deck.

Travellers were also hoping to head to a curious home named “The Cube” that floats on the Murray River in White Sands, where guests have the use of two kayaks if they want to go out and explore.

Rounding out the top five was “Earthship” in Ironbank, an out-of-this-world abode made from natural and recycled materials including car tyres filled and rendered with earth.

Close to bushwalks and other tourists attractions, visitors are asked “to respect the limitations of the off-grid systems for power, water and sewage”.

Nationally, popular listing types included farm stays, cottages and villas, according to Airbnb.

Pet-friendly accommodation was the most searched for amenity, followed by pool, kitchen, wireless internet and jacuzzi.

And in the last two weeks of August, the accommodation giant also recorded a 23 per cent increase in Australian home searches with at least one child in tow.

“It’s been really heartening to see Australians display such incredible enthusiasm for exploring their own backyard. We’re seeing a lot of demand for nearby stays in regional areas and towns, often places that are driving distance from capital cities. There’s certainly a trend towards longer term stays, as the notion of working from home becomes working from any home on Airbnb,” Country Manager for Airbnb Australia and New Zealand, Susan Wheeldon said.

Dr David Beirman, a tourism expert at the University of Technology Sydney, said the silver lining of the coronavirus pandemic was that travellers were now exploring their own backyards and finding Australia had some “fantastic destinations”.

Dr Beirman said even once interstate and international travel resumed, domestic tourism was still likely to benefit in the long run.

He believed travel bargains to some South East Asian destinations – Australian favourites like Bali and Thailand – would not be as cheap as what they were pre-COVID, with people instead looking to holiday across Australia or in there home state.

“I think there will be some apprehension around international travel generally, and airlines won’t be able to fit as many people on a flight if they’re adhering to social distancing rules,” Dr Beirman said.

“If flights aren’t running at full capacity and hotels don’t have as many quests, it’s likely they’ll look to increase prices.”

He said when holidaying in regional or rural Australia, tourists should make sure they are spending money at local stores and paying for experiences to help local economies.