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‘I stumbled across it by accident,’ says Sophie Kovic of the communal living farmland in the Northern Rivers, New South Wales, where her tiny home is located.
‘I was originally looking for something completely different — a house with land, ready to move into. But when I heard about the permaculture history of this block, I was hooked. It felt exciting, and a bit daring, to build off-grid on a community farm.’
Passionate about the environment, the founder of eco-friendly lifestyle brand Seed and Sprout seized the rare opportunity to live within a community in The Channon who shared the same values.
Since then, she’s taken a DIY approach to establishing a mini sustainable sanctuary on her two acres of the 66-acre working farm. And documenting this journey online has garnered a huge following across social media, with more than 320,000 followers on TikTok alone!
Sophie designed the tiny home herself with assistance from Aussie Tiny Houses, who also built the main structure. At just over 17 square metres, the house features a kitchen, a bathroom, and a staircase leading to a loft bedroom.
The cosy living room, where sliding glass doors open to the deck and gardens outside, feels like another ‘room’ in itself. There’s even a sauna and a salvaged A-frame structure Sophie converted into an additional bedroom.
‘I handled a lot of the finishing touches, things like sourcing reclaimed pieces, and installing upcycled touches,’ she adds.
The house is completely off-grid, powered by solar panels and a battery. Rainwater tanks and a reed-bed wastewater treatment system also ensure the house has normal flushing toilets.
‘It still feels like a regular home. We’ve got heating, aircon, a dishwasher, even an infrared sauna. It’s not about roughing it,’ Sophie says of her off-grid lifestyle.
‘The benefits are huge — a smaller footprint, less clutter, lower costs, and a closer connection to nature. The challenges are managing power during cloudy weeks, conserving water in drought, and adapting to less space. But those challenges are also what make it so rewarding.’
Some of her most viral content focuses on the property’s tranquil natural swimming pool — another DIY project Sophie brought to life with help from her neighbours.
Set just off the edge of the deck, the circular concrete structure is shrouded in greenery, with plants and wildlife even occupying the water itself!
‘I was inspired by natural swimming pools in Europe, pools that look like ponds, work with plants and bacteria, and don’t rely on chemicals,’ Sophie says.
‘The installation was a big project, with excavation, shaping, and planting aquatic species. But the upkeep is fairly simple: I add beneficial bacteria, keep an eye on the balance, and it pretty much takes care of itself.’
Now, Sophie is living her dream, and is all about inspiring others about how to do the same.
‘This home has taught me to value slowness and simplicity,’ Sophie says.
‘It’s not about giving up comfort, it’s about redefining it. For me, comfort is morning swims in the pool, meals from my veggie patch, and the freedom that comes with living lightly.’
