In a backyard near Brunswick Heads, northern New South Wales, a tent is being advertised for rent at $300 a week.
It’s not a house, not even a caravan – just a swag on a timber platform under a tin roof. Renters must bring their own bedding, share basic facilities with others, and pay a $500 bond upfront.
Discounts are available for couples willing to share the swag.
As a comparison, the average weekly rent in Brunswick Heads ranges sits at $1174 for a house and $695 for a unit.
In the facebook listing, the owner notes the experience is best suited to “true nature lovers” aged “20 to 40 years” to embrace “mindful living” in a “holiday place.”
But the $300 weekly price tag has sparked disbelief and frustration online, with some labelling it exploitative.
MORE NEWS
Shocking rental crisis data sparks new property sector response
Teacher quits, chooses van over mortgage
Aus’s worst suburbs for mortgage stress revealed
A NSW property owner’s unusual rental listing has gone viral.
The rental listing has been described as being ideal for nature lovers.
Tenants will have access to a camp kitchen and a TV room with Netflix.
While the owner insists the tent is not intended for long-term stays, the fact that such a rental exists – and at such a price at a time when Australia is grabbling with a growing homelessness crisis – has left many online users fuming.
Indeed, some online commenters have described the price as a “rip off”.
“You’re kidding right??” one person wrote.
“Some people will do anything to make dollars,” another user commented.
The owner, however, defended the listing, stating: “This is a place to learn to lower one’s ego.”
They also clarified that the site is not intended for permanent stays and that renters are encouraged to check out the space before committing. “It works both ways,” the owner said. “I prefer a selected few.”
A housing market in free fall
The tent listing is just one example of how Australia’s housing crisis is forcing people into unconventional and precarious living arrangements.
With rents skyrocketing and housing supply failing to keep pace, one in ten Australians now live just one setback away from housing insecurity.
Hidden homelessness – where people sleep in cars, couch surf, or rely on temporary shelters –accounts for 94 per cent of the homeless population.
The numbers are staggering.
Anglicare Australia’s 2025 Rental Affordability Snapshot revealed that out of 51,000 rental listings surveyed, only three were affordable for those on JobSeeker.
For full-time minimum wage earners, just 0.7 per cent of rentals were within reach, and for those on the Disability Support Pension, the figure dropped to an alarming 0.1 per cent.
Christine Mikhael, CEO of LJ Hooker Group and Chair of the Advisory Committee for A Home for All Foundation, warns that the crisis is deepening.
Christine Mikhael, the newly elected Advisory Committee Chair for A Home for All Foundation and CEO of LJ Hooker Group
“There are so many people now that can’t afford to rent or pay their mortgage,” she said. “There’s also not enough social housing for a family to stay together. On average, there’s a 10-year waiting period for social housing.”
A home for all: A call to action
In response to the growing crisis, the property sector has launched A Home for All Foundation, a national initiative aimed at addressing homelessness and housing insecurity. Backed by the REA Group, the Foundation ensures that every dollar raised goes directly to charitable organisations supporting those without secure housing.
Its inaugural campaign, A Night Without Home, invites Australians to experience a glimpse of homelessness by spending a night without the comforts of home.
Participants can donate, fundraise, or commit to year-round support, with the goal of raising awareness and driving change.
Homelessness has surged by more than 30 per cent in the past two decades, with women and children among the hardest hit.
Family and domestic violence remain the leading causes, and the number of women and children experiencing homelessness has more than doubled between 2021 and 2024.
Ms Mikhael stresses the need for long-term solutions, including tax reforms to incentivise shared accommodation and unlock under-utilised housing stock.
“It’s a complex situation, but if we just took five minutes to go ‘okay, supply, demand,’ let’s start there and look at the number of empty bedrooms,” she said.
To learn more about A Night Without Home or to support A Home for All Foundation, visit ahomeforall.com.au.
English (US) · 