Emma Hill, 36, and her husband, Nick, 41, bought the bus for their block in Tasmania’s Tamar Valley in 2014
A mum-of-three has revealed how she and her husband transformed a de-commissioned 1985 Volvo bendy-bus into their first home.
Emergency nurse Emma Hill, 36, and her school teacher husband, Nick, 41, bought the bus for their block in Tasmania’s Tamar Valley in 2014.
They spent the next year transforming it into a beautiful home, complete with bedrooms and bathrooms in the back and living spaces up the front.
They were able to live in the quirky tiny-house inspired home in 2015 after spending an estimated $45,000 on the conversion.
‘We moved in before it had a proper toilet or running water, Nick just kept tinkering away at it,’ Emma told FEMAIL.
‘It turned out far better than we expected and it was mostly created from things we found locally or at op shops.
‘I loved cubby houses as a kid and this is like that – it’s like the home of mine and Nick’s childhood dreams.’
The couple converted a 1985-model Volvo bendy-bus for their first home
The living areas are in the front section of the bus while the bathroom and bedrooms are at the back
Emma’s husband Nick is a school teacher and did most of the work on the bus himself using new and used materials
The couple lived in the home for two years but when winter rolled around when their second child was five months old they decided they needed more space.
‘Tassie winters are long and cold and being cooped up inside the small space with a toddler and baby was hectic,’ Emma laughed.
‘It is beautiful in the summer when you do all your living outside but when it is cold and wet outside – well it became quite challenging.
‘If it was just me and Nick, or just us and one child then it would have been perfect.’
It wasn’t until the couple had moved out that their friends suggested they use the tranquil retreat as an Airbnb.
‘It wasn’t on our radar when we were doing the conversions, Nick did pretty much everything on his own,’ she said.
Emma said she and her husband used second hand items to build the incredible home
The fireplace was a luxury feature and bought new as was the compost toilet
‘And I am glad it worked out that way because if we had the pressure of building something for Airbnb then we might have tried to make everything perfect.
‘Instead we got to pick things for the bus because we loved them, we didn’t have to worry about being fashionable.’
The couple have always been interested in sustainable living and the idea of having a tiny house appealed to them.
The couple saw an estate sale with old busses and were stoked to find there was a bendy-bus on offer
They had initially planned to live in the bus whilst building a strawbale home but soon realised that wouldn’t be possible on their block due to council regulations.
This is one of the reasons they favoured second-hand objects in their conversion.
But not everything came off the scrap heap.
The couple splashed out on a composting toilet and impressive fireplace for their home on wheels.
Emma said she loves creating spaces where people can relax and unwind and considers he bus her dream home
The bus has a king bed tucked away from the living areas with a view across the property to the nearby river
The bus can no longer be driven as the conversion wasn’t designed with that in mind. It is connected to mains water and electricity for convenience.
And Airbnb customers love it, with the quirky cabin booked out months ahead of time.
‘People message us and tell us how nice it to be able to switch off and reconnect with their partners,’ Emma said.
There is also a small room off the front of the bus with a secret laundry and room to ‘kick off your shoes’
The annex has been designed to suit the style of the retro bus conversion
The cabin overlooks a huge block of land, trees and a river. There is no TV which is a winning feature for many of their guests who want to be able to relax away from the city for a few nights.
The bus has a king bed and is the perfect space for couples to relax and unwind, Emma says. Stays start at $220 per night.