Farm stay business with tours included
Host guests overnight in a spare room or cottage and show them working farm life.
- A$3k-15k
- Part-time
- Own premises
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in Australia, not guarantees.
What it is
Guests stay a night or more in a spare room, converted shed or small cottage on your farm. They join in daily farm life, such as feeding animals, collecting eggs or watching farm work, and often share breakfast or dinner with your family.
Your first three steps
- Check your council's rules for hosting paying guests on your property before spending money
- Prepare one room to a comfortable standard and price it against nearby farm stays and B&Bs
- Create a listing with good photos on a booking platform and a local tourism site
Who pays
Couples and families on weekend breaks, city visitors, and international travellers looking for an authentic rural experience.
How it makes money
Nightly rate per room or per guest, with meals, guided tours and farm produce as extras.
Skills that help
- Welcoming host who enjoys having guests around
- Basic cooking and housekeeping
- Organised with bookings and changeovers
Watch out for
- Council approval for accommodation on rural land, which varies by council and state
- Fire safety, smoke alarms, and bushfire preparedness for guests, check local requirements
- Public liability and property insurance that covers paying overnight guests
- Food business registration with your council if you serve meals
- Water supply, septic and waste capacity if you host regularly
Deep research report · Australia
Everything you need to start: farm stay with tours included
Researched with live web search for Australia: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a farm stay in Australia?
Startup costs are typically estimated at around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on whether you use a spare room or convert a shed or cottage, and on furnishings and safety upgrades. Treat this as a rough estimate for planning.
How much can a farm stay earn?
Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on how many nights you host, your pricing, and whether you offer meals and tours. This is a rough estimate, not a guarantee.
What rules should I check before hosting farm stay guests?
Check council approval for accommodation on rural land, which varies by council and state. Also check fire safety, smoke alarms and bushfire preparedness, insurance that covers paying overnight guests, food business registration if you serve meals, and water and septic capacity.
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Photo: NakNakNak on Pixabay