Lilydale superhosts to sell Australia's 'best nature stay'

Gordon Cuff and Susie Aulich have run Mount Arthur accommodation site 'The Trig' for the past 16 years.

In that time they have hosted an estimated 5000-plus guests, scored hundreds of five-star reviews, and had their newest Airbnb crowned 'Australia's best nature stay' of 2022.

"I think we're going to miss it," Mr Cuff said.

Ms Aulich said putting the property to market was "bittersweet".

"It's been a privilege to have 16 years there," she said.

"But I know the right person's going to come along to hand it over to."

The couple fell in love with the Mount Arthur property when it came up for sale around 2006.

The property was notable for running off its owner water and power supply and had three main buildings - the 'residence', a meditation studio, and an art studio.

"We decided to [turn] one of the meditation studios into accommodation [Trig Studio] and in those days there wasn't really anything like that in the area," Ms Aulich said.

"Everyone kept saying 'who's going to go to Lilydale or Mount Arthur and stay?' - they thought we were a bit crazy.

"We worked with the council and made it an official tourism accommodation and it literally took off like a rocket."

A state of the art shipping container dwelling [The Container] was added to the property about seven years ago and has become an Airbnb favourite.

The grounds boast an abundance of native animals and established flora including hundreds of Tasmanian pepperberry bushes, proteas and waratahs.

There is also a sauna overlooking the dam, outdoor baths and a six-person bunker.

But there's still room for growing the property.

"We've got this walking track in that walks underneath these limestone cliffs with caves and through different vegetation," Mr Aulich said.

"I'm trying to get it remarked at the moment but it's the sort of thing - sometimes there's a project left for the next person."

Their Airbnbs have been a hit with locals and interstate visitors alike.

Nearly 30 per cent of their guests have been Tasmanians, and 44 per cent are return visitors.

All four dwellings are positioned to ensure guests and owners never bump into one another.

"There's not many places you can go anymore where you don't meet anyone," Ms Aulich said.

"So all our places have separate driveways, people come and they don't meet anyone.

"Most people with a property like ours think to be economically viable we need to put five or 10 [properties up], but this is a place to come to reconnect with yourself and nature."

The pair hope to move to Launceston once the property has sold.

Retirement is somewhat on the cards - Ms Aulich is looking forward to reading a book in the daytime - but they won't be putting their feet up altogether.

"We're environmentalists so it will be really good to put ourselves on the line for the environment," she said.

"We live in this beautiful environment [so we want] to be able to protect it more, to get arrested and to go down and do some work with Bob Brown foundation, that's what I'm looking forward to.

"So maybe not retiring, but fighting hard for the environment."

The property at 345 Mountain Road, Lilydale is for sale via expressions of interest.