Where it all began...
Bayside ~ Our Tranquil Retreat in the Heart of Marion Bay
Hi, I’m Tiff…
I grew up in the quaint little of town of Marion Bay, on the Yorke Peninula, in Narrunga Country, in South Australia.
I had the privilege of being brought up in a regional town, where I was part of a loving community that helped (and still do) each other out. We had the freedom as kids to enjoy our beautiful coastline with other local kids, and experience the joys of nature; either jetty jumping or swimming in the rockpools after school, or riding our bikes around the town.
Family is so important to me, and after living in Sydney for 8 years I decided it was time to be back with them.
When I moved home I reconnected with my partner; Luke, who had just moved back from Melbourne. Luke and I actually went to primary school together (and 2 years of high school too), and made up a quarter of our class haha. It meant that our lives instantly fit well with each other, and both of our families already knew each other. We had our gorgeous, hilarious and energetic son; Tasman two years ago, who brings so much joys to our families.
Luke and I both run Bayside Glamping now, and his handyman skills and creative landscaping ideas have been a blessing to our business. Luke is the most wonderful and hands on father to Tazzy, and an incredible partner. We are building our ideal life together… I seriously feel so lucky!
My dad instilled that volunteering in a small town is vital, and he has spent his lifetime giving back since moving down here in the early 90s. Dad and Luke (and Luke’s family) are both valued members of the CFS, and I am the Secretary of the Marion Bay Progress Association, and have brought some of my passionate ideas to life. In January 2023 I revived the Marion Bay Maker’s Market, and we now have 3 a year. I also launched the Marion Bay Merch fundraiser, where 100% of the proceeds go back into the community. I worked with a local designer to create an epic logo that represents our town, and we got it printed on hoodies, tees, caps, stubby holders and stickers. This passion project involved a lot more work than I thought, but I feel pretty proud of the design that we came up with, and love seeing locals and tourists wearing the Merch.
Our Story
Bayside Glamping started as a small idea and quickly grew into a successful business.
It all started with an idea (the first of many haha); a Glamping Tent. I discussed the idea with my dad, and he was quick to offer the secluded back part of his block, nestled amongst the trees, at the end of his quiet cul de sac. He was eager to use his talents to create a unique little getaway, all whilst bonding over this project with his #1 daughter (he says this to all of us).
Dad’s approach to building is to use as many reclaimed materials as possible, which is not only good for the planet but creates something seriously unique, that’s full of charm.
I was fortunate enough to have grown up in Marion Bay and then moved to Adelaide after high school. I absolutely loved growing up here, and I love that I can share my passion for the area with you all. For those of you that don’t know, Marion Bay is a small seaside town, on the Yorke Peninsula, in South Australia. Our little town is mainly populated with holiday houses, where our beautiful beaches and the gorgeous Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park attract tourists to the area.
The idea of a Glamping Tent stemmed from wanting to provide accommodation with a point of difference – specifically for romantic getaways, where we can share this beautiful patch of coastline with people from all over the country.
After successfully launching the Glamping Tent in December 2017, I slowly realised my calling in life. I was, however, managing the Tent remotely from Sydney, where I was living for 8 years. I had an amazing, reliable cleaner in Marion Bay, and of course, my handy dad did the maintenance (I can never thank him enough). Starting and promoting Bayside reminded me of just how beautiful Yorkes is – and how deep my connection is with the land, and drew me to want to move back home… then start a new project.
At this point, I had no access to any more land and was brainstorming the next big idea. A long story short, a parcel of land outside of the town was offered to me, and the Tiny House was born! It took dad and I a year to build it (with some help along the way) and it was a labour of love. It was ten times harder than we originally thought, but the finished product was so rewarding. In such a tranquil setting, we created such a unique space that so many people have already enjoyed!
It's hard to believe it's been 3 years since launching the Tiny House. My partner Luke has joined the team, and we now have an energetic 2 year old that keeps us busy.
We have progressed with our plans for our third project, and we are eager to start this and launch in 2024.
To stay up to date with Bayside and our new project, join our mailing list for regular updates, and to be the first to get the opportunity to book when we do launch.
Thank you so much for following our journey and for being wonderful guests!
Tiff xo
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Proud winner of the Deluxe Accommodation award, and one of three businesses to also win the Service Excellence Award, at the 2021 Yorke Peninsula Tourism Awards.
2021 South Australian Tourism Awards Bronze winner, in the 'Unique Accommodation' category.