South coast homeowners are riding the wave of popular holiday rental website Airbnb as they flee the summer crowds and pocket thousands of dollars in the process.
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It's a win-win, too, for those who choose to stay at home and rent out rooms for interstate and international tourists who are keen for some company and an authentic Australian beachside experience.
Airbnb allows homeowners to privately rent their properties for short term holiday stays – and business is booming in the Batemans Bay region and beachside areas further up and down the coast.
The online holiday rental phenomenon has raised the ire of some NSW councils, who continue to contend with the best way to manage the booming popularity of accommodation sharing websites.
One Batemans Bay region homeowner who uses Airbnb said there were 19 listings on Airbnb ahead of the 2013 Christmas holiday season, compared with 103 for the same period this year.
The homeowner, who did not want to be named, rents rooms in her Lilli Pilli house for $75 per night, throughout the year.
She had back-to-back bookings through the Christmas season so pocketed some extra cash. But she said for her, it wasn't about the money.
"It's not the money, the reward of having people here is huge.
"I've had guests from France, Italy, Estonia and the United States.
"It's just like welcoming the world into your home, it's fantastic."
Katy Buckmaster started to rent out her two-bedroom Malua Bay apartment for $150 through Airbnb after her boss recommended it as a way of making extra cash after her marriage broke down.
"I have met some fabulous people from all over the world, many who have become friends, and I love doing it.
"My only complaint is that the season here doesn't go on all year.
"This year I did keep my prices low as I just wanted to see how it would all go – as it has gone so well I will most definitely be doing it again next year."
Hannah Roy lets part of a house at Malua Bay, which was bought for her mother to live in, to Airbnb holiday-goers to help pay the mortgage.
The property accommodates five guests in its two guest bedrooms and can be rented for $125 a night or $700 a week.
"Mum can stay in the self-contained downstairs section of the house while we have guests as it has its own kitchen and bathroom, and the guests have the whole of the upstairs house to themselves," she said.
"Malua Bay is great because it is so close to Canberra, so of course we have lots of holiday makers coming from there, but it is also not that far from Sydney, and lots of overseas visitors stop there on their driving holidays from Sydney to Melbourne."
The south coast offerings through Airbnb are varied.
There are private rooms available at beachside towns, such as Lilli Pilli, for as little as $69 a night.
At the upper end of the spectrum, a house overlooking McKenzies Beach at Malua Bay that can accommodate up to 15 guests was rented out for $750 a night over the Christmas period, or $5250 a week.
In nearby Rosedale, a north-facing beach house with a deck that overlooks the water can be rented for $800 a night.
For $644 a night, couples can rent a cabin complete with a double spa and fireplaces set amongst bushland close to the beach at Broulee.
Further south, a four-bedroom penthouse at Bannister Cove, nestled between Mollymook and Narrawallee, costs $800 a night.
