Selling a Donnybrook short-stay, holiday home or farm-stay property

Donnybrook and its surrounding rural district can appeal to visitors seeking orchards, country drives, events and a South West base. Some properties are used as hosted accommodation, unhosted holiday homes, cabins or farm stays. When one is sold, the buyer needs to understand the lawful property use as well as the practical business operation.

Western Australia has a state Short-Term Rental Accommodation Register. Since 1 January 2025, all short-term rental accommodation must be registered before it is advertised or operated, and the registration number must be displayed in advertisements. The WA Government also distinguishes hosted and unhosted accommodation in the planning framework.

This article is general seller-preparation and marketing information, not planning, registration, fire, building, business, tax, legal, insurance or conveyancing advice. Rules and approvals depend on the property, accommodation model and current scheme. Confirm the position with the Shire of Donnybrook Balingup, Consumer Protection and appropriate advisers.

Identify exactly what is being operated

Start with each accommodation unit. Record whether it is the main dwelling, an ancillary dwelling, cabin, chalet, room, caravan, tiny house, converted shed or another structure. Note maximum guests, hosted or unhosted operation, shared facilities, parking, access and the dates it has operated.

The state planning definitions treat hosted STRA as accommodation where the owner, occupier or resident agent stays at the same dwelling, or the related dwelling on the same lot, during the arrangement. Unhosted STRA is not hosted and accommodates no more than 12 people per night. Do not choose a label for marketing convenience; match the actual operation and current approvals.

A farm stay may include experiences, food, animals, events or several accommodation types. Separate each activity and identify the approval, licence or record supporting it. Agricultural zoning or a rural setting does not by itself establish approval for tourist accommodation.

Verify the current STRA registration

Find the registration certificate, number, expiry date, registered address, accommodation type and responsible person. The WA Government provides a public search that lets anyone check whether a specific address is registered and whether a registration number is current.

Compare the public result with every advertisement. The address and registration number should be consistent across booking platforms, the operator's website and campaign material. Archive screenshots or exports before closing or changing an account, but do not publish guest names or private correspondence.

Registration does not prove that every local planning, building, health or fire requirement has been met. It also should not be advertised as a permanent approval that will automatically remain unchanged after settlement. Ask Consumer Protection and the Shire what the buyer must register, apply for or update.

State source: WA Government — Short-term rental accommodation, updated October 2025 and checked 5 October 2026.

Collect local planning and building records

Find the development approval, approved plans, decision notice, operating or management plan and every condition. Record guest capacity, parking, access, noise controls, waste, check-in arrangements, bushfire or evacuation requirements and any limit on events or activities.

The Shire's 2026 planning work reflects the state reforms and introduces hosted and unhosted short-term rental accommodation into its scheme framework. A current Shire decision on a different property is useful context but not evidence that the seller's use is approved. Obtain the file for the actual land and address.

Match every guest space to a building permit and approved use. A caravan or tiny house used as short-term rental is not simply temporary residential accommodation: the Shire says it is a separate land use requiring further assessment and approval. Cabins, converted sheds and ancillary dwellings also need their own records.

Local source: Shire of Donnybrook Balingup — Temporary accommodation, caravans and camping, checked 5 October 2026.

Prepare a management and safety file

Compile the guest-management plan, emergency contacts, evacuation information, fire equipment service records, smoke-alarm and RCD records, pool or spa information, cleaning procedures, waste arrangements, septic and water records, pest management and incident log. Remove guest details and sensitive security information from marketing copies.

For rural accommodation, map gates, access tracks, assembly points, water, power, livestock areas and any place guests must not enter. Check that public descriptions of orchard experiences, dams, animals, fires, swimming or machinery match what is actually offered and insured.

The WA planning guidance allows local government to address amenity and emergency protocols through management plans. The Shire has considered matters including complaints, check-in, health and safety, parking and waste in local short-stay assessments. Use the approved property-specific plan rather than copying another operator's rules.

Separate real estate from the accommodation business

Prepare one schedule for land, buildings and fixtures, and another for the operating business. The business side may include a trading name, domain, booking-platform accounts, future reservations, guest messages, pricing history, photography licences, furniture, linen, consumables, contractor arrangements and goodwill.

Do not promise that platform accounts, reviews or rankings transfer. Each platform has its own terms, identity checks and account rules. Do not display historic gross booking revenue without explaining fees, cancellations, cleaning, utilities, labour, tax and seasonality. Business financial information should be handled through qualified advisers and a controlled due-diligence process.

Decide how confirmed bookings will be handled around settlement. Record deposits, cancellations, guest communications, access and responsibility for service delivery. The property contract and any separate business agreement should be prepared by the relevant professionals.

Create a precise inclusions schedule

Walk through each guest area and list beds, furniture, appliances, kitchenware, linen, outdoor equipment, keys, smart locks, routers, cameras, signage, fire equipment, farm-experience items and maintenance tools. Mark each item as fixture, included chattel, excluded, leased or subject to a separate sale.

Remove or label family heirlooms and personal artwork before photography. Confirm that images, floor plans and video can be transferred or relicensed; buying the property does not automatically give the buyer copyright in previous marketing material.

Provide manuals, warranties, supplier contacts and replacement schedules for included equipment. A clear inventory reduces the risk that styled rooms create accidental expectations about what remains.

Market the experience without making guarantees

Photography can show orchard outlooks, guest circulation, separate entries, outdoor areas and the relationship between accommodation and the working property. Capture the experience that exists, not a table set for a service the operator does not provide.

Use factual descriptions such as “currently registered short-term accommodation; property-specific approval and operating records available” when verified. Avoid “guaranteed income”, “turnkey approval”, “booked year-round” or “licence transfers automatically”. If several units have different status, describe each one separately.

Southside Media can coordinate the property photo and video sequence with the licensed agent. Business claims, income evidence, planning status and contract terms should remain with the relevant advisers.

Use current Donnybrook market evidence in context

REIWA's Donnybrook profile was updated 3 October 2026 using sales for the 12 months ending September 2026. It reported a median house sale price of $750,000 and a 54-day median selling time for houses.

Those suburb statistics are not a valuation of a farm stay, holiday home or operating business. Accommodation approvals, buildings, land, condition, income evidence and comparable sales all require separate consideration by qualified professionals.

Market source: REIWA Donnybrook suburb profile, data updated 3 October 2026 and checked 5 October 2026.

Short-stay property seller checklist

• List every guest unit, structure, capacity and hosted or unhosted use.
• Verify the state STRA registration and advertising number.
• Collect local planning, building and management-plan records.
• Prepare fire, evacuation, parking, waste, water and wastewater evidence.
• Separate property fixtures from business assets and movable equipment.
• Decide how bookings, deposits and guest communications will be handled.
• Remove private guest and financial data from buyer packs.
• Check image licences, platform rules and account-transfer assumptions.
• Use accurate captions and avoid income or approval guarantees.