Australia is home to plenty of iconic architecture – such as the Sydney Opera House and the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne – but some of its homes should definitely be added to the list, too. Ideal for those who want more than four square walls, these quirky and eye-catching residences are almost too unusual to be true.

From a handmade aircrete house formed from four domes to a pyramid in the smallest country in Australia, these could well be the weirdest homes Down Under. Click or scroll to take a tour...

We love homes that go against the grain when it comes to design and this hand-sculpted dome house has certainly thrown out the rule book. Nestled in the town of Flaxton, in the Sunshine Coast Region of Queensland, the unusual bubble-like property was handcrafted by sculptor and owner, Cath Wild.

Cath was one of four Australian winners of Airbnb's OMGfund prize and she used the funding to build this magical space. According to the local newspaper, Sunshine Valley Gazette, it took three years, 6,000 handmade bricks and three pairs of boots to complete the property.

The house is the world’s first council-approved aircrete dome. Aircrete is a type of lightweight concrete that is extremely strong and durable, thanks to a composition of cement, lime, water and pulverised fuel ash.

At 969 square feet (90sqm), the pad is the biggest sculpture Cath has ever made and she got through the project using pure determination. Amazingly, she poured between 150 and 200 aircrete bricks per day, so it's no wonder the project took such a long time to come to fruition.

The house comprises four interconnected domes, the largest of which measures 14.8 feet (4.5m) in height. Internal arches lead into each space and there are no doors between the rooms, creating an expansive feeling under the high dome peaks. There are two bedrooms, a laundry and a bathroom dome, plus a living space with a dining area and kitchen.

We love the home's curving walls, huge circular windows, arched openings and quirky built-ins, as well as the bold furnishings that add pops of colour to every area. What's more, it's situated within 8.5 acres (3.4ha) of lush rainforest complete with a private waterfall.

If you love the dome home, then you can stay anytime you like, as it's listed on Airbnb.

There's nothing weird about living on a boat, but for some reason, as soon as that boat becomes moored on land, the whole concept of boat-living starts to become a little unusual.

Enter the Red Hill Boat. This unique Airbnb property once played a key role in World War II.

According to the listing, the boat dates back to 1942 and after being used during the war, it became a courtesy boat for Queen Elizabeth II. Today, it’s a unique holiday home, nestled in private grounds in the heart of South Australia’s Mornington Peninsula. 

From the outside, the boat appears to have just accidentally made its way to shore, while the interior is cosy and characterful, with small rooms that retain many restored original features.

Inside, there’s a living room, a kitchenette, a dining zone, a bedroom and a bathroom. The boat has small doorways, low ceilings, steps up and down and narrow walkways, making it entirely quirky.

Red Hill Boat boasts numerous unique and exciting features, too. There’s a sunken shower, a wheelhouse with simulated controls, a 1940s radio, historic papers and magazines, as well as all the mod-cons, such as a smart TV and air-conditioning. Outside, there are also spots for soaking up the scenery, including a firepit and outdoor bath.

Situated on an elevated plot in Jackeys Marsh, in the heart of Tasmania's Meander Valley, this weird but wonderful home is truly one of a kind.

Known as The Roundhouse, the property is surrounded by World Heritage Rainforest and enjoys spectacular beauty, with views of Quamby Bluff and the Great Western Tiers on all sides.

The Roundhouse was handmade by owner Kim Clark of Curved Wood Creations. It features a stonewall basement and a curved wooden main floor, topped with an onion-shaped cupola that caps off the building. Talk about whimsical!

As for the inside, Kim's amazing skills really shine. With a dazzling, soaring ceiling, exposed wood walls and ceiling, unusual windows, stained-glass details and even handmade mosaic murals, there's something wonderful to see in every room. There's a living space with a kitchen, as well as two bedrooms and a bathroom.

Plus, The Roundhouse is entirely off-grid. All electricity comes from a combination of solar power and micro hydropower. There's no denying this home is as bonkers as it is beautiful.

When you picture Australia's iconic Blue Mountains, you probably wouldn't conjure images of homes. Instead, you might think about steep cliffs, eucalyptus forests, bushwalking trails and dramatic peaks.

However, if you know where you look, you can find a truly one-of-a-kind home, hidden in the very face of the mountain. This tiny hobbit-style door gives the home's position away.

The ultimate cave home, the clifftop property is built onto a natural rock platform. The cavern forms the home's walls and ceiling, while sliding glass doors allow the interior to be fully opened up to a truly astonishing view. 

Cosy and compact, The Enchanted Cave comes complete with a bed, a kitchen and a cool bathroom with a sunken tub. There's also an outdoor terrace, where lucky guests can soak up the scenery.

Quirky features include a TV built into the rock face, a wood-burning stove, whose flu pierces the cave ceiling and unusual mirrors and windows – including one shaped like a moon.

Known as The Keep, this unusual property is perched atop a 2,132-foot-high (650m) rocky pinnacle, overlooking Tasmania’s Goulds Country.

Designed for "reconnection, relaxation and rejuvenation", the secluded mountaintop residence is truly distinctive.

The house sits alongside huge boulders and features a clean, rectangular shape with simple windows. Enclosed by 250 acres (101ha) of land, any guests will feel entirely alone when staying at this secluded Airbnb.

Inside, the home is modern and stylish, with high-end furnishings and floor-to-ceiling windows that frame dramatic mountain scenery – when the weather permits, that is. 

There's a sitting room, a kitchen, one bedroom and one bathroom. Yet, the home's most enticing feature lies outside. Tucked beside a boulder, there's an amazing stone bathtub that allows guests to soak up the view while they, well, soak!

Secluded in a tropical rainforest in northern Queensland, this remarkable home is one of the world's most impressive feats of architecture. At first glance, Alkira Resort House (also known as Stamp House) appears to be floating on the surface of a lake.

In fact, the strange and surreal structure cantilevers out from the shoreline, thanks to an innovative and complex design, devised by the team at Charles Wright Architects.

The quirky residence was designed for a stamp collector and features six pods, all created from concrete.

Not just an aesthetic choice, the cantilevered structure was chosen to withstand the powerful cyclones that are known to frequent the region. Its elevated position reduces the chances of flooding, while the concrete form is both durable and resistant to powerful winds.

The home’s interior is an impressive display of concrete beams and open-air spaces. There's a living area, kitchen and dining zone, which sit beneath a stunning vaulted ceiling. Leading off from this main communal space, the bedrooms are located in private wings. In the heart of the home, where each of the wings connects, there's an outdoor swimming pool.

What's more, the remarkable residence functions completely off-grid, with solar panels generating electricity and a rainwater harvesting system providing the house with water.

At first glance, it's hard to figure out exactly what this structure is. The futuristic house lies in the town of Apollo Bay, in southwestern Victoria, and is positioned close to the coast and the area’s spectacular Great Otway National Park.

A cross between a giant golf ball and a UFO floating in mid-air, the unusual home is actually nestled on a sloping plot, with access via a blue steel bridge.

The impressive building was constructed in the mid-1960s by prominent Tasmanian furniture designer, John Smith, and boasts plenty of quirky details inside and out.

While the exterior features a hat-like domed roof and tiny windows, the interior is light, bright and bursting with character.

Inside, the geodesic dome house offers a living room, a galley-style kitchen, two bedrooms and a bathroom. As for quirky design touches, there are endless skylights, numerous alcoves and built-ins, rotund barrel ceilings, honeycomb-shaped wall coverings and spiral staircases.

The home was last sold in September 2020 for AUD$600,000, which is £309,600 ($405k), by the team at PETERSWALD. We don't know about you, but we're obsessed.

The Drewhouse by Simon Laws of Anthill Constructions is a seriously distinctive residence.

Formed from a series of prefabricated pods, built offsite then shipped to a remote forest in Agnes Water, Queensland, where it was assembled, the metal home is truly in a class of its own.

One part of the house is formed from an old corrugated cylinder, while covered walkways connect the various pods to a large outdoor living and dining area.

A ribbed, parabolic roof formed from Aramax steel cladding covers the top of the structure, adding to its unusual aesthetic.

With its cylindrical-shaped living rooms, this real-life hobbit house blends retro and contemporary elements with cave-like spaces that are both cosy and chic.

The holiday home sleeps six and comes equipped with two bedrooms. Plus, it has rainwater tanks and solar-powered hot water, making it highly energy-efficient with a low environmental impact.

With jaw-dropping views of Fairhaven Beach, the longest strip of sand on the Great Ocean Road, The Pole House hovers 131 feet (40m) above the ground and from the back appears to be floating in mid-air.

In reality, the property is supported by steel stilts and can be accessed via a 76-foot-long (23m) glass bridge.

The floating home was originally designed and built in the 1970s by architect Frank Dixon, but after falling into disrepair it was sensitively restored by Franco Fiorentini from F2 Architecture.

The restoration resulted in modern living areas with plenty of retro elements, including curved walls of wooden cladding and futuristic suspended fireplaces.

The cliffhanging home is said to be one of the most photographed residences in this part of Australia.

With a single bedroom and bathroom, both of which have incredible coastal views that stretch 30 miles (48km), it's the ultimate luxury vacation retreat. In fact, it's available to rent via Coolstays.

You’d be forgiven for never having heard of Atlantium, but it is actually a self-proclaimed sovereign state and defines itself as the “smallest country in Australia”. According to the Airbnb listing, the Empire of Atlantium is the only 'country' you can drive to from Australia. It was founded in Sydney in 1981 by a trio of teenagers and has since grown into a “global civil society organisation and micronation”, with thousands of citizens in over a hundred countries.

Owner George acquired a 200-acre (81ha) pastoral estate near Reids Flat, New South Wales, in 2008, and has slowly developed it into Atlantium’s ceremonial capital.

Amazingly, the estate is home to a quirky pyramid, an assortment of monuments, a post office and a government house. Also known as the Golden House (pictured), this is the property that keen visitors can stay in during their time in Atlantium.

Even more strangely, Atlantium is entirely independent of the Australian power, gas and water grids. Therefore, the government house is equipped with a gas fridge and BBQ facilities. Solar energy powers the home’s lighting, induction cooktop, music system, television and air-conditioning unit. The bathroom includes a waterless composting toilet and there’s also an outdoor shower.

As for accommodation, the government house is made up of a single room, with a sitting area, kitchenette, two beds and bathroom facilities, making it suitable for up to four people. 

The pyramid on the estate is thought to be the only one in Australia and guests can buy official Atlantium souvenirs during their trip, such as stamps, coins, banknotes, postcards and flags.

Plus, all guests have full access to the natural bushland that lies within Atlantium's borders. Here, hiking, bird-watching, mountain bike riding and wild swimming can be enjoyed. Who said weirdness was a bad thing?

Love this? Take a look at more unusual homes and amazing architecture