Best winter holiday escapes: Country
Heading to the country provides relaxation for the mind and the soul – in all types of weather. Here are 10 of the best regions around Australia to escape to in winter.
Soak up going off-grid in South Australia
Warm welcome: ESCA at Nest and Nature South Australia.
While the Fleurieu Peninsula’s drop-dead gorgeous beaches and incredible wines scream summer, the South Australian region’s secluded Inman Valley shines brightest when the temperature plummets. Home to luxury off-grid pod Esca at Nest and Nature, pour yourself an alfresco bath and soak beneath the stars, watch wallabies graze and enjoy a McLaren Vale red and toasted marshmallows around the firepit. Don’t feel like lifting a finger? Take in sweeping valley vistas to the Southern Ocean at the flick of a switch from your king bed. Nectre wood fires, stone bathtubs, bespoke furniture and lighting and more on offer. See southaustralia.com
Embrace the best of Victoria’s beautiful Bellarine
Explore the rugged wintry charm of the Bellarine Peninsula, take the ferry from Queenscliff to Sorrento, visit boutique breweries, dine at hatted restaurants and hop between cool climate vineyards. Not only does the Bellarine offer sensational surf breaks (at their best in winter), farm gates, distilleries and more there’s no shortage of beautiful accommodation including the new Sagres Queenscliff – which pays homage to Portugal’s most south-western point – burrowed into the coastline of Nuns Beach. Constructed in 1991 by Lady Susannah and Sir Rupert Clarke, the contemporary five-bedroom house has had a complete makeover and is now filled with hand-picked furniture, art and textiles and offers direct beach access. See visitvictoria.com
Make the switch to off-peak Byron in northern NSW
Every man (and woman and child) and their dogs flock here in summer, but winter brings out a whole other side to Byron Bay. Embrace endless farmland vistas, uncrowded beaches and mild winter days that hover around 21 degrees. Underpinned by a strong sustainability ethos and positioned on a family farm on Arakwal country just 10 minutes from beaches, Carinya Byron Bay invites travellers to hunker down in one of six luxury villas complete with two bedrooms, full kitchen and private outdoor shower. Explore the hinterland towns of Bangalow and Newrybar, nab tickets to Splendour in the Grass (but hurry, it’s on between July 21 and 23 this year), do a gin tasting at Cape Byron Distillery and wake to cows grazing outside your window. See visitnsw.com
Have a wintry whale of a time along the whale highway
When the summer crowds clear out, the 98,000-hectare Great Lakes Marine Park, spread along NSW’s Mid North Coast, delivers its own type of magic. Despite the dip in temperature, clear blue waters, practically empty beaches and surf breaks plus the Southern Hemisphere’s largest shifting sand dunes make winter one of the best times to explore Port Stephens. In winter, it’s a cinch to nab bookings at the region’s waterfront cafes and restaurants which place you in the front row for the great whale migration. Dreamy holiday homes like Salt at Shoal Bay offer unrivalled vistas across the bay to Yacaaba and Tomaree headlands. See visitnsw.com
Warm to the tantalising tastes of the Deep North
Silky Oaks Lodge, Queensland.
A veritable who’s who of Australia’s culinary talent will descend on Far North Queensland’s most popular resort town for Taste Port Douglas between August 10 and 14. Showcasing the best of the region’s produce, experience “A Night of Fire at Flames of the Forest” with chefs Bente Grysbaek and Ben Williamson or join Guy Grossi and Australia’s top Italian chefs for “La Dolce Vita” overlooking Dickson Inlet. Base yourself at Silky Oaks Lodge, lauded as one of Far North Queensland’s most luxurious boltholes (now owned and refurbished by the Baillie Lodges group) with its enviable perch overlooking the gurgling Mossman River. Or take in 180-degree panoramic vistas atop Flagstaff Hill at Villa Aman Port Douglas, new to the Private Collection by Spicers. See queensland.com
Go around the bend along the mighty Murray
Stargaze around campfires, feast on epicurean delights and take in vast landscapes beyond the Murray River. With more sunny days annually than the Gold Coast (true story), the Murray River region, flanking both NSW and Victoria, embraces winter with glorious year-round sunshine. Explore the twin towns of Echuca-Moama from Lost and Found Retreat set amidst an avocado orchard with vistas over the Pollack Forest. Book a picnic hamper, take a tour of the orchard or take to the skies with a scenic flight over the salt lakes, wetlands and rivers of this sunny corner of the NSW-Victoria border. See visitnsw.com; visitvictoria.com
Slumber with the stars at a dark sky reserve retreat
High Country Cabin, New Zealand.
Sleep beneath a blanket of stars in New Zealand’s Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. Set on a 2428-hectare high country station, Skyscape’s three off-grid retreats offer expansive views of the Mackenzie Basin, the Southern Alps, Two Thumbs Range and Mount John. Melding into the tussock-laden hillside, guests stay snug despite extreme conditions where temperatures can plummet to minus 10 degrees. Or warm your toes after a day’s adventure along the Alps to Ocean Cycleway or nearby snowfields at the High Country Cabin inspired by the region’s backcountry huts. This petite cabin owned by an Australian couple melds into the stark landscape and draws guests to the magnificent night sky and surrounding mountains. See newzealand.com
Warm to the idea of a Whitsunday winter getaway
With winter temperatures hovering around 23 degrees, Queensland’s shimmering Whitsunday Islands offer a welcome respite from the chill of the southern states. Warm enough to drink cocktails by its pool and dine beneath the stars, guests staying at Intercontinental Hayman Island Resort can also trek the island’s beach and hiking trails minus stifling humidity and swim, snorkel and dive in cerulean waters (outside stinger season) that are a pleasant 22 degrees. And then there’s Hayman’s winter deals like its “Stay Longer, Pay Less” offer, saving up to 25 per cent on stays of three nights or more. See queensland.com
Head off on a winter highland fling, NSW-style
Moss Manor, Southern Highlands, NSW.
Forget the Cotswolds or Scottish Highlands and pop NSW’s Southern Highlands and its Moss Manor on your list. Hemmed by landscaped grounds within a canopy of European trees, this new boutique art hotel melds contemporary artworks with classic interiors in a beautifully restored Georgian-style manor, that was once the mayor’s residence. A stone’s throw from Moss Vale, it’s the ideal base for exploring the villages of Berrima, Bowral, Burrawang and Sutton Forest, mushroom foraging or enjoying a tipple by roaring fires at the highland’s English-style pubs. Don’t miss Moss Manor’s gourmet truffle weekend with veteran chef Stefano Manfredi on July 21 and 22. See visitnsw.com
Immerse yourself in New Zealand’s healing waters
Melding the Rotorua’s region’s healing geothermal waters with centuries-old iwi Ngati Whakaue culture and healing practices, the new Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa offers an authentic wellness experience unlike any other spa in the world. With ambitious plans to reclaim New Zealand’s pre-eminent position on the global wellness stage, the 4453-square-metre development is one of only a handful of indigenous-owned operations in the world. Post treatment, check into Treetops Lodge and Estate, which is closed for refurbishment until August 4, and unwind in a private wilderness hot tub or try your hand at fly-fishing. See newzealand.com
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