I read an article the other day that said so many Australians are skipping lunch breaks, or eating at their desks, that on average, most bosses owe employees an extra week holiday every year.
That’s 40 hours of extra work, minimum, a year. Now, I can certainly think of better ways to spend 40 hours, but if you can’t, I’m here to help. Something tells me you might need a holiday and a relaxing one at that. Perhaps something close to home, but tranquil and ‘distanced’ from the office just the same.
Daylesford.
A haven for couples and those wanting some ‘me’ time, girly weekends and quick escapes. Less than 90 minutes from the Melbourne CBD but just far enough away to make you question your mobile phone provider.
If you are looking to get away from the daily grind, take the time to eat lunch in the sun or simply want to sit in a chair and read a book without interruption or distraction, then there are a myriad of activities in the district suited to your getaway.
Here are just a few I experienced when visiting recently:
STAY: You won’t find towering hotels or tents in Daylesford. What you will find are gorgeous bed and breakfasts, charming motels and accommodation you can make yourself at home in. We stayed at Holly Lodge, a property you can rent through DayGet, a Daylesford booking service that looks after some of the most gorgeous houses you will ever be lucky enough to stay in.
Holly Lodge has four double bedrooms, each with reading space and en suite, and all decked out in the loveliest décor. The gardens are divine and you won’t even notice the hours slipping away as you sit out there restoring your mind.
The Argus
EAT: Daylesford has a lot of organic produce, cute cafes and Devonshire teas, but for the finest food going around, you can’t go past The Argus. I envisage marriage proposals taking place here. Chef David Willcocks is a genius in the kitchen, creating mouthwatering meals that sound phenomenal on paper and taste divine in real life.
The restaurant is supplied with rare bred beef, rare bred lamb and orchard fruit and vegetables from the owners Birch Estate Farm – and you can tell. The food is amazing.
“Using local ingredients to hero a dish is the focus for what we’re doing and something that I really want to be a part of,” David says.
Peppers Mineral Spa and Retreat
PLAY: At the Peppers Mineral Spa and Retreat. (And, if per chance you were proposed to at The Argus, I highly recommend getting married in the gardens here.) The beautiful topiary gardens that you overlook whilst bathing in the Mineral Spa are tranquil and the water a restful 38 degrees – until you decide to jump on into the plunge pool, a chilly 20 degrees, afterwards.
Villa Parma
INDULGE: As if all this wasn’t wonderful enough, you should definitely make time to attend High Tea at Villa Parma. This estate, and its food and drink, will seduce you into thinking the country life could be for you – a tree change if you will.
Enjoy champagne (the real stuff), tea in pretty china cups and sandwiches, scones and cake that will leave you pleasantly full for hours after. Take a walk in the gardens (it helps with the fullness) and resist the urge to check your emails.
And if you don’t feel like the you of yesterday after all this amazingness, you haven’t done it properly and should probably go back to the start and begin again. Doctor’s orders.
Onya Magazine would like to thank Chris and Wayne of Spa Country for their hospitality, Peppers Mineral Springs Retreat and Daylesford Getways.
