Yarra Valley
It is our first visit here and we are excited!! Yarra Valley is an absolute dream of a wine region on so many levels; the scenery which includes stunning mountain ranges, great places to eat and drink and of course a wine region which heroes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Another big bonus is that everything is SO close. Over the next few days my partner, Mr G and I head out to iconic wineries of Chandon, Yarra Yering, Oakbridge, Dominique Portet and Pimpernel. Hang Tight – The DA Winery Guide is coming soon!!
But first, where should you stay to get the most out of the area? A home from home, but one that makes you feel you are on a very special escape. We check out a new Airbnb called Newgrove Views.
Pre Arrival – Mellisa has been the perfect host right from the get go, answering questions at lightning speed. The code for the keylock is sent via text message an hour before we arrive. The drive from Melbourne takes longer than an hour due to traffic issues (plus a stop off at The Herd in Healesville for dinner) we are arriving in darkness, pitch darkness. It’s a different version of the sunny tourism ad ‘where the bloody hell are you’ as we wind through lanes – it’s hard to get a sense of where we are.
The Arrival -The houses on the left hand side of the road almost look almost subterranean. We nose dove the car downwards to the driveway below. I don’t know why but the sense of anticipation and excitement of putting the key in and opening the door is both thrilling and slightly worrying as we step into our home for the next few nights.
We quickly put on the lights, light the fire to warm up the house and after a glass of wine we tuck in for the night. It’s silent (apart from a pesky possum doing his HIIT class on the roof at 3am!). Glorious quiet.
Good Morning!– Like a kid at Christmas I am waking up with the dawn. Pulling up the blinds in the lounge is the revelation. It’s jaw dropping. My heart soars. We are living in the clouds, with floor to ceiling windows all I can see for miles are misty cloud whipped ranges and Mt Monda in the distance. The sky morphs into a thousand shades of orange as the waking sun creates a living screensaver of different hues of greens and greys as the hills undulate in an ever changing image. The covered balcony deck outside has a few chairs. I make a cuppa and sit outside as the world wakes up and the birds swoop in and out of the trees. The sounds of the wilderness echo up the valley. Hello Healesville.
The House – Whilst it is on two levels. We spend all our time on the top floor which is open plan living with a lounge, dining room and kitchen. Downstairs is another room with cushions on the floor which could be a nice yoga studio if there were mats but it has been laid out more for the needs of kids watching TV away from the adults.
Interior design – It’s all cream, moody blacks and wood so warm you just want to give it a hug. The interior is styled eclectically with artful touches all over the house from little ascendingly sized buddhas by one wall, a back illuminated framed artwork, pottery and wall hangings. The art and small sculptures make you feel like I am living with someone who has and loves to travel, with pieces from across the world. Books span from a mighty collection of Lonely Planet to philosophy.
Kitchen – There is a bottle of Red Island olive oil, salt pepper and boxes of Twinings Teas, along with a handful of Nespresso pods. But that’s it. So it’s a good job we stopped off earlier to get supplies as It would have been a much less enjoyable morning without milk!! Mr G does need his cappucino to function. The open plan kitchen is really well equipped with lots of pots,pans and saucepans of different sizes. The kitchen island also operates as a sit up bar. Thumbs up for all the full size Zero amenities which bring thoughtful touches of trending lightly on the earth, something that staying here makes you all the more aware of the seasons and nature. Everything is spotless.
Lounge – It’s just, well, darn delicious! Whilst the scenery steals the show every second of the day; the heart of the house is the fabulous gas fire. A few clicks and flames shoot over the logs. It’s around 6 degrees but within 5-10 mins the house is toasty warm to the point Mr G is about to faint as I do love to live in a sauna! A generous black leather three and a half person sofa is calling us. It really is the focus point of the room looking lovingly at the gas fire. We alternate our feet between enjoying the soft cream fluffy rug and footstool offerings.
Bedrooms – Two bedrooms have queen sized beds with bamboo mattresses. The valley side bedroom benefits from being a little larger including a wardrobe and views! The beds are kitted out with his/her/they individually controlled electric blankets and a little fan heater in the bedroom is a nice touch for those chilly mornings.
Bathroom – Is nicely renovated with tiles that remind me of a scene from Alice in Wonderland with black and white kaleidoscope of playing cards, it brings a fun personality into the room. The shower is fabulous and those Zero amenities with their funny taglines appear again. The heat lamps also makes it just a bit easier on chilly mornings and evenings.
Location – Healesville is only 2 mins drive. It’s bonkers to go from an idyllic paradise where we feel we are in the wilds of the ranges to walking hand in had down a charming street, lined with trees and the kind of high street we all wished we had on our doorstep
Healesville – The High Street is a lot of fun from collectable knick knack stores, providores, supermarkets, cafes and specialty shops. After a coffee in town we wander over to Gewürzhaus Spice House and taste some delicious gluehwein and buy a DIY pack for home. Another fav is Cheesemonger Sophie. Someone must have recently ordered a cheese sandwich and I am feeling like a truffle hound, almost salivating at the amazing smells, plus visually taking in all the stunning sandwiches, breads and oh lordy lord. SO MUCH cheese. We get a nice selection after a tasting. Perhaps our fav experience is the Barrique Wine Store . We head down there just after 6pm. The place is buzzing thanks to their regular Friday night wine tastings which are free! Table areas are filling up quickly as locals and workers from the wine industry swirl, sniff and click classes. Outside the backyard firepit is glowing as we order up from the mobile kitchen (aka food truck) with some yummy ragu pasta and calamari.
What we are Addicted to? – OH WOW those views. It’s a modern contemporary home, with real personality and warmth. Spotlessly cleen and deliciously quiet apart from the sounds of the wilds. Sustainable products from kitchen to bathroom.
What we need to be more addicted? – Yoga mats in the downstairs studio would have been lovely. Few more coffee pods and some basics in the pantry would be nice to kick off our stay.
