| This is an extract from
The Age Good Weekend - 52 Weekends Away
October 21, 2006
Hollow Log Estate
151 Foxes Lane, Muskvale, 3461
Phone (03) 5348 6787
tfl@vic.chariot.net.au
www.hollowlogestate.com.au
Wake up at Hollow Log Estate and you wake up to 180-degree views of the
Wombat State Forest, to a carpet of frost on paddocks, crimson sunrises and
laughing kookaburras. The stillness of an early morning, steeped in sunshine
and long shadows, will reinvigorate the most fatigued of souls. And so it
was for this little family.
Spend the day contemplating the view from the veranda. Take a leisurely walk
through the forest - explore the disused but intact logging mill - the
country lanes, the bush tracks. A short drive gets you to the centre of spa
country, with a list of attractions too numerous to even begin here. Suffice
to say that a weekend with two teenage boys passed with the simple pleasures
of canoeing on Lake Jubilee; playing soccer in the crater of Mount Franklin
(what a fantastic atmosphere); walking for an hour to gather 350 milliliters
of what they considered to be some of the foulest-tasting spring water ever,
and laughing all the way back - that's a successful weekend in my book.
Six minutes out of Daylesford, Hollow Log Estate offers two levels of
accommodation: The Cottage and Stoney. For a romantic weekend, a couple is
advised to look at the single-bedroom Stoney. Those like us, who've had the
romance and now have the family, need the two-bedroom Cottage. They offer
almost identical views, situated side-by-side, next to the main residence on
the estate. If it sounds a little crowded, fear not - it's as private as you
want it to be. And it's definitely pet friendly - Charlie the ridgeback had
a great time. Dogs may simply wander over the estate, though they are
advised to be wary of the kangaroos at dusk: your mutt is no match for an
angry roo.
Distance: 120 kilometres (90 minutes' drive) from Melbourne.
Accommodation: two self-contained cottages: one with two queen beds (or four
singles), one with one queen bed. Features: fully equipped kitchen;
complimentary wine on arrival; views, bushwalks, relaxation; DVD player and
DVDs.
Nearby: spa country, golf, lakes, walks, views, bookshops, restaurants,
national parks, historic train rides, Sunday market.
Bookings: about a month in advance.
Children: yes, at The Cottage.
Wheelchair access: no.
Pets: yes.
BILL FARR |
