Country Escape

2011 was definitely an eventful and busy year for me and I just couldn't wait for the Christmas/ new year's holiday break.

What way to celebrate and treat myself than a weekday get away . The boyfriend and I recently purchased a scoopon deal for a romantic 2 night get away at Stonealea, which is located in a small country town of Alexandra- about 2 hours drive north east of Melbourne. Having never heard of the town, we decided not to have our expectations too high and just to enjoy each other's company and have a relaxing time.

Stonelea Country Resort

Upon arrival, we were a little worried about just how secluded the location was and that we would surely be bored within an hour. All we could see was literally only acres of open farm land and green tree tops.

Alexandra

We were greeted to a little small contained cottage, which was cosy and equipped with most of the necessities. However, we were surprised to find that there was not a TV in sight- probably intentionally left out for those wanting a break from civilisation. TV lovers- don't sweat, there is a TV in the main living area along with free wifi Internet connection for those who just can't resist the occasional facebook checking. (I must admit.. I was a victim)

View of our cottage

The view from our cottage was spectacular- of a small lake filled with trouts for fishing as well as views of the beautiful outback landscape. The daily worries and stress of city life did not take long to fade. We were even lucky enough to wake up one day to the sight of a group of kangaroos on our porch.. something you definitely won't see in the city!

Surprise view of kangaroos on our front porch

To our surprise, there were plenty of activities to occupy our time with at the retreat- from tennis, golf (you will have to pay for club hire as well as the buggie if needed), badminton (which the boyfriend and I took a liking to), pool and there's even a spa/ massage centre (additional costs and bookings required- however the boyfriend does not recommend this service as he was unimpressed by the masseuse's "light" touch). One really fun activity we loved was bike riding- peddling freely in the country side while enjoying the beautiful view somehow made us feel like we were in a scene from a romantic love movie.

The town of Lake Eildon ( a more popular tourist destination, famous for its dam, picturesque rivers and water sports) is situated close by, approximately 20 minutes drive from Alexandra. It is definitely a recommended place to pay a visit. Check out some of the amazing scenery we captured below:

Lake Eildon Dam

Boathouses on the lake

Snob's Creek Waterfalls

View from Fraser's Island

One down side that we found about the area was the lack of good quality dining, where most the better dining options are only open on selected days - mostly weekends (ie. I was really looking forward to dining at one of the local favourites- Peppercorn Hotel but to my dismay, was closed on weekdays) and are not located within close proximity to one another. We were disappointed to find that the only food options in the local town was hotel/ pub food, which we were forced to resort to in the end ( oh well, can't complain with a good parma).

Overall, we had a really fun trip and was sad to leave both Stonelea and the countryside. It was definitely what I needed to start the new year! Are you in need of a country get away soon?

Scribble you later :)

Miss Scribble