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About 15 minutes from our arrival, our directions and arrival guide has given us landmarks to keep an eye out for, and now is the time for us to call Rick, Moonlight’s concierge / butler / go-to man. Rick meets us at the main highway as there are no signs alerting passing curious eyes. The driveway is something out of a fairytale, with curved trees sheltering our arrival, building the anticipation as you drive along the 1.2 mile driveway. The Private Lodges are remote, set in over forty hectares of Australian bush and farmland, but positioned just back from the cliff edge, with bush and ocean outlooks.
Rick spends the next hour or so organizing a glass of wine (first thing’s first!) and then giving us the guided tour of our temporary home, showing us how to use controls for the heating, navigate the remote for the Bang & Olufsen home integrated audio and visual system (this keeps my man amused for a good while), and makes sure the notebook is connected to the wireless service (a deal breaker for any IT professional that has to be connected 24/7)! Rick stokes up the open fire before leaving us with his contact details and arrangements to check in on us after breakfast tomorrow, and we are left to take in our fabulous surrounds.
I’m loving the open fire – radiating warmth and creating a relaxing snug environment. The Lodge has an amazing feel to it; the rooms are wide open spaces with expansive views out across the bush and landscape. Every 15 feet or so the roof has horizontal windows that span the width of the Lodge (looks a bit like a saw’s edge from the side angle of the Lodge) and fill it with fabulous sunlight. This splendidly highlights the surreal paintings by Karl Maughan that fill the Lodge, so life like you have to step right up to them to check they are not photos. The antique Persian rugs scattered across the blue stone floors are better than any I saw in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar.
We top up our wine and head out to watch the beginning of the evening entertainment, Kangaroos at dusk. The front clearing, or lawn area, is the grazing grounds for the local wild kangaroos. Rick has advised that most nights a few kangaroos will bounce past the Lodge, after all this is their home! We take our seat and before too long there are a couple of red kangaroos down on the bush edge, busy beginning their dinner. I am beside myself with excitement, what a great way to start the stay, a real Aussie greeting!
Talking of dinner, we head back indoors, where Paul, our chef and budding entertainer, has been hard at work preparing tonight’s fare. When we made our reservation to stay in the Private Lodge, we replied to a few questions on our dietary requirements and preferences, and now we are about to sample some of the regions best produce, especially prepared, just for us. To start we nibble on some fresh pesto and warm breads, while Paul whips up the best chili squid salad we have ever tasted. Following this we had duck (my favorite), with fabulously innovative sides of warm quince and cucumber. Finally, another favorite as asked in our questionnaire, creamy cheese cake. I am not sure how Paul can beat this tomorrow night, but after he has stacked the dishwasher, we give him a few ideas and he’s off to find the ingredients for tomorrow’s menu.
Just the two of us again, and time to lie back, (there’s two long couches) feet up, and enjoy a DVD from the selection on offer. There are also plenty of books to browse, music to listen to, if we were traveling with children, opening one of the cupboards is like opening Aladdin’s treasure trove of books, toys and games, enough activities to entertain children for days, including mountain bikes in the shed for all ages. Funnily enough the notebook has not been looked at since we arrived!
Once the moon is up I decide to try out the oversized Villeroy & Boch Aveo bath, infused with luxurious rose oil. The bath, which feels like a private plunge pool, is perfectly positioned to lie back, watch the moon rising, and consider the activities we have planned for tomorrow.
After our leisurely breakfast, so much to choose from, cereals, pancakes, creamy yogurts, eggs on toast, selections of teas and (surprisingly) good espresso coffee, even in the Australian wilderness (and that’s from a coffee connoisseur, or addict!) we meet Rick and plan out our day. We had choices from hiking the Great Ocean Walk, fishing on a private lake, playing a round of golf, riding a Ducati along the Great Ocean Road or exploring the historic wilderness on a mountain bike, but opted for horse back riding through the Aussie bush.
Our guides Jenny and Neil lead us along the coast line, remote beaches, and through the mature rainforest of the Otway Ranges. We follow trails carved out by the local aboriginal community thousands of years ago, enjoying the encounters with the Australian wildlife. We heard countless laughing cries of the kookaburras, saw dozens of koalas perched up in the eucalyptus trees and we were even lucky enough to spot an echidna shuffling off the path. What a day!
And then, we come back to our superb Lodge to find the housekeepers have returned all our disarray back to perfection, the fire is roaring, and Chef Paul is in the kitchen preparing more spectacular food, offering us a great wine and all ears as we regale the day’s adventures, he is just as excitable as us about this spectacular region, offering more suggestions for exploring (will have to be on our next visit). Time before dinner for another soak in that fabulous bath, well deserved today!
Naturally waking from an undisturbed slumber on the giant 7x7 foot savoir bed, without any schedule, no clocks and a self imposed banishing of mobile phones is bliss. I cannot remember when I have felt so totally rested and relaxed. Pulling back the curtain, what a surprise to be greeted by a kangaroo with her joey, all arms and legs disappearing in and out of mom’s pouch, which kept us entertained for a while as we watched. Moments later they are joined by a dozen or so more kangaroos, bounding across the front lawn, pausing to graze. A few observe us, but carry on with the business at hand, breakfast. I’m elated to be experiencing such closeness with Australian wildlife, and what a fitting Aussie farewell for us!
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GETTING THERE: One of our dedicated Australia specialists can help you plan your trip Downunder, with your very own Moonlight Experience in your personalized tailor-made itinerary. The Lodge is located on the southern most tip of Victoria, nestled between the Southern Ocean and The Great Ocean Road, just under a three hour drive west from Melbourne. You can fly into either Melbourne’s main Airport, or Avalon, a smaller regional airport an hour closer to the Lodge. All major car rental companies are on site and Moonlight will supply you with driving directions. For a truly special holiday experience, why not elect to travel to Moonlight Head by helicopter! Transfers from Melbourne CBD, or airport, take just under an hour, and of course enjoy a fabulous scenic journey along the coastline of Victoria, and over the famous Twelve Apostles. You can mix and match, arriving by helicopter and then returning by private transfer or continuing on your holiday with a rental car (collect from nearby Apollo Bay).
WHEN TO GO: Moonlight is a fantastic destination with activities and wildlife experiences available all year round. The Private Lodge however, is really something special in Winter and cooler months, with the roaring open fire welcoming you back after walking along the deserted windswept beaches. Australian summer school holidays are from mid December to the end of January, which means that families and couples traveling down from the US should have no problem securing the Lodge for their own private use.
WEATHER: The seasons are all opposite down in Australia, and not only do they have four definite seasons, but if you're really lucky you can experience them all in one day! The first warming of Spring typically begins August, with September and October experiencing warm pleasant weather with a few showers. Summers are long (November – February), hot and dry, sun screen and sunhats are essential items in an Australian summer. Fall can be a bit cooler with a few thunderstorms, and winter (May to June) short, sharp and snappy – mainly cool, some rain fall (not too much, and not every day), rough seas which bring the arrival of the Arctic birds.
WHAT TO PACK: When thinking about clothing for travel to Australia, remember that when you are traveling the length and breadth of Australia, you will be traveling in and out of varied temperature climates, warmer and humid up in the north, and cooler in the south. There is also a wet season during summer months in the north, so if you elect to travel here during these months (not recommended), a light waterproof jacket and umbrella is suggested. The team at Moonlight Head recognize that guests may not want to travel prepared for all four seasons, so they have Wellington boots and warm waterproof jackets available for guest use. Layering is the trick when visiting Australia, as even in the warmer months (Spring and Fall) the days are very pleasant and sunny, but the evening temperatures will drop.
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