The best stays in Victoria for a creative hiatus this winter
IMAGE VIA @CASA_WARRANDYTE/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY GENEVIEVE PHELAN
Retreat yourself.
As a 20-something creative professional, I confess to being stuck on the ‘busy’ merry-go-round all too often. You know the feeling, when your calendar is maxed with work and there are social commitments stacked and time itself feels like it’s slipping through your fingers. I notice it when I start holding my breath through busy workdays, as if I am figuratively and literally drowning in the inbox.
This is when I’m certain a deliberate, self-led retreat is to be mandated. I’ve done my fair share of hiatuses around Victoria, scoping out the coolest and cosiest hideaways for a weekend (or weeknight). I’ve returned with a hit list worth saving and some pro tips for making it a worthwhile break from the minutiae of everyday hustling.
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I now firmly believe that every few months, we sole traders or small-business owners should take advantage of the flexibility that comes with working for ourselves. We must pack up our tools and transport them to a fresh location in pursuit of a creative reboot. My best ideas arise when I’m somewhere else. And that doesn’t always require jumping on a plane. Often, the shortcut to recalibration is a strategic circuit-breaker in a beautiful home away from home.
Maybe pack a copy of The Creative Act, The Artist’s Way or something quasi-self-help-ish like Atomic Habits with you, pop your out-of-office on or set yourself a ‘fun’ task you’ve been procrastinating way too long. Perhaps it’s your time to write those pitches or conceptualise that Substack plan you’ve been putting off. The idea is to find inspiring abodes that feel conducive to a surge of creativity. Here are some of the best spots near Melbourne to do just that.
Camillo House, Blairgowrie
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Camillo House is a paradiscal and capacious home in Blairgowrie, melding midcentury design with kaleidoscopic interior adornments. This place sleeps six, so you could take a group of industry friends or office-mates away with you and embark on the journey together if you feel so inclined. I’ve done a writing weekend solo here and surprisingly didn’t feel one bit alone in the vast and luxurious space.
You’ll marvel at the artworks, the pink marble kitchen bench and the endless blanket of blue unfolding from the upstairs loungeroom window. It’s like a meditative looking glass out onto the back beach, complete with the sound of rolling waves. Camillo’s owner, Clare Singline, hosts a dedicated Artist’s Retreat Programme that welcomes artists, writers, performers, and creatives seeking a unique space to be inspired by and work from. With art in every room, an escape to Camillo is like sojourning in a private gallery. Some of this artwork has even been commissioned from guests who have painted and drawn works during their retreats there.
To book your stay, head here.
Buckley House, Point Lonsdale
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Helmed by fellow communications consultant Emelie Joubert, the idea behind pet-friendly Buckley House was to build an oasis away from the city. Growing up in Point Lonsdale, Emelie knew there was something truly special about its calm, untouched feel compared to nearby coastal towns. The house has a sun-drenched daybed accompanying its vast dining-meets-working table.
Sprawl your notepads out and lock in for an uninterrupted afternoon or wander down to the incredible Noble Rot wine bar (the only one in the vicinity) to encourage ideas to flow. My tip is a morning walk by the ocean, followed by a visit to The Bookshop at Queenscliff to grab a haul of unique books. Reading is always a shortcut to new ways of thinking – you might come home with something to take to bed and wake up with a new lease on life. Buckley is a completely neutral, nautical-chic palette, a perfect reset for the senses.
To book your stay, head here.
Spaces in Places, Bonnie Doon
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A new player has entered Australia’s boutique accommodation landscape. Spaces in Places is an experience- and design-led accommodation brand that merges craftsmanship, sustainability and an emotional connection to place. “We didn’t want to be another ‘tiny cabin’ in a paddock,” says co-founder Amy Elliot. “Spaces in Places is about design that moves you; spaces that feel alive, grounded and deeply connected to where they’re found.”
According to the team, Lake Eildon’s blank canvas makes it a worthy place to sit and paint from the comfort of the glass-laden cabin. They also compile recipes from chefs who have shopped locally and cooked in the cabin or at the fire pit, allowing you to flex your kitchen skills and recreate beautiful dishes. It’s also worth noting that the cabin’s design is an acoustic dream for creating music, ready for guests to write or record music if they feel so inclined.
To book your stay, head here.
Casa Warrandyte, Warrandyte
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Casa Warrandyte runs a dedicated artist residency program, where two artists are chosen each season to spend two nights as they please — whether that’s resting, creating or just getting in the zone. The home, which can host nine guests, features an outdoor bath, an infrared sauna and a fireplace.
Designed by architect Alistair Knox, Casa features his signature environmental style with floor-to-ceiling windows, lots of natural light and exposed wood. Perfect for anyone wanting a true bush escape just a stone’s throw from Melbourne, Warrandyte feels calm, quaint and almost frozen in time. It’s a rustic and lived-in location, like a warm hug from an old friend upon entry. I’d recommend locking in for a couple of hours outside among the trees, before embarking on a hike by the river and a wine tasting at Olivigna nearby.
To book your stay, head here.
For more on taking a creative hiatus, try this.
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