Come the weekend, especially over summer, it’s a basic Melburnian instinct to head straight for the Mornington or Bellarine peninsulas to laze seaside. But a recent boom in rural retreats means there’s just as much reason to turn your attention inland.
On the Grampians’ edge, Stoneycroft Cottage is a rustic but elegantly converted 19th-century farmhouse where you can unwind on seemingly boundless pastures.
The quaint bluestone cottage and adjacent former shearer’s quarters sit in the shadows of towering 600-year-old red gums down a gravel road near Cavendish.
The surrounding South Mokanger farm is still populated by sheep, but fourth-generation owner Johnny Gardner and partner Maddie McFarlane, an interior stylist, have transformed the property into a restorative getaway that sleeps up to 14 people.
Thanks to McFarlane’s expertise, the cottage has been filled with colour and texture. The interior strikes a balance between the of-another-time charm you’d expect of an 1860s-built home, and soft, modern flourishes like sand-coloured woollen carpets and whitewashed walls. In the bathroom, meanwhile, be struck by the sunset through a perfectly placed window above the basin. Two beautiful bedrooms comfortably sleep four, with queen-sized beds draped in cosy Bed Threads linen.
Across the driveway in the historical shearer’s quarters, 10 people can spread out across five bedrooms. The kitchen is fully equipped with everything needed for a full family-sized feast – enjoy it outside on the centrepiece table and matching benches, made from a red gum that fell on the property in 1985. (You’re encouraged to save scraps from your meal for feeding the chooks and collect freshly laid eggs.)
The grounds are also open for exploring. To best take in the peaceful atmosphere, Gardner and McFarlane recommend a late-afternoon stroll along the four-kilometre on-site trail with mountain views.
And when the sun sets over the pastures, I’m more tuned in than ever to the peak Aussie desire for a “home among the gum trees” – there’s definitely a sheep or two here.
Stoneycroft Cottage is bookable online.
