This was published 12 years ago
Coliban Springs, Redesdale review: Wing it in serious style
A little taste of the unexpected awaits in the hills, writes Paul Kalina.
Hardly humble ... Coliban Springs is anything but a basic overnighter.
Turning north at Kyneton, Spa Country turns into Spare Country. Thickly wooded and verdant hills merge into the parched, expansive and bare plains of the central west.
There's barely another car on the road on this late summer afternoon as the mercury climbs into the high 30s.
It's perfect preparation for the seclusion and isolation of the newish bed and breakfast Coliban Springs, which is a 30-minute drive away from the cafes and epicurean delicatessens that attract busloads of visitors to this region most weekends.
The idea of stepping into the furnace outside is leavened by the prospect of a pool.
What awaits us when we arrive, however, is way beyond the expectations one might reasonably conjure of a middle-of-nowhere bed and breakfast.
Try pool, tennis court, children's playground, a vast landscaped garden filled with a manicured lawn and flower beds, hammocks, kitchen garden, rose garden and a picturesque lake where hundreds of birds congregate at dusk. This is the resort version of the humble B&B.
Coliban Springs' owners are tree-changers with a growing brood of grandchildren who have decided to open up the "west wing" of their vast spread to visitors.
The "west wing" is at our disposal. As well as a large bedroom with roomy, slate-tiled en suite, a cot has been set up (at no additional charge) in the second of the three bedrooms positioned alongside a long hall that leads into a massive living room and open-plan kitchen.
No expense has been spared with this fitout, which includes a cooktop, oven, dishwasher and espresso machine.
A fruit basket and provisions, which include ample quantities of eggs (laid by the resident chooks, whose coop we discover the next day is nothing short of the Hilton Hotel of barns), bacon, bread, mushrooms, tomatoes, jams, yoghurt and breakfast cereals, only add to the feeling that the owners have cut no corners in the provision of hospitality.
Once we settle in, hosts Kathy and Rod invite us into their quarters - strategically placed on the far side of the living area and another room with bunk beds and children's toys, also at our disposal - to share a late-afternoon drink and nibbles.
Much of the conversation is about the devastating fires that rolled through this area three years ago, which came as close as one kilometre from the house but luckily left the property untouched.
One benefactor of the natural disasters that have struck this region in recent years, however, is Lake Eppalock, which is filled to near capacity and again is a magnet for water-skiers and holidaymakers.
From there on we have the run of the place to ourselves. Having brought our own provisions it's a matter of deciding which barbecue to fire up; the one adjacent to the playground or the one next to the pool. The decision is made for us with a discovery at the playground: a timber cubby house where the two-year-old would have happily camped for the entire weekend.
There's no shortage of things to do here and it's hard to not feel just a tinge of envy as we head back to Melbourne at the end of a restful weekend for the lifestyle this couple has created in this bucolic, serene and less-travelled pocket of the countryside.
VISITORS' BOOK
Address 866 Coliban Park Road, Redesdale.
Booking Phone 5425 3272; see colibansprings.com.au.
How much? $250 a couple, a night, minimum two-night stay. An extra single is $175 a night.
Getting there Coliban Springs is halfway between Redesdale and Sutton Grange. Allow two hours' driving from the Melbourne central business district.
A luxurious, well-appointed spread with every imaginable mod-con — as well as a tennis court, a pool, a children's playground, a lake and a kitchen garden — this is the resort version of the humble bed and breakfast.
Verdict 18.
The score: 19-20 excellent; 17-18 great;
15-16 good; 13-14 comfortable. All weekends away are conducted anonymously and paid for by Traveller.
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