This was published 12 years ago
Glen Harrow Cottages, Belgrave review: Glow in the gloom
Old-world charm ... a cast-iron bed and Edwardian details give Gardeners Cottage a homey feel.
Patricia Maunder is warmed by a cosy cottage on a dim Dandenongs day.
With rain tumbling down and cloud so low it's like fog, this afternoon in the Dandenongs is as gloomy as early evening. It's the kind of weather that demands an open fire in a cosy cottage. Gardeners Cottage fits the bill nicely: the gas fireplace is already on when we arrive, as are several pretty vintage reproduction lamps, which add to the warm glow of the comfortable main room. The antique chaise longue and plump leather sofa by the fire beckon, but the cottage's other rooms need to be explored.
This compact old building has an air of mystery about it, as if there might be a secret sliding panel somewhere, or long-forgotten letter hidden in a drawer. Maybe even a fairy in the English-style semi-wilderness in which this and a handful of other cottages are nestled.
Although Gardeners Cottage has obviously been restored, it has heritage charm thanks to original and recycled building materials and fittings, including stained and etched glass, pressed metal and big, vintage light switches.
Except for modern comforts such as heaters, a CD player/iPod dock, flat-screen television and DVD player, the rooms are filled with a mix of elegant and rustic antique furniture, decorative elements and curios.
From the cast-iron double bed to the Early Kooka oven and stove, the many Edwardian-era framed photos on the walls and the rusting old gardening equipment outside, everything comes together to create a homey atmosphere.
The bathroom is spacious - so much so that the large spa bath is no more than a corner feature. It doubles as a shower thanks to the massive old-school copper shower head but, either way, getting in and out would be much easier (and more dignified) with a step of some kind.
Otherwise, the bathroom has two bathrobes, several fluffy white towels and, as elsewhere in the cottage, an abundance of lighting (including discreet halogen downlights). Other than a divine lavender liquid soap, toiletries are unremarkable.
The kitchen is much smaller but more than adequate to prepare breakfast from generous provisions including fruit, bacon and eggs.
Upstairs, the bedroom is a pleasant, airy space.
The bedlinen, including embroidered vintage pillowcases, is crisp and white, the mattress comfortably firm. Outside the bedroom's french doors is a little balcony, with vintage outdoor furniture, overlooking the garden. Downstairs, there are similarly furnished verandahs front and back, plus a small courtyard. In warm weather, these shady spots must be wonderful places to relax.
But in winter, as raindrops make a pleasant pitter-patter sound on the roof, the place to be is by the fire, draped on the chaise longue with a glass of red in hand.
The peace will only be broken in the morning, when birdsong, including the extroverted warblings of a couple of kookaburras, is breakfast's soundtrack.
Later, Puffing Billy toots merrily just down the hill. It's a short stroll from the cottage to this popular steam train's departure point, as it is to Belgrave's Metro station and shops. Back in the cottage, you would never know the busy, modern world is so close.
VISITORS' BOOK
Gardeners Cottage, Glen Harrow Cottages
Address Old Monbulk Road, Belgrave.
Bookings Phone 9754 3232, see glenharrow.com.au.
Getting there Belgrave is about 50 minutes' drive from Melbourne's CBD on the Eastern Freeway or M1, or about 70 minutes by Metro train.
Cost $230 to $320 a couple a night, including breakfast provisions.
Summary A peaceful, compact retreat in which modernity's essential comforts sit discreetly amid yesteryear's charms.
Verdict 17
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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