This was published 14 years ago
Sublime, Leura reciew: A strange fascination
Point blank ... the garden and a view of the Leura property.
Though the layout is odd and there's a powerful presence of the owner, Nick Galvin enjoys a Sublime getaway.
Idly flicking through the visitors' book, I note my eight-year-old daughter has already passed judgment on the property.
"Old-fashioned and unusable" is inscribed there carefully in her best handwriting.
When I tell her I think this is a little harsh, her puzzled response is: "But even you said it was unusual, daddy."
Which is quite true – the place is unusual (not, however, "unusable", which is corrected in the visitors' book with a little judicious use of the editor's pen).
In fact, parts of the house are downright odd. Generally speaking, you expect your upmarket weekend rental property to be akin to a hotel room or suite – impersonal and anonymous. However, our home for the next 48 hours is more like the Mary Celeste. When we arrive it is almost as if the owner slipped out the back door as we pulled into the drive.
There is a child's painting on the fridge, personal items in the kitchen drawers, religious statues around the place and a huge family portrait in the bedroom, complemented by pictures of the children or grandchildren on their wedding and graduation days (and jolly nice folk they look like, too). There is even a paper delivered both days we are there.
Compounding the oddness of the property is the layout, which is quite eccentric. On the ground floor, where one would expect the lounge room, is a huge master bedroom with sofa and wood-burning stove. The only communal area on ground level is the well-equipped kitchen and dining room.
Upstairs is a comfortable lounge room, three bedrooms and another kitchenette. Go figure.
However, ignoring the layout, the place is very comfortable, nicely appointed and cosy. The stove in the bedroom is laid with paper and wood, ready to spark into life with the application of a match.
Next morning we discover the garden, a fabulous, rambling classic Blue Mountains affair that is begging to be explored, which is what the princesses promptly set off to do.
We are accompanied on the weekend by old friends visiting from England. I'd been spruiking the mountains as a must-see destination on their Australian trip, while at the same time mentally crossing my fingers that the weather would be good. I needn't have worried – the mountains turn on one of those perfect, still days with picture-book blue skies and sunshine.
First stop for us is the lookout at Sublime Point, which, for my money, is every bit as spectacular as Echo Point but without the irritating crowds and the outrageous parking charges. Here we have a bizarre encounter with a chap who tells us about his younger days fighting with the Sandinista rebels in Nicaragua. It's not every day you fall into casual conversation with a South American freedom fighter but then it's turning into one of those unexpected sort of weekends.
A little later we find ourselves in Katoomba, one of my favourite spots for mooching around the shops and doing not very much. To the princesses' delight, we discover a temporary ice rink has been set up in front of the Carrington Hotel. Granted, I've seen bigger pieces of ice in my gin and tonic but that's of no consequence to the children, who slide around for an hour with great enthusiasm (if only limited skill) and sleep well that night.
Next day we spend a couple of pleasant hours poking around the shops in Leura, which has mercifully resisted the march of main-street blandification. Later there is time for a couple of short bush walks around Wentworth Falls before returning to the big smoke.
A leisurely, "unusable" weekend from start to finish.
Weekends Away are reviewed anonymously and paid for by Traveller.
VISITORS' BOOK
Sublime
Address 49 Sublime Point Road, Leura.
The verdict Odd but comfortable house in a stunning corner of the Blue Mountains.
Price $700 for a two-night weekend stay.
Bookings Phone 4757 2222 or see bluemts.com.au/rwwentworthfalls.
Getting there Leura is about 100 kilometres west of the CBD.
Perfect for A tranquil weekend away from the city.
Wheelchair access No.
While you are there Take afternoon tea at the Hatters Cafe, Katoomba (and don't miss the bread-and-butter pudding). Ride the Scenic Railway. Stoke the fire and open a good bottle of red.
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