Mr & Mrs Smith

Mt Sturgeon

The Grampians, Australia

Mt Sturgeon's cute bluestone cottages offer the privacy of a self-catering property with the luxury of not having to cook for yourself. Fine dining is a big part of the experience here, with the linked Royal Mail Hotel's award-winning restaurant three kilometres down the road in the town of Dunkeld. Get chauffeured over for the 10-course tasting menu or gourmet grub at the more informal bistro (book early for both), or 'stay home' with nibbles and wine. You can also breakfast on the lawn watching the roos, whip up your own barbecue or grab a local produce picnic hamper. The hotel offers rooms too, but the cottages feel more secluded with epic views of Mt Sturgeon and nature at your doorstep.

Need to know

• Rates information AU$230 (off-peak, Monday–Thursday)–AU$325 (peak, Friday–Sunday), one-bedroom cottage; AU$335 (off-peak)–AU$365 (peak), two-bedroom cottage.
• Ideal for A romantic escape, gourmet getaway or hiking retreat.
• Sleeps 2–4
• Property style Set on a working sheep station, the tin roofed, bluestone cottages were built in the 1840s as the shearers' quarters. Rustic and simple decor is Australian colonial, with period and modern furnishings and fittings mixed with eye-catching artworks.
• Grounds The cottages are scattered along a gravel driveway surrounded by lawns and gardens of native plants. A sloping paddock dotted with giant red gum eucalyptus trees and the Wannon River are all that separate them from the Grampians National Park.
• Minimum hire No minimum stay.
• Children Welcome, but if you've come for the food at the nearby Royal Mail Hotel book a local nanny for dinnertime, as the kids may get restless during the three- to four-hour tasting menu. More...
• Booking process On arrival, check in at reception at sister property the Royal Mail Hotel in the town of Dunkeld, three kilometres down the road from Mt Sturgeon's more rustic grounds (staff are based here should you have any requests). Rates quoted above for the two-bedroom cottages are for two adults and two children under 15; each additional adult costs AU$45 extra. Reservations are essential if you want to eat at either the bistro or hugely popular restaurant at the Royal Mail, so secure one when you book your cottage.
• Also Mt Sturgeon is non-smoking, and pets aren't allowed.

Floor plan

• The six one-bedroom and two two-room cottages are all located at Mt Sturgeon, just west of Dunkeld, about five minutes' drive from allied property the Royal Mail Hotel.

• Bedrooms

  The one-bedroom bluestone cottages come with a queen-size bed, wooden side tables with lamps, a suitcase stand and a timber clothes rail (there’s no wardrobe). Beautifully framed photos of local wildlife liven up the textured white walls. In the two-bedroom cottages, one bedroom sports a queen-size bed, the other two single beds, with similarly rustic decor.

• Kitchen

  The kitchen, lounge and dining area are open plan in all cottages, with kitchenettes kitted out with bar fridges and microwaves but not ovens. The idea here is that guests won't be self-catering in the usual full-on way – you'll either be dining at the nearby Royal Mail Hotel's famed bistro and restaurant, or you'll be heading outdoors to whip up a barbecue (provided on request), picnic or trek with a hiker's hamper. There's enough kitchen gear and storage space to prepare basic fare though, should you fancy eating in.

• Living room

  Open-plan living areas are simply but comfortably decked out with leather sofas (mainly two-seaters) and an armchair, a quilt or throw, a standard lamp and a rug. Open fireplaces ensure it's snug in winter. There are no TVs or telephones, but there is a stereo for kicking back with great tunes.

• Dining room

  There aren't separate dining rooms, but a generous timber dining table with two to four chairs forms part of the open-plan living/dining area.

• Poolside

  The solar-heated pool is located beside the Royal Mail Hotel, three kilometres from the cottages. There are a handful of sun loungers and towels for guests.

• Gardens

  A rustic mix of well kept lawns and gardens filled with native flora and fauna, with views out towards majestic Mt Sturgeon. Set on the lawn at the front of each cottage is a simple timber table and chairs. There is a gas-fired barbecue against the cottage wall and a box for firewood.

• Private parking

  There’s space for two cars outside each cottage.

• Other

  If you fancy showing off your hand-eye coordination, head for the pool table in the bar of the Royal Mail Hotel. History buffs will enjoy wandering around Mt Sturgeon's grounds, which include an old homestead with picturesque veranda and the sleekly spacious Mt Sturgeon Woolshed, used for classical concerts and wedding ceremonies as well as for shearing (the sheepy smell is a tad off-putting for nuptuals though).