OVER THE RAINBOW
Over the Rainbow - Luxury Travel Magazine
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Over the Rainbow | |||||
| By: Merry Kirkwood, Issue 33 – Summer 2008 | |||||
| (Victoria, Australia) | |||||
| LOOK BEYOND MELBOURNE’S WELL KNOWN INDULGENCES AND DISCOVER A FULL PALETTE OF LUXURY EXPERIENCES NEARBY. | |||||
| Its early evening, and a sprinkle of rain mixes with the swirling wind, causing commuters leaving their city skyscrapers to quicken their step while drawing their designer scarves and overcoats closer. This is Melbourne after all: a city of ever-changing weather, and some would say, the style capital of the nation. All intercity rivalry aside, Melbourne is an ideal place for a city break, with wide river esplanades snaking along Southbank, a colourful mix of charming architectural malls, fashion boutiques inviting endless hours of shopping, and quirky laneways lined with warm cafés and funky bars that seem forever bustling and inviting – regardless of the weather. Throughout the year, Melbourne pays homage to international standard tennis, football, horse racing, and art: it’s a city that knows how to entertain, and be entertaining. With a yearly calendar that’s jam packed, it’s easy for visitors to fall into ‘Melbourne myopia’, and never leave the city limits – which is to miss half the fun. Why not take half a day, a full day, or better still a couple of days and step beyond the city. Within a touch more than an hour’s drive away lies a raft of increasingly appealing wineries, restaurants, delightful villages, cafés and soothing spas that are not only worth a visit, but expand the luxury story that Melbourne starts so well. Self-drive is an easy option, though private or small group tours are also readily available. Despite the chill, its been easy for us to squeeze in an afternoon of shopping in Melbourne, as well as a soothing spa treatment at Balnae Spa, before retiring to enjoy a night of supreme comfort at Crown Towers. For breakfast the hotel’s spectacular 29th floor Crystal Club (pictured above) offers a floor-to-elevated-ceiling view of Melbourne, Port Philip Bay, and surrounds, before our mid-morning drive to the Yarra Valley, situated northeast of the city. In the bright sunshine of the new day, the Maroondah Highway is a pleasant route to the Yarra, a startlingly green expanse of rolling river valley, and home to more than 70 wineries. Our lunch at the 96-room and suite Sebel Heritage Yarra Valley’s Bella Restaurant is refreshing, as are the views over the two 18-hole golf-courses. Only a short drive further through tall stands of mountain ash forest surrounding Mt Dandenong, the village of Olinda makes for an inviting afternoon’s meander (where 26 eclectic speciality shops, cafés, restaurants and the recently renovated Mandalay Spa Retreat, are not to be missed diversions). For the more active, a variety of pretty walks, parks, gardens and picnic spots highlight the views back to the city and to nearby Silvan Reservoir. This is vintage mountain magic, where residents are always ready for a chat, quiet streets and the inviting aroma of wood fires make the ‘big smoke’ feel a million miles away. Which, of course, it’s not. For the visitor who wants to stay overnight and enjoy a little luxury, the Yarra is worth a fresh look. Where once there was a ‘clutter and comfort’ approach, there are now a variety of new and rejuvenated accommodation options, which have a fresh ‘simple and sleek’ style while keeping a keen eye on guest indulgence. A string of well-known wineries abound including Domaine Chandon, Rochford, and James Halliday’s Coldstream Hills. Balgownie Estate, (which features 65 recently opened modern and spacious self-contained suites sitting in pretty landscaped gardens, with an impressive Spa and an imposing glass-walled a la carte restaurant), is a perfect example of the slick new-kid-on-the-block winery approach. This is an ideal spot to enjoy a tasty meal by the fire, to test the award-winning wines from the cellar door overlooking the vineyard, and then wander back to your room without the need to jump in your car for the trip back to Melbourne. Next day, we toss a dice onto a map, and choose from the seven major regions within an hour’s drive of the city that are worth a visit. For those (like us) who have generally ventured north, it is easy to link a trip to the Yarra Valley with one to the Goulburn Valley next door, home to Nagambie and Strathbogie Ranges. Highlights here include Celestine Waters, a recently opened spa, restaurant and town-house complex that will elevate this somewhat sleepy village (home to Victoria’s Lake Nagambie rowing and canoeing venue) to new heights. Once again, there are over 16 cellar doors to choose from, with historic Tahbilk Winery (and its Wetlands and Wildlife Reserve and Café), David Traeger’s vineyards, and Mitchelton’s with its striking tower, gourmet restaurant, and well known shiraz vintages, all not to be missed. To top it off, the drive home is an amble. Though the fast route will take you to city centre or airport in under 90 minutes, try to save a little time for detours along the way. The best parts of our Victorian indulgence are the unexpected treats and trinkets we gather: some stored in interesting packages and wine bottles, some saved on video and camera, and others merely etched in full-colour memory banks for another day. | |||||
| Details: | |||||
| Crown Towers: www.crowntowers.com.au | |||||
| Balnae Aroma Spa: +61 3 9654 2455 The Sebel Heritage Yarra Valley: www.mirvachotels.com/sebel-heritage-yarra-valley | |||||
| Olinda Village: www.olindavillage.com.au | |||||
| Mandalay Spa Retreat: +61 3 9728 1122 Balgownie Estate: www.balgownieestate.com.au | |||||
| Celestine Waters: +61 3 5794 2207 Tahbilk Winery: www.tahbilk.com.au | |||||
| Mitchelton Winery: www.mitchelton.com.au | |||||
| Further details: www.melbournesurrounds.com.au | |||||
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