If the first signs of spring have you itching to get some sand between your toes boutique getaway specialist Mr & Mrs Smith suggests stylish holiday house Sojourn at Far Meadow, near Berry on the NSW South Coast.
Nestled among towering gums and rolling fields, this out-of-the-way escape, a two-hour drive south of Sydney, combines the best of coast and countryside. Two secluded, contemporary cabins, designed by architect Rita Qasabian of Studio Internationale, make the most of the classic bush setting with full-length sliding doors that flood the open-plan space with light, and fuss-free Scandinavian furnishings that don’t detract from the serene surrounds.
A fully equipped kitchen stocked with gourmet fare from Berry Sourdough Bakery & Café means you need never leave your hinterland hideaway, but if you still have itchy feet, neighbouring South Coast towns are awash with options.
The bucolic town of Berry, just five minutes’ drive away, is filled with boutiques, galleries, quaint cafes and antique dealers where it’s all too easy to lose a few hours and scoop up a vintage find. Nearby, Emporium Food Co stocks a range of local and imported delicacies that make perfect picnic fodder.
Shoalhaven Heads and Seven Mile Beach are ideal for long walks, brisk dips, surf breaks and scuba sessions. Renowned water wonderland Jervis Bay Marine Park, only 45 minutes away, is home to dolphins, seals and penguins year round, and from June to November you might spot migrating humpback whales.
If you prefer wineries to whale watching, taste your way along the Shoalhaven Coast wine trail. A relatively new wine-growing region, which stretches 100 kilometres along the coast, the trail is home to 15 wineries including our picks Two Figs and Coolangatta Estate.
Once you’ve loaded your picnic basket and picked up a bottle or two, hightail it back to Sojourn to enjoy the spoils while you breathe in that clean country air. Bliss.
To book Sojourn at Far Meadow or any of Mr & Mrs Smith’s boutique hotels and holiday houses on the New South Wales’ South Coast, visit www.mrandmrssmith.com or call the Travel Team on 1300 89 66 27, 24 hours a day, five days a week.