We discovered the most beautiful place to stop just over the border from Victoria in NSW. It’s not an ocean view, it’s not in the forest, but it is sustainable and pastoral. On our way to a family Christmas gathering we stopped for one night in the Down to Earth Farm Retreat. We stayed in the Lake View site, but they also have a Burrow which has more space.

During the evening we walked down to a lovely garden. In the garden a pair of Willy Wagtails had built their nest in a shed among the beans hanging to dry. They were very unhappy to have visitors, but we found their threats captivating. We tried not to disturb them too much, but I did catch a wonderful video of them.

Having had such a wonderful time, we wanted to stay there on the way home too. Unfortunately they were full, but I begged and pleaded for a place to stay. Everywhere else I tried was booked since it was the day after Christmas, a special holiday called Boxing Day. I felt like Mary looking for a place to lie down on the long trip back to Melbourne. Graham said, “We do have a place in the garden shed. We sometimes have workers stay there. It’s off the grid, but it has a compost powered shower.”

Now that sounded even more exciting than an earth-sheltered house. Just the place I’d like to stay. But where was it? We’d walked down to the garden and seen the Willy Wagtails on our stay before, but I didn’t notice a place to stay. There was a shed covered in corrugated metal. Graham explained, “I built it out of rejected materials.”

To find out more about this beautiful place visit their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/downtoearthfarmretreat/