122 ELLE AUSTRALIA
A closer look at the location of this month’s cover shoot
(where we were joined by a wombat or two and a kangaroo)Words: Laura CollinsON LOCATION
A
ustralia has mastered many things. We make
the best coffee in the world. Our superheroes
are at the top of their games (see: Thor,
Wolverine). Our biscuits are second to none:
Tim Tams! Iced VoVos! And you could
safely argue that at luxury retreat Emirates One&Only
Wolgan Valley, they’ve spent the past few years
mastering the weekend getaway.
Getting away for a few days is, to most of us,
of the highest importance – a good weekender
recharges the soul and reinvigorates our enthusiasm
for life and work thanks to a rigorous schedule
that goes a little something like: read, nap, eat cheese,
play gin rummy, repeat. Not only does this
particular spot facilitate an escape from the
daily grind like no other, it’s also where our cover
star Zoë Foster Blake and her husband Hamish
said “I do” back in 2012. So making it the location for
our cover shoot was a no-brainer.
Here’s what you need to know: Emirates
One&Only Wolgan Valley’s 40 private villas arehome among
the gum trees
hidden away on a 7,000-acre reserve
between Wollemi National Park
and Gardens Of Stone National
Park in NSW’s Blue Mountains,
about a three-hour drive west
of Sydney. It’s so spectacularly
pretty that the staff estimate they
see an average of one marriage
proposal a week. It also offers
complete seclusion in the best
possible way – though we have to
warn you that while there’s decent
wi-fi, there’s no phone reception.
Each villa comes with its own
glass-enclosed pool – perfect for
watching the reserve’s kangaroos
and wombats go about their daily
routines – and a double-sided
fireplace (because it can get a little
chilly in the mountains). There’s
a screened porch so you can have all the fresh air
and vista, with none of the bug bites. Also on offer are
five-course degustation dinners with wine pairings,
visits to the cheese room, guided nature walks and
nocturnal wildlife tours – from the comfort of a luxury
4WD vehicle, naturally. It’s a pretty special part of
Australia, if we do say so ourselves. q
oneandonlyresorts.com/one-and-only-wolgan-valley-australiaNATURAL BEAUTY
A magnificent rural
setting and luxury
villas make the resort
one of Australia’s best