TRAVEL | SURFSIDE BEACH HOUSE, PHILLIP ISLAND

 

It is always great to pack your bags and get away for a few days. This time around we stayed at the great Surfside Beach House on Phillip Island, Victoria. We fell in love with the closeness to nature and the nautical feel this place had. The house had 3 levels (top floor was a cosy little loft with ocean views and it was a favourite hangout spot for the kids who loved to spot birds with the binoculars). 

The loved how the owners had styled this architectural gem.  There were plenty of bespoke furnishing and the cool tiki influences was a nice touch. The kitchen and living was on the second floor which boasted large windows with lovely nature views. It was so easy to relax here and the dining table nook was our favourite spot to hang out and playing cards and share some lovely meals in the evening. It felt like you were down in the galley on a ship accompanied by the soft light in the roof and the stars outside the windows. 

We also loved the assorted books that was available to read in the book shelves. 

Before going on this holiday I had tried to find Jules Verne's 20.000 Leagues Under the Sea for my husband. He had mentioned he really wanted to read it again, but I ran out of luck finding it in my local book shops before leaving. As I was going through the books on the shelves, my eye caught a familiar name... and low and behold there it was..a original edition of Jules Vernes book! It was almost like it was meant to be that we came here. Needless to say my husband was absorbed by the book and finished reading it while we were there. We also read through some great architect inspirational sources like Frank Lloyd Wright and the kids loved reading Ray Harryhausen's Animated Life. 

Fortunately for us this place was also pet friendly so we brought our cat Kirby (who honestly is more like a dog than a cat) who absolutely loved this place. He was glued to the windows and enjoyed the odd walk on the beach with the kids. 

At night we set up our little portable projector and watched some old classic movies like The Black Hole and The City of the Lost Children. After our 4 days were up we sincerely wished we had a few more to stay... all the saltwater air and great views really put us in a relaxed state and we all agreed we would have to come back to this little gem of a place again very soon.

EXPLORE | CERES COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT PARK

M wears: top by Bobo Choses / Pants by Bobo Choses / Sandals by Saltwater. D wears: Zip Hoodie by Bobo Choses / Pants by molo.

When the hustle and bustle of the city gets to be a bit too much, its nice to escape to a place like CERES Community Environment Park. CERES (pronounced 'series') is an award not-for-profit sustainability centre located on 4.5 hectares on the Merri Creek in East Brunswick, Melbourne.

CERES is a place where people come together to share ideas about living well together, and directly participate in meeting their social and material needs in a sustainable way. Through social enterprises, education and training, employment and community engagement, CERES provides the means by which people can build awareness of current local and global issues, and join in the movement for economic, social and environmental sustainability.

As soon as you enter the doors of the park, a calm descends on you and you instantly forget about traffic jams and all the other things that sometimes can be annoying when living in a big city like Melbourne. The clucking of hens and buzzing of bees and people chatting is a welcome relief, and time seem to go at a different, more slower pace here. We love visiting the nursery and the organic market where you can buy some wonderful produce, or grab a quick bite to eat, while the kids play in the sandpit with some rustic toys that are available. If they are a bit too old for sandpit fun, there is a cool adventure playground in the park too. It's definitely worth the drive across the city and a wonderful place to recharge for the whole family on a weekend.

:: CERES ::

EXPLORE | McCLELLAND SCULPTURE PARK

M wears: Sweater by Bobo Choses / Denim by I Dig Denim. D wears: Sweater by Bobo Choses / Denim by Munsterkids / Shoes by Natives. 

If you live in Victoria and have yet not taken yourself to the McClelland Sculpture Park you owe it to yourself to do it, and do it soon. We have often traveled past it without even knowing it was there, but always been amazed at a few great sculptures that are visible from the nearby highway.

One day day when we past we noticed a sign and I looked it up. Sure enough, there was a nearby sculpture park. First weekend we had off we decided to check it out. Set in 16 hectares of bush and landscaped gardens in Langwarrin, 4kms east of Frankston on the Mornington Peninsula, it is the home to over 100 permanent outdoor sculptures. It was love at first sight! The park is a wonderful mix of open grass fields, a lake and dozen charming forest pathways, that leads you through the sculpture park. The kids loved exploring and finding the sculptures. I have always had a big passion for sculptures and it was so nice to share it with the kids here, were they could run free and take it all in.

After the walk, make sure you stop at the cafe, kick off your shoes and have an ice-cream looking out over the wonderful lake.


McClelland Sculpture Park is open Tues - Sunday 10am - 5pm.

 :: MCCLELLAND SCULPTURE PARK + GALLERY ::

TRAVEL | FLINDERS TREEHOUSE

Miss M wears: Jacket by Missie Munster / Madison jean by I Dig Denim / boots by Cotton On. Mr D wears: Quilted denim shirt by Molo / Newark jean by I Dig Denim / Beanie by H&M.

Every now and then, the hustle and bustle of everyday life sort of catches up with us and the urge to simply get away comes sneaking up on us. This time around we opted to sneak away for a long weekend, and our first choice was to escape on a coast trip. We have had our eyes on the Flinders Treehouse for a while now, but there just hasn't been a good opportunity to check it out until now.

Set amongst the tall trees, this very private get away abode offers everything a family could want or need. Only a 10 minute walk to the nearest beach and a short drive or walk from Flinders village it is the perfect spot for a Flinders adventure. The house has a contemporary treehouse feel and it was a pleasure to sit on the balcony in the morning while having breakfast and take in the magnificent tall trees that surrounds the house. It is very easy to feel a million miles away from the city when all you can hear is the wind and the birds in the trees.

The house offers 4 bedrooms and plenty of space for two families if you wish to share it with someone. Our kids loved the fact that there was plenty of toys to play with and a big trampoline in the backyard. The panoramic windows on the top floor made it easy to see what the kids were upto in the backyard and we have to admit it was a welcome break to see the kids enjoy themselves, exploring and bouncing away outside, while we had a chance to kick back, enjoy a glass of wine and cozy up to the open fire inside.

The house is tastefully decorated and being a Swede I particularly felt at home with the Scandinavian design feel the house had.

Flinders is an excellent place to visit if you want to visit the many nearby vineyards, take a hike through the many magic nature tracks the area has to offer, or simply just enjoy some lovely local food. The rugged coast line is spectacular and we took so many photos we have to turn this trip into a part 2 on the blog! This area has truly something to offer for all ages and interests, so we definitely have to come back soon, to explore it some more. If you are interested in reading more or booking Flinders Treehouse simply click on the link below.

:: FLINDERS TREEHOUSE ::