With most of Qantas’ international fleet currently hibernating in the desert and Australia intermittently separated by State border closures, the holiday escape plan Down Under is regional travel close to home. Enter the verdant New South Wales wine and farming region of the Kangaroo Valley, some two hours drive from Sydney and Canberra, and the newly developed luxury villa property Barranca.
Situated across 400 hectares of pristine bushland, green pastoral paddocks and lush rainforest, each of Barranca’s four eco-luxe villas, designed by Sydney’s Grove Architects, take in sweeping views of the majestic Barrengarry sandstone escarpment, which cradles the family-owned property.
For principal architect and part-time local neighbour John Grove the brief was simple: a ‘rural aesthetic loaded with urban comforts’ to frame the area’s uniquely divergent landscape. ‘Our practice has never designed a 'shed' before,’ he says, ‘yet the more we searched for an architecture for this site, the more obvious it became that 'a shed' was all we really needed to do.’
Those sophisticated two and four-bed ‘sheds’ harmoniously utilise native timbers and up-cycled heritage sandstone to intuitive modern effect, while floor-to-ceiling windows capture nature from every aspect – cockatoos and kangaroos included. Just as outdoor fire pits and rain showers make this a bucolic stay for all seasons.
Barranca is splendid isolation at its purist, offering guests a rural recharge at their own pace. Take in the morning feed up with the farm’s four-legged residents, including Australia’s biggest horse, or opt for an in-room massage to rival any city spa. Bush walks are a-plenty, and a swim in the property’s river gum lined, freshwater creek, complete with natural rock pools should not be missed, nor should Barranca’s equine programme. This relaxing retreat is just the right amount of remote - cue blackout blinds as standard and the Yarrawa Estate vineyard nearby.
ADDRESS
408 Bunkers Hill Road
Kangaroo Valley
NSW 2577
Australia
-
This surreal new seafood restaurant in LA is the stuff of mermaid's dreamsAt Cento Raw Bar, delectable fare is complemented by playful, oceanic interiors by Brandon Miradi
-
What’s new in the wearable world of smart glasses, and extended and augmented realityAre you ready for AR? Meta, Google, Snap and more are gearing up to compete with Apple and deliver frames-based communications devices – complete with AI integration
-
Italian-Japanese fusion’s a joy at east London’s Osteria AngelinaA Victorian warehouse in Spitalfields has been given a slick modern makeover to house a unique Italian-Japanese restaurant
-
Wallpaper* checks in at The Grand National Hotel by Saint Peter: ‘a lush restaurant with rooms’In Sydney’s Paddington, chef Josh Niland opens the 14-bedroom luxury hotel alongside his pioneering restaurant
-
Book a brutalist one-room wonder Down Under, the Vipp Tunnel in TasmaniaThe Danish design brand's bookable showcases arrive in the southern hemisphere, thanks to the vision of Tasmanian architectural firm Room 11
-
Wallpaper* checks in at The Eve Hotel Sydney: a lush urban escapeA new Sydney hotel makes a bold and biophilic addition to a buzzing neighbourhood that’s on the up
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Lo Scoglio: an Australian vacation rental with regenerative principlesTucked away in Byron Bay’s hinterland, an Italian-style farmhouse presents a sustainable approach to luxury
-
Five influential women hoteliers reflect on the changing face of hospitalityAs women continue to gain ground in the hotel sector, despite still being underrepresented in senior positions, five female moguls share their experiences of the past and projections for the future
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Melbourne Place: ‘an alchemy of colour, texture and personality’Designed by Kennedy Nolan, Melbourne Place is the Australian city’s newest independent hotel, oozing creativity and urban energy
-
All aboard the world’s most luxurious train journeysStay on track with our pick of the most luxurious train journeys around the world, whether in 1920s-style opulence or contemporary chic
-
Six hotels where you’ll find the winter sun this FebruaryFrom intimate seaside inns to lush tropical resorts, here are six Wallpaper*-approved winter sun escapes
