Review: Allenvale Cottages Lorne | Australian Traveller

Two hours from Melbourne, three minutes from Lorne and a million miles from anywhere – this little hideaway is lovely and rustic (but not too rustic), says Susan Gough Henly, perfect for a winter retreat

Australians do beach holidays better than just about anywhere. Pity, then, that so many of our beach houses are either of the dreary-and-dumpy bungalow variety, or made of steel and glass, with as much character as insurance offices. As a stylish, low-key alternative, the cottages at Allenvale combine the best of the beach and the bush in a bucolic valley behind Lorne along Victoria’s Great Ocean Road.

Not knowing quite what to expect, I arrive in Lorne with my husband and our two teenage daughters in the middle of the madness that is school holidays. The main street is clogged with cars, the campground is chockers, surfers are jammed into milk bars, and couples wrangle prams along crowded footpaths.

We drive over the hill and let out a collective sigh. Encircled by the Great Otway National Way, Allenvale’s 50 acres greet us by way of a rustic sign and bank of agapanthus and hydrangeas. A flock of ducks waddles across the path from Henderson Creek. Let the beach holiday begin.

The historic property was established by the Allen family back in 1872 as a dairy and orchard farm and supplied the guesthouses in Lorne long before the Great Ocean Road was built post-World War I. Two out of the four cottages, ‘Kero’ and ‘Rose’, are original buildings dating back to the period when the Allens leased some of their land to a logging mill that provided housing for its workers.

Allenvale’s current owners, Jenny and Quentin Young, who made a sea change to Lorne 30 years ago, built the other two (‘Gables’ and ‘Riverbank’), using recycled timbers in order to maintain a resemblance. They live in a lovely home down another dirt road on the property.

I am instantly transported to summers spent in The Hamptons, where we used to rent a 17th-century cobbler’s cottage surrounded by gardens, only a short ride to the beach. Allenvale embodies the same shabby chic aesthetic – its furniture and collectibles are similar to what we would find in the yard sales at the mansions dotting the former potato fields.

We stay in Gables, which is partially screened by a garden of cosmos, roses and artichoke flowers. Its spacious wood-ceilinged living room has polished floors, a wood stove, comfy couches with piles of pillows, candles affixed to wooden spools atop a rustic dining table, a sideboard filled with art and garden books, and a flat-screen television and DVD player on an antique chest. The style is a dash of Francophile with not a touch of twee anywhere. Bowls of fresh country flowers add a welcoming touch.

The two bedrooms are set on opposite sides of the house, one with a queen-size bed and the other with two single beds that can be joined to form a king. Each has a cupboard evocatively painted with Porter’s Milk Wash that gives a chalky well-worn look. A bright country kitchen, with all the essentials for a self-contained holiday, has a kitchen table and pretty dresser decked out with white crockery and piles of magazines. There is just one bathroom, with a shower inside a full-size bathtub, plus a separate toilet and a washer and dryer. A recycled rustic front door opens onto the front porch that catches the morning sun.

A couple of red and green parrots join us for nibbles as we barbecue on the electric grill on the spacious back deck, which sports a huge picnic table and a wicker basket filled with firewood. Koalas growl in the manna gums and a large Eastern grey kangaroo grazes nearby. The bush is just a shuttlecock toss away; eucalypts and grass trees grow on the hillside; ferns and ivy grow closer to the gully where the St George River meanders into the Great Otway National Park.

The next morning we wake to the crowing of a rooster and take out some deck chairs to enjoy our coffee on the lawn in the sunshine.

After breakfast, we hike to Phantom Falls along a track above the St George River, which takes us through Allenvale’s organic orchard of apple, pear, peach, plum and quince trees. Hikes like this are particularly popular during winter sojourns at Allenvale. The days pass dreamily with walks along the beach, berry picking at nearby Gentle Annie’s farm, and forays into Lorne for supplies.

The nights are cool and we snuggle in front of the woodstove poring through the cottage’s gorgeous books before falling asleep to the exquisite luxury of pure sweet silence.

The Details

The verdict: Allenvale is a gem tucked-away over the hill from Lorne’s busy beachfront strip. It appeals to families seeking a low-key country retreat with plenty of outdoor space as well as pre-codgers with a love of Euro-tinged country charm. Meursault-style on a chardy budget.

The score: 15/20; great

We rated: Allenvale’s understated rustic cottages and bucolic setting brimming with wildlife. It felt like an old friends’ unpretentious country house with interesting furniture and books.

We hated: While the toiletries were delightful, the towels could have been fluffier.

Where: 150 Allenvale Road, Lorne, Victoria – a three-minute drive from the beachfront.

Notes: From $215 per night per cottage with a two-night minimum.

Contact: 03 5289 1450; allenvale.com.au

The AT scoring system: Our review scores are based on a series of points, awarded across a number of categories including service, amenities, design, location, value, food and beverage offerings, and that elusive wow factor. 19-20 exceptional; 17-18 excellent; 15-16 great; 13-14 good; 11-12 satisfactory.

Beyond the winding bitumen and coastal views lies another side to Victoria’s most famous route.

There’s something hypnotic about this stretch of Victoria’s coast. Maybe it’s the way the road hugs the ocean so tightly, or how the cliffs catch the sun in colours you can’t name. Or, for local Victorians who drove this route as kids, maybe it’s the memories of winding through the impossibly tall trees as they seemingly guide you on your journey like wooden guardian angels. Most travellers know it for the 12 Apostles, but there are plenty of alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road equally as worthy of your time.

So, next time you’re in that neck of the woods, park that car, stretch those legs and try these experiences.

1. Discover living culture at Budj Bim

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism — Walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Breakaway Creek’s Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is a masterclass in educational storytelling. Join a guided tour with Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism to walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system, where the Gunditjmara people built sophisticated eel traps and stone channels more than 6,000 years ago.

Budj Bim’s aquaculture system predates Egypt’s pyramids by roughly 2,000 years, making it one of the oldest examples of human engineering on Earth. If that’s not enough to get your history-loving family members involved in this road trip, we’re out of ideas.

2. Unwind in the hot springs at Warnambool

woman relaxing at Deep Blue Hot Springs — Let mineral-rich water heal you.

If your legs need a break after a long drive, Deep Blue Hot Springs is your remedy. The geothermal pools sit just metres from the coastline, filled with mineral-rich water that bubbles up from deep underground. Move between open-air baths, waterfall pools and quiet zones made for meditation.

The water in Deep Blue’s geothermal pools comes from an ancient aquifer nearly 850 metres below the Earth’s surface, which, in non-scientific terms, means it’s far more likely to have healing properties than the mineral water you’d find at the supermarket.

3. Take to the air at Princetown

12 Apostles Helicopters flight alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road — See an icon from a different view.

You may have seen the Twelve Apostles from the trusty viewing platform, but a helicopter flight with 12 Apostles Helicopters shows you just how sprawling and rugged this coastline really is.

The trip covers everything from Port Campbell to London Bridge (not to be confused with the UK’s own), giving you a rare chance to watch waves carving the limestone cliffs from above. It’s worth noting that the limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles are said to erode by roughly two centimetres each year, so the longer you leave it, the less of the Apostles you’ll see.

4. Step into the past at Flagstaff Hill

Continue the tour through Warnambool at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village and Museum , a recreated 19th-century port town. Hear stories from the days when shipwrecks were as common as seagulls, with an astounding 180 ships believed to have sunk along the Shipwreck Coast in less than five years.

The night show, complete with lights, sound, and sea spray, brings the coastline’s most dramatic stories to life.

If you’re staying the night, Simon’s Waterfront offers relaxed dining with fresh local seafood and oceanfront views. Order the catch of the day and toast to the sailors who never made it ashore.

5. Learn to surf in Torquay, Lorne, or Anglesea

kid having a lesson with Go Ride A Wave — Learn how to hang 10. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Whether you’ve surfed before or can barely stand on a board, Go Ride A Wave will have you upright in no time. Torquay’s calm beaches are ideal for first-timers, while Lorne and Anglesea bring a bit more energy for those unafraid to get dunked.

Bells Beach, just down the road from Torquay, has even hosted the world’s longest-running professional surfing competition since 1962. So, for those eager to have a gander at pros using surfboards like they’re an additional appendage, the competition usually runs sometime in autumn.

6. Tackle the trails in Forrest

Barwon Flow Trails Otways Flow MTB — Hire a bike and explore MTB trails through the Otways.

Forrest is a haven for mountain bikers thanks to an expansive network of trails through stunning natural scenery. The Forrest trail network has almost 100 kilometres of singletrack across 36 trails, so there’s something for every level of rider. That’s including more than 60 kilometres of purpose-built mountain bike trails winding through the Otways’ dense forest. Cycle through ancient myrtle beech trees and towering tree ferns, with smaller ferns and soft mosses forming a carpet at your feet.

Hire a bike from Forrest MTB Hire and take your pick from easy, scenic rides to more challenging singletracks, such as Red Carpet or Rollercoaster.

7. See wildlife up close in Apollo Bay

bush rat on Wildlife Wonders tour — Get help spotting the locals. (Image: Doug Gimsey)

If spotting koalas and kangaroos in the wild feels like winning the lottery, Wildlife Wonders gives you guaranteed sightings without cages or crowds. Every visit to the sanctuary helps fund the Conservation Ecology Centre which supports endangered species across the Otways, so your business is appreciated by humans and animals alike.

The guided walk takes you through protected Otways habitat where you might spot potoroos (or joey lookalikes for those unfamiliar with a potoroo), wallabies, and sleepy koalas lounging in the trees.

8. Visit the Cape Otway Lightstation

Towering over the sea on a cliff above the Southern Ocean, Cape Otway Lightstation has been guiding ships since 1848. Before the lighthouse was built, Cape Otway was one of the most treacherous points on the Victorian coast, with dozens of shipwrecks occurring in its surrounding waters. Pick the right day, and you may bump into a local willing to tell you about the wreck of Eric the Red .

While at the Cape Otway Lightstation, explore the keeper’s quarters, walk the coastal trails, and take in views that only stop short at the horizon.

And no, contrary to popular belief, the Round the Twist lighthouse is actually located in Split Point, just shy of two hours in the direction of Melbourne. Nothing’s stopping you from embarking on a lighthouse crawl, though.

Plan your next no-stone-unturned journey along this iconic Aussie road at visitgreatoceanroad.org.au.

Review: Allenvale Cottages in Lorne offer Euro-tinged country style