A Place to Wonder: Creative Escapes at Wondervale in the Southern Highlands

by Brooke Hill.

When did you last have a chance to really wonder?

Not wonder what’s for dinner. Or whether you replied to that email. I mean the kind of wondering that happens when you have enough space to let your mind wander somewhere unexpected.

I’ve been thinking about wonder for years.

As children, it seems to come naturally. We turn cardboard boxes into castles. We ask endless questions. We climb trees simply to see what the world looks like from up there.

Then somewhere along the way, life gets fuller. Work. Lists. Notifications. Places to be and things to finish. Wonder gets squeezed out.

I’ve come to think of wonder as a combination of awe, curiosity and optimism. Awe gives us a different perspective. Curiosity makes us question what we know. Optimism gives us the sense that something else might be possible.

And I think we need to nourish it.

For me, one of the places that has always made that easier is a little place in a tiny village in the Southern Highlands. The place is called Wondervale, and the village is called Burrawang.

The place where I found wonder

I first stumbled across Burrawang on a weekend away with my then-boyfriend. We fell in love with it almost immediately.

There was something about the grassy hills, crisp Highlands air and the way the seasons changed so dramatically. Spring brought blossoms. Autumn turned the village red and orange. Winter was crisp, misty and made for fires. It felt a little like stepping into a fairytale.

We kept coming back. Eventually, we were married at the Burrawang pub, bought a home in the village and raised our family there.

Some of my favourite memories are wonderfully ordinary: making a tiny fairy door for the cherry tree with my kids, starting a street library out the front, sitting by the fire with a peppermint tea.

When life eventually took us back to the city, we couldn’t quite let the house – or Burrawang – go.

So we opened it up to others.

Wonder Retreats is an invitation to slow down and wonder

Today, that home is Wondervale, a light-filled three-bedroom retreat in the heart of Burrawang.

And we’ve recently created Wonder Retreats: self-guided stays designed to give people something most of us don’t get enough of – time, space and permission to slow down.

There’s no packed itinerary and no pressure to come away with a grand revelation.

Instead, you’ll arrive to a thoughtfully curated hamper designed to ease you into a slower rhythm: a beautiful journal, wonder prompt cards, self-care treats, wine and artisan chocolate, plus a guide to some of the “Gentle Wonders” you can experience during your stay.

From there, the time is yours.

Unpack properly. Start the fire. Pour a glass of wine or make a pot of tea. Curl up with a book, or open your journal and pull on whatever thread is circling your mind.

Wake up and walk through the village. Have a long lunch. Sit beneath the cherry tree. Notice the birdlife.

Write, think or create if inspiration finds you.

Do absolutely nothing if it doesn’t.

The important thing is you’ve had time and space to wonder.

A wonderful time to visit

It also happens to be an exciting moment for the Southern Highlands. Bowral has recently been recognised as one of Australia’s standout country towns, and new food and farm destinations are drawing people to the region – for example, you might’ve read about the Three Blue Ducks’ new venue at Burradoo Park Farm.

But one of my favourite things about Burrawang is that, despite everything happening around it, the village still invites you to slow down and wonder.

That’s what I hope people find at Wondervale.

Learn more about Wondervale and the Wonder Retreats here.