Open Season House - Alpine Valley Escape

The white house with the picket fence and the red roof was once the Wandiligong post office, and today it’s where you can experience the best of northeast Victoria. Open Season House has been designed to offer the ideal cosy retreat for couples and a base for adventuring families.

Two bedrooms feature queen beds while the third bedroom has king single bunk beds – all with luxurious linen. The spacious bathroom features a wet-room rain shower and a deep bath nestled under a picture window overlooking the valley.

The 1886 house has been meticulously restored and renovated with every modern comfort, including fast wi-fi, a Nespresso coffee machine, a smart TV and a full kitchen and laundry.

If you’d rather switch off, Open Season House also delivers with an oversized couch and a daybed for lazy afternoons as the electric fireplace crackles.

In the warmer months, the rear deck is yours to take in views of the hills of Wandiligong from outdoor lounges while kids run barefoot on the grass in the safety of a fully-fenced outdoor space. Rambling gardens surround the house with lawns for a picnic, game of bocce or long lunch under the chestnut tree.

While the house was transformed for contemporary guests, every care was taken to preserve the spirit of the original building. The grand entrance hall, where former post and bank customers would have conducted their business, is now a welcoming space to hang coats, remove shoes and feel at home. Elsewhere you’ll find traditional expansive passageways with naturally aged black timber floorboards, soaring ceilings, and of course the high roof in original post office red.

About the area

Wandiligong is where northeast Victoria adventure beckons among lush forests, apple orchards, bubbling creeks and bike trails. From here, it’s only a short walk to the famous Wandi pub, or jump onto the Bright to Wandiligong Rail Trail at the edge of the property. If you bring your bikes, you can store them in a former potting shed.

The gateway to Victoria’s best ski resorts at Mount Hotham and Falls Creek. And for food and wine buffs, there are plenty of gourmet driving tours winding through picturesque Buckland Valley, King Valley, Milawa regions, Beechworth and Rutherglen.

About Wandiligong

Wandiligong is a small hamlet in a tranquil valley set against a dramatic backdrop of mountains and forests in every direction. The entire township is registered with the National Trust as a classified landscape.

Wandiligong was once a bustling gold mining town in the 1800s. There are many remnants of the gold mining era, such as the Diggings and Chinese Swing Bridge, you can visit today. With the decline in mining, agriculturalists began planting nuts, apples, tobacco and hops.

Many historical buildings stand to tell the tales of times gone by – the former butcher, Bennett’s Store and the old post office where you’ll be staying.

Ride to Nightingale Brothers, the largest apple orchard in the southern hemisphere, where you can enjoy a cider and fill a basket with apples. The kitchen at Open Season House is yours to bake a delicious apple crumble when you return.

History of the House

The building was originally constructed as a new post office for the town in 1886. The postmistress at this time was Mary A. Nelson, and telegraph and savings bank facilities were soon installed.

Percy Gribble was the telegraph messenger boy at this time. He later rose through the ranks to become Superintendent of Telegraphs in the Post Master General’s Department.

The Post Office building was sold in 1976, with the town’s postal services moving to Bennett’s Store across the road. The property then became a private residence.