With six of us packed into two cars, we snaked our way along the highway with the relief of a workweek over, and the excitement brought only by an out-of-town weekender with great pals. Quaint mountain towns became expansive paddocks, with herds of sheep and the occasional alpaca spotted as we convoyed to our destination — Wilga Station.

Just three hours from Sydney, and only 12 minutes from Bathurst, the shearer’s-shed turned boutique accommodation is the stay you’re after when looking for a slower pace and some switched-off good times. The home is a true ode to the stunning property it sits on — a working sheep farm — with original machinery adorning the corrugated walls and sheep ramps still underfoot (under glass, too). However rustic and charming, ‘rustic charm’ doesn’t do the space justice — there are luxe finishings, rolling hills visible from nearly every window and the softest of sheets on all the beds. To say the least, we were all stoked.

After a lengthy sleep-in, a strong coffee on the sun-soaked balcony and a brekkie BBQ, we packed snacks and beer and went exploring. Down the walking path, we wandered through the paddocks and along the creek to the fire pit. In the clean, crisp air, we took an icy dip before passing a bag of chippies around as we warmed our bodies in front of the flames. We then head back home for a night of board games and vino in front of the fireplace, before rugging up to sit on the deck and flex our star-gazing muscles.

Adding joy to an already joyous trip, we were greeted in the morning by the herd of resident sheep. Laying in bed and seeing their woolly bodies huddled together as the day broke was a highlight — a memory that’s going straight to the pool room. A stop in Bathurst to refuel — as well as a stroll along the main street of Leura — and we’re all back on the road to Sydney, content with a weekend well spent.