Simple Pleasures Are Best

With a loaded car, we pointed south towards the small town of Hernani, following what felt like a treasure map of sorts that had been sent to us by the host a few days before our departure.

Already feeling like an adventure, we slowly navigated the detailed instructions which had us opening gates, traversing dry creek beds and looking out for trees to follow.  The cows didn’t seem to worry too much as we slowly crept by until we reached the humble little hut nestled amongst the bush and rolling fields.

The moment we stepped out of the car it felt as if time had slowed down. The open space was a breath of fresh air and it didn’t take long for our one year old to feel at home. She was so excited that she advanced from barely being able to walk to almost running within minutes. The hut has a beautiful simplicity about it, one that oozes home and instantly allows you to feel at ease. There is nothing fancy about it by any means, but that is what makes it so special. It has everything you need to be comfortable and nothing more to be a distraction.

Perfectly positioned between several National Parks we spent the days exploring Guy Fawkes National Park, Ebor, New England National Park and Dorrigo which are all within an hour’s drive and are all definitely worth checking out. Having our own little private hut to go back to in the afternoons though was amazing. It was so nice to spend some quality time together as a family, by the fire eating good food and drinking wine and staring at the stars. The mornings were our favourite, though. Taking things nice and slow as the sun slowly filled the rooms with golden light, and the smell of coffee and bacon and eggs filled our noses. Sometimes, simple pleasures are best.

Hernani Hut is a magical little wilderness getaway surrounded by working cattle fields and bushland and perfectly positioned between some amazing National Parks. The Eco-Hut is built out of all reclaimed materials and utilises solar power, a slow combustion fireplace, rain water and indoor-outdoor living options to take advantage of the stunning daytime vistas and sparkling night skies. The hut consists of everything you need to be comfortable.
...

Things We Did

  • Waterfall
  • Forest
  • Lookout
  • Photo 1 for undefined
  • Photo 2 for undefined
    One of the days was a little wet, so we decided to cruise out towards Dorrigo which is a beautiful drive (around 40 minutes) through rolling lush farmlands. Dangar falls is a beautiful waterfall with an easy 20 minute walk in. The town of Dorrigo is fantastic too and a great place to stop for lunch....
    • Photo 1 for undefined
    • Photo 2 for undefined
      Entering this park via a back road, our journey took us through a diverse range of landscapes; from lush rainforests to high altitude granite rock landscapes littered with prehistoric grass trees. A beautiful park, but also one that is very large so take a map and bring plenty of supplies!...
      About 30 minutes from the hut, the New England National park is one not to be missed. It's home to World Heritage Gondwana rainforest and boasts magnificent views and fantastic walking trails. Reaching the top there is a 180-degree viewpoint that would be incredible to watch the sunrise/sunset from and some of the walks are magical....

      Our Adventure Map

      Where we stayed
      Things we did

      We've plotted our adventure on the map below. Select the map icons to discover more details.


      Share The Love

      Add this story to your bucket list or gift it to someone you think deserves it!

      Gift this

      Book Our Adventure

      Book through this story to receive our itinerary and extra tips to help you live your adventure to the fullest.

      What are Riparide Stories?

      Riparide Stories are authentic experiences shared by real travelers (who are handy with a camera). It's like reading your best friend's travel journal - packed with photos, honest reviews and visual itineraries.