Wanting to make the most of the long weekend and celebrate my partner's birthday weekend, we packed the car and treated ourselves to an adventure-packed stay at the Sanctuary Yurt in Nambucca Heads. It was about five-and-a-half hours from Sydney, and after an early start to beat the traffic, we took a detour to stretch our legs in Goolwah National Park.

We ran around the dog-friendly beach and scrambled up some headlands looking for great viewpoints and rock pools. We ticked both off the list but decided against jumping in, with the swell being a little too large for our liking.

As the sun was setting, our host, Kamala, greeted us at the yurt. She showed us a bath that we couldn't say no to, and cut firewood ready in the pit for us to light – the perfect end to a full day before a cold winter's night.

The next morning, we woke up a little before sunrise to make the most of the quick access to the beach through the backyard. Only a five-minute walk through peaceful mangroves and some greenery, we arrived at South Valla Beach with the glow of the sun illuminating the sand and sea spray.

After cooking breakfast in the outdoor kitchen, we set off to Boambee Beach for my partner's present – a beach and lagoon horse ride courtesy of HWH stables. My beginner's butt was sore after three-and-a-half hours of riding, but it was worth every minute. We learned how to ride and came away with a unique experience, then ended the day with an incredibly relaxing sound healing session thanks to Kamala and her singing bowls.

We took things slow on the last morning, relaxing and soaking in the morning rays from inside the yurt before making our way back home. With a quick stop for a surf at Scotts Head, of course.