Gazing up at a clear sky from the warmth of an outdoor tub, I watched the birds fly home to their nests for the night as the surrounding vineyard-covered hills turned golden before me. The birds’ evening calls and the peacefulness that arrived with dusk had me reflecting on our own need to nest - and in nesting and resting, come home to ourselves.

Settled into the side of a hill overlooking the Paringa Valley, Zendigo - a mindfully designed, off-grid tiny home — offered the perfect space for rest and reconnection with myself, as well as an ideal base for exploring the beautiful Bunurong Country that surrounds. I lazed about the tiny home, sleeping the next morning away between divine linen sheets in the upstairs loft and slowly sipping coffee in front of the tiny-yet-mighty indoor wood fire.

As my energy levels returned, I wandered the farmland, collected pinecones for the fire, and took the opportunity to lie down in the lush green grass to absorb the day’s divine afternoon sun. Imagining shapes and stories in the clouds that passed overhead, I felt myself truly land upon the earth beneath me - and from here, I felt ready to explore further.

Winding my way through the picturesque bushland roads of Red Hill, I found local providores, a myriad of wineries, and the famous Johnny Ripe apple pies at Mock. Paired with the most incredible mulled cider, I leaned into the idea of treating myself - if rest alone had not been a treat enough! After a wander to the coastline for some compulsory peninsula sand between my toes, I retreated back to the tiny. As the stars came into view, I drifted into another blissful night’s sleep.

Waking to birdsong, I took my solo escape up a notch with a morning spent bathing at the hot springs. Leaving Zendigo, I rounded out my weekend feeling a whole lot lighter than when I’d arrived - a feeling every mama deserves to know now and then.