Ever wondered what it would feel like to press stop on the world for a little while? Just you, lover, a vintage rail carriage, and the kind of steady moments you wish you could bottle up forever. Somewhere between the vineyard sunsets, spa baths, and cheeky cuppas in bed, we found exactly that.

Just 2.5 hours from Melbourne, we arrived at our railway carriage escape near Echuca. All aboard, baby! We were warmly greeted by the host before stepping aboard the carriage, a place so thoughtfully restored it felt like it had been rebuilt entirely with heart. Original features still remained throughout the abode, including a fold down sink, leather carriage chairs, and old seating numbers that whispered stories from another time. Each bedroom was fitted with those old school pull down string lights, a queen bed, and split system heating and cooling for comfort. Cozy, charming, and outrageously inviting in every way.

As you entered the first carriage, the lounge room welcomed us with a vintage couch, TV, and beautiful pressed tin ceilings. Flowing through was the kitchen, featuring a long dining table and everything you could possibly need, including little luxuries like a coffee machine and a welcome breakfast hamper as part of our stay. At the very front of the carriage sat a little sunroom overlooking the vineyard and a small pond nearby. This quickly became our morning breakfast spot as sunlight danced through the windows each day. The absolute highlight though, and the space we indulged in very quickly, was the spa bath. Our evenings were spent there with all the jets firing, hot steam rising around us as the sun disappeared behind the grapevines wrapped around the carriage.

Lover M cooked a scrumptious dinner that night and I tell ya what, it was the second greatest thing I had in my mouth that day. Following very closely behind was the carriage wine! That evening we cozied into each other on the couch, picking out a DVD from the collection tucked beneath the TV. Simple pleasures really are the best kind.

The next morning I slept in, cocooned in fresh linen with sunlight peeking through the carriage windows. I was warmly welcomed with a cuppa tea and I tell ya what, a girl could get used to this kind of treatment! After breakfast in the sunroom, we set off for a bike ride around the property. My little legs only just reached the pedals and let’s just say stopping and hopping off the bike was not my finest graceful moment. Ha!

That afternoon we created a picnic just outside our vintage abode. It felt nice to stop for a moment. I found myself wondering if the train carriage ever felt this kind of peaceful too, now that it had finally come to a halt. Another spa bath happened that evening just as the fairy floss pink sky rolled in and we turned up the heat.

On our final morning aboard, I made us breakfast: fresh fruit loaf loaded with extra melted butter. Truly, is there anything more comforting than the smell of fresh bread in the morning? We left the train carriage that day feeling refreshed and rested, slowly drifting into the nearby town of Echuca where we spent the morning wandering the streets, soaking up the charm and not quite ready to leave the magic we’d made behind.