The Little Forest Hideaway

As the road wound deeper into the Dandenong Ranges, the trees grew taller and the world outside the car seemed to disappear. The Poplars appeared amongst the greenery — a little cottage surrounded by paddocks, with horses wandering freely, a creek flowing below and a deck looking out into the trees. It felt instantly removed from everyday life, like we'd stumbled across our own little corner of the forest.

We spent the afternoon wandering around the property, taking in the scenery and settling into the cottage before gathering around the firepit as the light faded. We roasted marshmallows, poured glasses of wine and talked long into the evening, with the fire crackling beside us and the trees disappearing into the darkness.

The next morning, kookaburras woke us. Wildlife moved around the grounds as we took our coffee onto the deck, lingering in the cool morning air before heading out for the day.

We wound our way through the Dandenong Ranges, stopping at Lysterfield Lake before crossing Cockatoo Trestle Bridge. We discovered the wonderfully unexpected Porcupine Music Store & Coffee Shop, wandered through the lush greenery surrounding Olinda Falls and finished the afternoon with a late lunch at Pig & Whistle Tavern.

Back at the cottage, we played games and settled in front of the fire. There was something lovely about having nowhere else to be — just time to laugh, talk and enjoy each other's company without distraction.

The Poplars reminded us that sometimes the best escapes aren't about packing in as much as possible, but about slowing down enough to notice everything around you. We left feeling grounded, refreshed and a little reluctant to return to everyday life.