Stacey B & Me Among The Trees

Deep in the Otways, nestled amongst the stringybark and eucalyptus trees, Stacey B & Me found our little slice of forest magic at Koala Cottage. An open-plan cabin with a wood fire, wood-fired cooktop and oven, one cosy bedroom and a little bungalow out the back with two single beds. Simple, natural and completely at home amongst the forest.

Also, shout out to the delightful shower pressure! You beauty!

Stace arrived late on our first night, so I lit 56 tea candles, pulled out the prettiest bowls and kitchenware I could find and cooked her a candlelit lamb korma with naan bread straight from the wood fire. We ate, drank, laughed our tits off and caught up until our bellies were full and our cheeks hurt. The next morning was slow. Bagels and coffee in bed turned into brainstorming Stace’s new business idea, which naturally became four more ideas. Because are you even friends if you haven’t planned at least one food truck idea together?

Stace is one of those humans who makes everything more fun. Beautiful inside and out, my friend Stacey B is outrageously talented! She inspires me in so many ways. We spent some time meditating and doing yoga on the mossy forest floor just outside our front door, listening to the eucalyptus leaves rustle and whisper above us while the trees swayed gently in the breeze. With one eye open, I was certainly keeping one eye open for any unexpected drop bears! Ha!

We followed our hearts into the forest in search of koalas and birds that afternoon, backed up with a feast around the campfire and cooking up some cheese on the open fire.

Stace created an oversized platter that became our girl dinner, while I somehow ended up shaking out a giant blood-sucking leech from my beanie! Forget the drop bears. Watch out for the life-sucking little buggers! A bit like some of my ex-boyfriends, really, and what’s a girl to do but play on? Stace played nurse in charge while we carried on with some painting and campfire banter.

The next morning, the cottage smelt of cinnamon and baked apples from freshly baked crumble Stace had just whipped up like some magician. We sat outside on our verandah watching the local bird life come in for a feed too.

After a later checkout, Stace hit the road, Jac, while I stayed a little longer. And then, as if the Otways wanted to send me home with one final gift, I spotted a koala and her baby.

I sat quietly and watched them, thinking about how wildly unpredictable life can be. I mean, that’s the beauty of it, right? By the time I left, I realised the best part of the weekend had never been the plans we thought we were making. It was the friendship that filled the space and our hearts. Stace and I didn’t need much to make it special. Just a forest, a fire and a heart-prepped platter laced with plenty of laughter. It’s the kind of friendship that makes even the unexpected moments feel like you are exactly where you’re meant to be.