Artists Retreat in Belgrave

My stay at Jacky Winter Gardens sparked very fond childhood memories and a welcomed sense of nostalgia that I eased into after a short 45 minute drive from the CBD.  Nestled away in the green temperate coverage of Belgrave, the humble sanctuary was the perfect setting to unwind into uninterrupted downtime.

We were welcomed into the guesthouse by the warm fireplace, kindly arranged by the hosts anticipating our arrival. One of the many thoughtful touches we encountered during our stay. Throughout the cabin we discovered a plethora of artworks from a range of artists, predominantly by The Jacky Winter Group, a creative agency based in Collingwood.  We consumed our time exploring the collection of art books, comics, novels and games. The host’s appreciation of local art was palpable, the house was built with an intention to curate new and interesting artworks with various paintings and sculptures adorning the walls and corners of the retreat.  This considered approach made our stay all the more inspiring to work on our respective creative endeavours; I was photographing and Sara was scrapbooking.  The most noteworthy quality of Jacky Winter Gardens was how it achieves a sense of seclusion with close proximity to the Belgrave community. This private retreat, tucked away at the bottom of an embankment by Clematis Creek, was filled with soundscapes of nature and the constant stream of water from its back doorstep. Intimately secret and conducive to creative stimulus.

When we weren’t rugged up in the guesthouse getting cosy on the couch, eating lots of wholesome food and taking advantage of the unbelievable bathtub, we explored the Dandenong Ranges. The forecast came with a combination of heavy and light showers. We layered up and took to visiting some of the many suggestions from our hosts, Rhododendron Gardens and R J Hamer Arboretum being the highlights for me. In Belgrave, we scoured through the local shops, I crossed paths with the local wizard Baba Desi who I remember fondly from my past, and enjoyed a yummy lunch at Earthly Pleasures in the sunshine that delightfully came through on our last day there. We followed this with a long walk around Birdsland Reserve before making our way back to the city.