Nestled on the banks of the Little River, just 90 minutes from Melbourne, Kingbilli is a simple world designed with families in mind.
A wombat may greet you as you turn between stone wings at the entrance to the long curving driveway; llamas and ponies graze contentedly … primitive Azawakh yodel to announce your arrival … and your children rush off to cuddle the nearest new furry friend … and slowly the pressures of urban life will begin to slip away.
First opened to the public in 1985, Kingbilli’s enchanting cottages, built of bluestone, timber and slate, emphasise the value of old-world pleasures. Set in naturally beautiful surroundings, overflowing with native birds and graced by regular visits from bandicoots, possums, goshawks and the odd passing pony; they soon became a favoured destination for young families seeking to exchange their often too hectic schedules with the slower, gentler pace of Australian country life.
Today, only one of Kingbilli’s three cottages is available to guests: The Studio. This means visitors are especially spoiled, being assured of exclusive use of everything the property has to offer! Your only neighbours are our own small family (complete with said yodelling Azawakh), and our live-in gardeners … whilst the rest of the human race feels far away.
Your children can run free, without fear of strangers, traffic or ever having to wait their turn. Whilst as parents, you may be as private or as outgoing as you please. On-site activities for visitors are slow-paced and simple - wildlife spotting, llama and pony cuddles, rowing a boat, passing the time in our cute little playground or peddling our kids’ bike track … or just sitting back and listening to peacocks warble. Those seeking more adventurous pursuits will find a wealth of local tourism hotspots.
Our aim is to provide our guests with the comforts of their own little holiday farmhouse – with none of the responsibilities!
The Studio
Tucked into the elbow of the creek, The Studio can accommodate 2 adults and up to 4 children. Soft leather furnishings encircle a wood fire, beneath graceful curved ceilings of warmly glowing timber. The hand-made country kitchen is fully-equipped, promising to fulfil any culinary fancy, and there is also a gas BBQ on the verandah.
Two separate bedrooms of solid stone ensure a cosy nights’ sleep for everyone in the family: the main bedroom has a queen-sized bed, whilst the children’s room has two sets of bunks.
WiFi is free and unlimited, and the SmartTV provides access to your favourite streaming services.
Outdoors, the Studio’s rustic gardens meld seamlessly into the surrounding bush. Just footsteps from the verandah, a private walkbridge leads to the Studio’s own island garden, bordered by a series of frog-filled ponds and the softly flowing waters of Sterling Creek. Here, a tiny gazebo offers the perfect place to read a paper, sip a cup of coffee and listen to the laughter coming from your children in the nearby playground, catch sight of a wallaby stopping by the creek for a drink.
Meanwhile, the most timid of all Australian mammals, the Platypus, moves regularly along The Studio’s stretch of the creek… and some guests are rewarded with the sight of him paddling contentedly, feasting on yabbies and tadpoles.
You’ll find more photographs of inside the The Studio here, and there’s a list of everything supplied to guests here.
Our prices work on a package basis, and our minimum stay is 2 nights. Click here for a full list of packages. Also, please note, we do not take bookings during the months of July and August.
Your Neighbours
Closest to the Studio is Ballards, our tiniest cottage, occupied by our live-in groundskeeper couple, who help us maintain our gardens in exchange for their cute, mews-style home built just for two.
Lit softly by leadlight windows and warmed by a brass-canopied fire, it was converted from our original stable block, and retains the gorgeous heavy timber doors along its long, low verandah.
On the other side of the gardens is Kingbilli’s first Cottage. Built in 1980, its old-fashioned casement windows have watched the Beach family toil and triumph through all life’s ups and downs. Initially home to Ginny, Michael and baby Georgina whilst the Homestead was built, it was let to guests for many years, before being reclaimed by said “baby” of the family, 30 years on, as her first home, with her husband, Simon and their young son Daniel.
Its soaring timber ceilings and quirky country furnishings comfortably accommodate its two- and four-legged residents alike, whilst the sunny loft bedroom and balcony offer panoramic views across the paddocks to the ranges beyond.
All in all… the resulting picture at Kingbilli is one of old-fashioned rural harmony. Some may find it takes more than a few days for the slow, seamless pace of country life to impose itself upon their psyche. Others might simply let the beauty of the landscape overtake them … stopping to meditate on the cool evening breeze as the sun sets over the ranges … or the filament-like reflections of trees and rushes on the still surface of a dam.
In these moments, the memory of constant motion in the outside world disappears.