A Forest Escape an Hour from Melbourne: Fernglen Forest Retreat, Mount Dandenong

By Renee, owner of Fernglen Forest Retreat

Tall mountain ash, tree ferns and a running stream. Seven acres of quiet forest in Mount Dandenong, about an hour from Melbourne. This is Fernglen Forest Retreat.

My name is Renee, and I look after the retreat. The drive up the mountain is part of the escape: by the time you turn into our gravel drive and the forest closes around you, the city feels much further than an hour away.

Lovely earthy forest cottages

Our cottages are lovely earthy forest cottages - warm, comfortable and full of character. Most are freestanding and tucked away among the trees, so you feel like you have the forest to yourself. Every cottage has a slow-combustion wood heater, and there is nothing better than arriving on a cool mountain evening, lighting the fire and listening to the forest settle in for the night. All but one of the cottages have full kitchens, so you can cook a proper meal with produce from the hills. Klara's Romantic Studio has a kitchenette instead, which suits couples who would rather wander up to the village for dinner.

For a soak after a day of walking, Spa Cottage and Klara's Romantic Studio each have a spa bath. Jacuzzi Lodge has its own eight-person outdoor jacuzzi under the trees, which Grand Lodge guests are also welcome to use. We also have a shared dry sauna that guests can book by time slot, so it is private while you are in it.

What a stay looks like

Mornings here start with birdsong. There are lovely walking trails nearby, and the villages of the Dandenong Ranges, with their tea rooms, nurseries and gardens, are only minutes away. A slow breakfast, a walk, a nap by the fire, an evening in the jacuzzi under the stars - that is exactly what the forest is for.

Who stays with us

The retreat suits couples after a quiet weekend, family reunions, quiet birthdays and corporate retreats, and we welcome small, intimate weddings and elopements in the forest. Pets are welcome too, by arrangement. We do not host parties - that is what keeps it peaceful for everyone.

Book direct

Book direct on our website, fernglenforestretreat.com.au, for our best rates. Come and see the forest for yourself.