It is a working farm – there are always growers and gardeners around, often the beekeeper or viticulturalist. And then there are the bakers. After a quick ‘early riser’ coffee, you might be lured out on a morning walk by the birdsong and the mist lying in the gullies, but you’ll be spurred on by the smell of fresh bread and pastries baking. Make sure to stop by for a chat in the Bake House.

Through the formal gardens and the olive groves and onto the vegetable and herb gardens where the morning’s harvest will be in progress – destined for the tables at the Lake House Restaurant. Walk down the Manchurian Pear walk to the dam and stop for a few moments of silence – you may be rewarded, with the sight of a mother kangaroo and her joey, a water bird fishing and certainly the sound of many happy frogs.

By now the Lodge Concierge will be grinding fresh coffee beans in the kitchen and the house and its residents will be stirring in readiness for the country breakfast that awaits. Conversation flows and people make arrangements for their day. In the library, or peace and quiet somewhere in the extensive gardens with a good book; more strolls through the vineyard and across the pastures; or some local off-site adventures on foot or on one of our electric bikes. Pretty Leitches Creek Mineral Spring, Daylesford Cidery, and Passing Clouds Winery, down local country lanes, are all but minutes away.

The latter two both offer delicious tipples and relaxed casual lunch options. No need for your car. And then there’s nearby Istra as well, where you can fill your basket with local ham, salami, prosciutto or in season Musk Berry Farm. Bring it back to Dairy Flat Farm, cut up a loaf of our fresh sourdough and enjoy in the sunshine with a glass of wine. All that exercise and fresh air might require an afternoon nap – possibly interrupted by the jangle of the drinks cart as aperitivo hour expands the variety of libations available in the honour bar.

The Lodge at Dairy Flat is serviced by the award winning team from the iconic Lake House Hotel, Daylesford, just a few minutes down the road. The resident concierge coordinates all details of your stay including activities, services and meals.

A farm style country breakfast is cooked daily from the Lodge Kitchen, pastries and sourdough are collected from the bake house and fresh farm vegetables and herbs are delivered from the Farm team. The Lodge is serviced daily by the crew of housekeepers. You will meet some of the healing therapists who usually work in the Spa at Lake House and on occasion guests may request a private wine tasting with our sommelier, or for a Lake House chef to cook a special feast.

Each morning early risers may collect a cup of coffee before heading out for a walk down country lanes. The downstairs bake house operates seven days and there is always a croissant ready for pick up…

As the sun rises, your concierge will prepare a country breakfast in the Lodge Kitchen – including a daily selection of seasonal fruit, oats, croissants, Danish and pastries from the bake house, open range eggs, pickles, cured meats and house relishes.

All tea, coffee and non alcoholic beverages are included throughout your stay. There is also a selection of beer, wine, cider and cocktails in the honour bar. In the afternoon aperitivo is served somewhere on site, cocktails are mixed to enjoy by the firepit, in the garden or in the Library depending on the weather.

Our Farmhouse Feasts include dishes designed to share and are prepared by the concierge in the comfort of the Lodge kitchen and dining room at dinner time.

Alternatively, priority reservations are available in our 2 Chef Hat Lake House Restaurant (10 minute drive) at time of booking. Here you will see how the team use the produce from our farm in creating the signature dishes, including the now renowned “Art of the Vegetable”.

For groups taking the entire Lodge additional options for lunch and dinner include a private chefs menu prepared by one of the team from the award-winning Lake House kitchens. There is also use of the outdoor barbeque or Lodge kitchen itself with access to the fully stocked pantry of provisions.

Cocoon in the comfort of your suite, one of our expert therapists from The Spa at Lake House will bring all you need for a relaxing spa experience.

Indulge in a 75-minute Signature Massage utilising rhythmic strokes to ease tension and stimulate blood flow and lymphatic circulation. Next, a hot bath is drawn and adorned with all sorts of indulgences to complete your own self-spa experience soak in our botanical infusion of wild bush rose, magnesium salts and pink clay, buff away dry skin with our herbal body scrub, detoxify with our white clay and sandalwood face & body mask. Set with a fragrant signature candle for you to take home and a bottle of sparkling rose on ice, take your time, unwind and enjoy.

$355 per person | Minimum 2 guests and subject to availability.

The Lodge is nestled amongst almost 40 acres including a romantic established hedgerow garden, full of secret passageways, private nooks, seats and space for relaxation and games. There is a 250 tree olive grove, small vineyard of chardonnay and pinot noir plantings, orchard of heirloom varietals, spring fed dam and of course the productive farm garden, barn and polytunnels that supply the Lake House kitchens and guest of the Lodge.

So much more that a kitchen garden, this productive, regenerative growing facility takes prime position on the easterly slope atop rich, red volcanic soil and in season can produce up to 90% of the required raw produce for the Lake House kitchen.

Guests are welcome to explore the property as if it were their own, being mindful of course to keep all the gates closed and as a result those pesky rabbits out!

Baking 7 days per week, the bake house at Dairy Flat specialises in slow fermented sourdough loaves, baguettes and associated viennoiserie. It is located beneath the main lodge, opening out to the ornamental gardens.

They are early risers those bakers, so you may smell their work before you see it! Early morning lemon curd doughnut? Yes please.

The bake house is not open to the public, so Lodge guests have the exclusive privilege of seeing the team in action.

Dairy Flat Lodge & Farm is located in the Wombat State Forest, not far from the village of Daylesford. Local wildlife include kangaroos, wallabies, echidna, wombats, possums, blue tongue lizards, crimson rosella, kookaburra, red wattlebird, Fairywren, sulphur-crested cockatoo, maned duck, black tailed godwit, red-tailed black cockatoo and the occasional snake.

On site you’ll also meet our resident alpacas – Cliffy, Meursault, Ace & Tac. Often they will be caretaking the lambing herd in the front paddock. Down in the large paddock along the forest line you’ll find a small herd of British white cattle from our friends at nearby Brooklands Free Range Farms.

Our bee hives house some of the most productive members of our team.

Embrace a new vision. Think outside the box, dig deep, find a new way to look at your business. Dairy Flat was created to inspire, to encourage people to immerse themselves in a new environment; something very different from their day to day experience. It’s about more than the sumptuous digs; it’s the clean country air, the wide-open starry skies, it’s a feeling you get watching the sunrise over the vines, the smell of freshly brewed coffee and croissants in the bake house, the thriving activity in the productive farm gardens and the smell of the woodsmoke as firepits are lit for evening drinks. A serviced Lodge with the privacy to conduct business, think tanks and conversations without any concern for interruptions or distractions.

There are extraordinary experiences on-site and beyond the Lodge; baking classes, gardening and beekeeping, hot air ballooning, workshops with artists and artisans, private yoga, tai chi, and martial arts. This region is rich with inspirational people, leaders in their field. Let us bring a little of their inspiration to you and your corporate retreat.

Easily accessible; 80 minutes via car from Melbourne. Helicopter transfers also available.