Glenview Retreat Luxury Cottages
Luxury self contained cottage accommodation in the heart of the Dandenong Ranges
Located in Emerald, in close proximity to the Puffing Billy Railway, Emerald Lake and Wright’s Forest. Only a one hour drive from Melbourne’s CBD. Our beautifully appointed Cottages, Grevillea and Magnolia, are set in delightful gardens in a tranquil bush location….each with a warming gas log fire, relaxing candlelit spa bath, and a pet friendly private garden.
Rooms
Grevillea Cottage
Grevillea Cottage offers luxury, self contained accommodation and is furnished to encapsulate the country ambience of Emerald and the Dandenong Ranges with its bull nose veranda and cathedral ceilings.
Included in your tariff are Complimentary Wine, Chocolates and a Self Cater Gourmet Breakfast Hamper inc Juice, Milk, Cereal, Eggs, Bacon, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Bread and a selection of spreads. We also offer a Vegan or Vegetarian breakfast option - please let us know if this is required.
Car parking is free, off the street and only a few steps from your cottage
Well behaved dogs are welcome by prior arrangement.
In high demand!
Recently booked!
Magnolia Cottage
Magnolia Cottage is a self contained, luxury accommodation cottage and is furnished to encapsulate the country ambiance providing outstanding comfort during your stay in Emerald in the Dandenong ranges
Included in your tariff are Complimentary Wine, Chocolates and a Self Cater Gourmet Breakfast Hamper inc Juice, Milk, Cereal, Eggs, Bacon, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Bread and a selection of spreads. We also offer a Vegan or Vegetarian breakfast option - please let us know if this is required.
Car parking is free, off the street and only a few steps from your cottage
Glenview Retreat does not allow smoking in the Cottages.
Well behaved dogs are welcome by prior arrangement.
In high demand!
Recently booked!
About Us
Featuring cottages with free Wi-Fi, a spa bath, a fireplace and a private patio, Glenview Retreat is just 10 minutes’ walk from Emerald Lake Park. Guests receive a gourmet breakfast hamper, a free bottle of wine and chocolates upon arrival.
Glenview Retreat Luxury Accommodation is 8 minutes’ drive from Emerald Museum. It is 30 minutes’ drive from the Dandenong Ranges National Park. There are a number of restaurants within a 5-minute drive.
The air-conditioned cottages feature a kitchenette with a stove, coffee machine and microwave. Each cottage includes BBQ facilities and a seating area with a flat-screen TV and a DVD player. Bathrobes are also provided.
Guests are welcome to relax in the lovely gardens. Free parking is available on site. Your breakfast hamper includes cereal, eggs, bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms and toast.
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Attractions
Cardinia Reservoir Park
Cardinia Reservoir Park is a great place for a family day out. The open parklands, picnic and barbecue areas and native bushland of Cardinia Reservoir Park are abounding with native wildlife and flora.
Have a picnic among the trees. Watch the Eastern Grey Kangaroos feeding at dusk, or basking in the sun along the kangaroo viewing trail. Enjoy panoramic views of the park from the many lookouts and vantage points or take a walk across the dam wall.
Australian Rainbow Trout Farm
he Australian Rainbow Trout Farm is located one hour from central Melbourne, and ten minutes from Emerald in the picturesque Dandenong Ranges.
It has never been easier for all members of the family to catch a fish!
Variety of challenge levels
NEW! CATCH A GOLDEN RAINBOW – 500gm – 1.5kg
A variety of experiences are available:
Catch plate size rainbow trout or 1 – 3 kg whoppers in our graded ponds.
Try your luck and skill in our lightly stocked lake, or just enjoy a leisurely day around the banks of the lake.
You can also catch Atlantic Salmom, from 1 to 3kg in a special pond
Enjoy a BBQ or picnic in our beautiful park setting.
Emerald Lake Park
Emerald Lake Park, in the heart of Emerald in the Dandenong Ranges, is a five minute drive or a 15 minute walk from Glenview Retreat.
As one of the destination points for the iconic Puffing Billy, the park offers a range of activities including picnics, walking trails, paddleboats and fishing – something for everyone.
Many guests stay at Glenview Retreat when attending Wedding services at Emerald Lake…just perfect is the feedback we receive.
Aura Vale Lake Park
Over the past years Aura Vale Lake Park has become a popular venue for boating activities including sailboarding and canoeing and for other small non-powered boats up to 3.3 metres. Swimming is not permitted due to poor water quality and submerged objects.
The park is open 10am to 6pm during daylight saving time
Emerald Museum & Nobelius Heritage Park
The four and a half hectare heritage site was part of the world-famous Nobelius Nursery, started in 1886 by Swedish immigrant Carl Axel Nobelius.
The nursery exported fruit and ornamental trees to five continents and, through the supply of exotic trees to municipalities throughout Australia, had a significant influence on the nation's landscapes. The nursery covered more than 650 hectares at its peak just before WWI, employed 80 people and was the largest exporter of fruit and ornamental trees in the Southern Hemisphere.
The park is preserved as a remnant of this historic enterprise, with many specimens of trees once stocked by the nursery. Nobelius Heritage Park and Emerald Museum (NHPEM) Friends Group is a group of like minded people looking after the park for the enjoyment of locals and visitors alike. Both the Emerald Museum and the Nobelius
Heritage Park are managed by a volunteer committee under the authority of Cardinia Shire Council.
Ash Wednesday Bushfire Education Centre
Built in 1977 by Cardinia Shire Council, the building at 2 McBride Street, Cockatoo was a Kindergarten until 2005.
On 16 February 1983, it served as a refuge for 300 men, women, children and their pets (dogs, cats and goats).
From the inside, the people looked out of the big windows and watched the town burning down. Firefighters made sure the bitumen roof didn’t catch fire.
In 2012, the building was heritage-listed for being significant to the State of Victoria.
The community wanted the building to be refurbished to create an Ash Wednesday museum and a great resource for schools to tell children about this important part of Victorian history.
After securing $350,000 from council, $500,000 from Federal Government and $100,000 from Heritage Victoria, and after a lot of hard work, the building was opened in July 2016.
The Ash Wednesday Bushfire Education Centre tells the stories of the eight major fires in Victoria on 16 February 1983, not just Cockatoo. The information is shown as photos, with the story of each fire on touch screens. There are also TV news stories on a big screen and you might be lucky to catch a local who was there on the day.
There is a local history section about Cockatoo in the early days, and a fire safety section where you can pick up information about what to do if you live in or are travelling through a high fire danger zone.
There are public barbecues available.
The centre is open every Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 3pm (larger groups can visit on other days by prior arrangement).
For more information email awbeccockatoo@gmail.com
Alma Treloar Reserve
The Alma Treloar reserve is located on the corner of Pakenham Road and McBride Street in Cockatoo.
The wide, fully enclosed path passes the bowling green, tennis courts, community garden, skate bowl, play ground and community complex.
Paradise Valley Hotel
Paradise Valley Hotel offers full table service, quality cuisine and an extensive wine list. the seasonal menu along with the ever changing specials make the most of the fresh local produce available to our Chefs.
There is also Wood fire Pizza’s and a Tapas wine bar on Saturdays and Sundays over looking Paradise Valley.
The Ranges Hotel
The Ranges Hotel’ is one of Gembrook’s prized possessions standing at
the last stop of the world renowned Puffing Billy.
After a huge renovation, The Ranges now operates as a family friendly
Bistro and Bar with hints of original details dating back to the turn of
the century.
Ph: 03 5968 1220
http://www.therangeshotel.com.au/
Wrights Forest Bushland Reserve
Located above the Wattle Creek Valley between Avonsleigh and Cockatoo, Wright Forest is the perfect place for exploring natural bushland. A variety of walking tracks meander through the park’s serene setting, offering fantastic vantage points to watch Puffing Billy.
General Food Store
At The General Food Store we are committed to creating an ever evolving menu using seasonal ingredients mainly sourced from the local and greater Victorian food regions. Our direct trade coffee is roasted in Melbourne by the talented team at Coffee Supreme and our providore is stocked with Victorian produce and house-made goodies.
The General Food Store is an ever evolving project for us and you can be sure that coffee isn’t the only thing brewing within our four walls!
Ph: 5968 3580
Elevation @ Emerald
Located only 5 minutes drive from Glenview Retreat, Elevation is one of the newest in modern casual dining in the area. In summer enjoy the outdoor alfresco dining whilst in winter relax by the crackling open fire. Elevation is the perfect place to enjoy some delicious cuisine, fine wine and good service.
Ph: 5968 2911
Bensons
Belgrave was first settled in 1851. The area was named after an 1840s chapel in Leeds, Yorkshire, England; the name carried by Mr and Mrs R.G. Benson when they came to Melbourne in 1856.Their sons, the Benson Brothers, settled in the Belgrave district in the 1870s. A Post Office opened in the area around 1904.
Breakfast: Mon – Sat 8am – 1pm Sun 9am – 1pm.
Lunch & Brunch: Mon – Sun 11am – 4pm.
Dinner: Tue – Sat 5pm Onwards
Ph: 03 9754 2726
The Cuckoo
Situated in the Dandenong Ranges, The Cuckoo Restaurant is today one of the world’s most renowned smorgasbord restaurants receiving visitors from all over the globe.
The Cuckoo Restaurant offers a delicious smorgasbord beginning with Soup of the Day, followed by a range of Fresh Seafoods and European delicacies to tempt the taste buds. The Main Meal Buffet includes Roasts, Vegetarian Dishes, other delightful Meat Dishes, as well as a full Salad Bar and fresh Cold Meat Platters. A wide variety of continental cakes and desserts are prepared in the patisserie.
Ph: 9751 1003
Puffing Billy
Glenview Retreat is only 10 mins. walk from Lakeside Station on the Puffing Billy line, where you can catch this famous stem train into Belgrave or out to Gembrook.
Puffing Billy is Australia’s favourite steam train and one of the finest preserved steam railways in the world.
Puffing Billy continues to run 7 days a week on its original mountain track from Belgrave to Gembrook in the magnificent Dandenong Ranges 40 kms east of Melbourne.
Puffing Billy was built to serve at the turn of the century and is a genuine relic of our more leisurely days. The Railway is the major survivor of four experimental lines used to develop rural areas in the early 1900s.
Dandenong Ranges
Disappear from the bustle of city life into a lush haven of hidden delights in the Dandenong Ranges’ secret fern glades, towering forests and eclectic villages.
While on one of the many Scenic Drives see the seasons in the villages of the ranges as they burst with vibrant colour in spring and are softened by mist and dustings of snow in winter.
Absorb the creative vibe of shops and galleries in Olinda, Emerald and Sassafras, overflowing with one-off designs in jewellery, gifts furniture and many other quaint shops.
Take a walk up the Kokoda steps.
St Cuthbert’s Wedding Chapel
Built in 1907, the church is the oldest public building in Menzies Creek and is recorded by the National Trust.
In 1996, St Cuthbert’s was purchased by a local civil celebrant.
The Church has been beautifully and lovingly restored. With a new bell tower and lych gate added to the original buildings. Another addition to St. Cuthbert’s was the specially commissioned sanctuary window, designed and made by local stained-glass artist, Alan Humphries.
In 2010 St Cuthbert’s changed hands, its current owners, Anne Aldridge, a civil celebrant and husband Steve are continuing to use this unique little chapel for weddings, namegivings and funerals as well as continued community use.
Ph: 03-5968 6350
Welcome to Emerald
Emerald, Gem of the Dandenong ranges, is the oldest township in the Hills.
A town for all seasons to be enjoyed anytime of the year, Emerald’s unspoilt charm and natural beauty, abundance of walking and cycling tracks, beautiful Emerald Lake and home of Puffing Billy positions Emerald as a family destination that offers healthy and affordable lifestyle activities.
Well positioned in the south east of the Dandenong Ranges, an hour’s drive east of Melbourne, Emerald is the perfect base to explore Emerald and the Ranges corridor and other nearby family oriented attractions such as Healesville Sanctuary, Tree Tops Adventure, Donna Buang, Phillip Island, Gippsland and Wilson’s Promontory.
Emerald Market
Friendly stallholders sell high quality, homemade, home-grown or vintage goods--free ranges eggs, fresh fruit, quality clothing, knits and handcrafts, dolls clothes, potted herbs, soaps, dog biscuits, plants and fresh flowers, handmade jewellery, watercolours and gift ware.
This market is run entirely by volunteers to raise funds for the Performing And Visual Arts Festival in Emerald (PAVE).
Emerald Community House runs Emerald Market on the third Sunday of each month, 9am-3pm all year round, in the beautiful township of Emerald.
Tesselaar Tulip Festival
It all began in 1939 with Dutch migrants; Cees and Johanna Tesselaar leaving Holland on their wedding day with a suitcase full of bulbs. Tesselaar officially opened the gates and celebrated their first Tulip Festival in 1954. From simple beginnings to what is now one of Victoria’s major tourist attractions, the success of The Tesselaar Tulip Festival rests entirely with the unique and timeless beauty of the tulip. There is nothing more captivating than a field of colourful tulips.
9am until 5pm daily
14th September until 10th October, 2017
Gembrook Market
Gembrook market is held from 9am till 2pm on the 4th Sunday of each month, a country market with a sustainable living focus which is located only 20 minutes from the south eastern suburbs. Locally produced produce, crafts and plants, fresh foods, coffee and petting farm children are delighted with the farm animals.
Visitors love the ‘old world charm’ of the Puffing Billy Railway precinct and the distinct ‘country feel’ of the town.
Cloudehill Gardens - Seasons Restaurant-Diggers Club
Cloudehill Gardens: Made on an easterly slope at the top of the Dandenongs, Cloudehill is at an altitude of 580 metres. The garden has deep volcanic loam soil and 1.25 metres of rainfall. This falls most of the year, though February, March and April are drier. There is little frost, more snow than frost in fact. These factors go to explain why the Dandenongs is one of the outstanding places to garden worldwide.
Seasons Restaurant: Overlooking picturesque Cloudehill Gardens, Seasons Restaurant is an inviting dining experience throughout the year using the best and freshest local produce. Seasons is a fully licensed venue and has a changing wine list throughout the year of local wines provided by Olinda Cellars.
Diggers Club: A visit to Cloudehill isn’t complete without exploring The Diggers Garden Shop. The Gardens provide inspiration throughout the seasons; from spring bulb meadows, summer perennial borders and dramatic autumn foliage. The Diggers Garden Shop has a wide range of plants on offer and specialises in Diggers signature heirloom seeds, cottage flowers and edible plants that are complemented by a range of flowering shrubs and cool climate trees.
National Rhododendron Gardens
The National Rhododendron Gardens are host to brilliantly coloured blooms of rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, cherries and daffodils. Seasonal changes ensure the gardens are a delight all year around.
When not in bloom, you can still soak in the beauty of rich bark textures, seed capsules, foliage shapes and beautiful fragrance as you stroll through the grounds.
Skin Renaissance Emerald
Situated in the heart of Emerald, Victoria nestled in the forests of the Dandenong Ranges, Skin Renaissance offers a complete health, wellness, anti-ageing and beauty experience combining natural treatments with the latest cutting-edge therapies from Europe.
Relax, Refresh, Rejuvenate as you experience our luxurious facial, body and massage therapies in a tranquil environment. Be revived and replenished with one of our pamper packages or we can tailor a package to suit your individual needs.
Skin Renaissance is a place to immerse yourself and indulge in treatments that are therapeutic and restorative for your total well being. With wineries, romantic accommodation, lush valleys, panoramic views and a village setting, this is an ideal place to disappear for a weekend of luxury and indulgence
Be sure to contact the lovely ladies as soon as possible to book your special experience.
Booking is essential.
http://www.skinrenaissance.com.au/
The Independent Restaurant and Bar
The Independent is a casual restaurant and bar at Puffing Billy's last stop in Gembrook.
It is a food hub with menus designed by Argentinian chef Mauro Callegari. Produce is sourced as local as possible for guests to enjoy a seasonal sharing menu.
Mauro's dishes are influenced by his upbringing in Argentina, passion for Spanish, Italian, Creole and North African flavours.
www.theindependentgembrook.com.au
5968 1110
Avalon Castle
This Romantic Castle boasts some spectacular gardens and is the perfect venue for your Fairy tale wedding.
Located in the heart of the Dandenong Ranges it provides the perfect backdrop to capture the great wedding photographs that will enhance your memories of your special day.
Caters from smaller weddings of 30 up to 120 guests
Gazebo - Perfect setting for a garden wedding
Chapel featuring stained glass windows
Charming dining room that overlooks the gardens
Awards
Glenview Retreat Luxury Accommodation
48 Fernglade Drive, Emerald, VIC, 3782, Australia
Eenquiry@glenviewretreat.com.au
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