Windaboo is absolutely sensational!
Its a struggle to find the right words that do justice to how wonderful this property is, set on 170 acres in the Byron Bay Hinterland, in the midst of lush rolling hills, with fresh water creeks, swimming holes, rainforest and numerous species of animals to keep an eye out for, we found our stay to be a delight.
The Air Bnb listing shows a traditional cottage with beautifully restored original features, an eclectic range of high quality home furnishings and antiques, which in itself is an attractive proposition for a weekend away, especially when every effort has been made to make you feel at home and welcome, with a well equipped kitchen, supplies to greet you upon arrival, and thoughtful features and touches sprinkled in to make your stay as comfortable as possible.
Then you venture out of the house and walk around the property, where you’ll feel so far from the city but so at home whilst absorbing the natural surroundings and breathing in the freshest of air.
You may stumble across some wallabies, kangaroos or even koalas on your travels, and you’ll definitely bump into one of the 30 or so horses on the property who are friendly, and curious and happy to say hi.
At nightfall the sky comes alive with clear and crisp views of the Milky Way, take a beer and a blanket then lie back and enjoy the show as you look deep into the cosmos.
The old dairy bales were kindly set up for us with cute and cosy lighting, so we set a fire and thoroughly enjoyed the property and being out in the relative wilderness long into the evening.
When walking back to the cottage, we had to stop and pinch ourselves as the way the lighting had been set up at the bales, the cottage, and another building, combined with the celestial views above was too much of a feast for the eyes……it was really something special!
In spite of how truly remarkable this property is, by far the highlight of our trip was meeting Skye the current guardian of Windaboo. Skye was the most kind, thoughtful and gracious host, from waiting outside the gates on the road in the dark for us when we arrived (even though she had friends over) and ferrying us around the property in her ATV, to quickly setting up the lighting for us at the bales because I asked if we could light a fire…..she is incredibly invested in her guests having the best time possible. It was a privilege to hear about her journey and how she came about owning this property, her passion and love for Windaboo and her horses is palpable and contagious. I left with a new found understanding, appreciation of and affection for her horses which will remain with me for the rest of my life.
I sincerely hope I can visit again someday, as having this opportunity to experience a taste of the life that Skye has worked so hard to construct for herself out in the Hinterland was deeply enriching for my partner and I, and we hope that all of her guests treat this experience with the same level of reverence and respect as we do.
Thank you again Skye!