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Give me an open fire and I'll stay forever

Friday, 08 July 2016

When it comes to winter time, it’s one of the most charming experiences, especially on a getaway or a long lazy lunch. It’s the crackle, the warmth and a great spot to huddle together.

RETIRE TO THE CLUB ROOMS

Curlewis Golf Club

Any die-hard golfer isn’t going to give up their outdoor activity just because it’s winter. But the thought of a roaring fire waiting in the club rooms helps make the 18 holes a little more tolerable. Down on The Bellarine you have your pick of fires to warm up to.

Lonsdale Golf Club

Rain, hail or shine you can guarantee to get your game on at Lonsdale on the Bellarine Peninsula. The golf course is a par 71 for men and par 72 for women and is challenging yet suitable to all ages and skill levels. The Club welcomes non-members, green fee players, social golfers and corporate golfers to use the course and club facilities. Lonsdale Golf course is open 7 days from dawn until dusk. The Links Bistro is open for lunch Tuesday to Saturday and dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. Over winter, the extra large roaring fire that will be lit daily in the Clubhouse. Drop in for a snack, a coffee or a cosy red and stay warm by the fire as you overlook the beautiful greens.

Barwon Heads Gold Club

The magnificent clubhouse, listed by Heritage Victoria and the National Trust, is famed for its ambience and old world charm. House guests can enjoy the open balconies in summer or the luxurious open fires during the cooler months. Upstairs, there are 19 ensuite rooms, and a variety of packages are available incorporating your stay with golf, dining and entertainment. Other facilities include tennis courts, billiards, a driving range, a short-game practice facility, a par-3 course, an undercover coaching area and a professional shop.

Curlewis Golf Club

An ongoing suite of initiatives, innovations and improvements has seen Curlewis well and truly cement its status as the fastest growing club in Australia. Curlewis is giving members – and green fee players alike – exactly what they want on a number of levels. The totally refurbished clubhouse is commanding both attention and swelling visitation - and not just for golfers! With spectacular vistas spanning the You Yangs, Corio bay and beyond, it’s both hip and welcoming - a great place to relax and enjoy the full bar, coffee, snacks, lunch as well as brilliant Bistro dinners on Friday and Saturday nights.

WARM YOUR INSIDES BY THE FIRE

Sip on a coffee, slurp a soup and sit by the fire. Gather around a fire with a bunch of friends over a long lunch to see you through the winter cold. From the Moorabool Valley, through Geelong to The Bellarine, there's a roaring welcoming fire around every corner.

St Regis Winery

With a winter menu in full swing, they have a big emphasis on a social shared dining experience with lots of delicious dishes. They are focused on local products, including local beer and wine list to showcase the region. All in a beautiful and relaxed environment overlooking the Shiraz vines.

Saltbush Cafe

Saltbush Fine Foods is an eclectic mix of all things food. It hosts a provedore featuring local produce such as olive oils, tomatoes, lettuce, honey and condiments. As well as products from further a field such as truffle oil, Italian pasta & sauces and much more. There are daily tarts made and served with salad and plenty of sweet options including the ever so popular Portuguese custard tarts. The open fire creates a lovely atmosphere for a cosy foodie stop.

Cafe Go

Curl up and enjoy a coffee and bite to eat in the warmth of Cafe Go's fireplace or head out back to the hidden leafy green garden space - there is nothing else like it in Geelong. The quirky converted weatherboard house is a cozy getaway right in the heart of Geelong’s city centre and they all about having fun while serving up delicious food and coffee in a comfortable environment.

City Quarter

City Quarter is a place like no other. Two hundred and fifty metres out over Corio Bay, this boutique bar patiently sits and awaits your custom. City Quarter also offers stunning views Western and Eastern Beach. Loft ceilings, sophisticated textiles, low lighting, three decks, comfortable lounges and tables, a double sided fireplace! Enjoy cocktails, gourmet pizza and worldly inspired tapas.

Clyde Park Vineyard

Clyde Park Vineyard & Bistro has a cellar door and bistro set on the beautiful Moorabool Valley. The speciality is the wines, in particular, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. The food, lovingly cooked by the chef and owner Sue and her team include a wonderful array of wood fired pizzas, antipasto tasting plates, salt and pepper calamari, Sher Wagyu burgers, and much more.

Gold Diggers Arms

The dining room is the definition of warmth from the double sided fireplace to the rich timber features and colours. It’s a lovely intimate dining experience. The lunch menu caters for short work lunch breaks or those occasions when you have made the time to linger over a long lunch. The dinner menu brings to life a new range of dishes with inspiration coming from all over the world. It’s an iconic venue that many generations have enjoyed over time.

CURL UP FOR A SLEEPOVER

Head out for a romantic getaway or toast marshmallows with the family this winter. Perhaps cook on the open fire or curl up with a book all day in front of it. Take your pick with these accommodation venues but be sure to have enough wood inside to get you through the night, because nobody wants to be the one to step outside to collect more.

Avalon Guest House

Avalon Guesthouse is a gorgeous bayside holiday home in Rippleside Geelong. This elegant, well-appointed Federation property is the perfect romantic retreat for couples, a stunning home for a wedding party or, a central base for a bayside family holiday. Three bedrooms sleep six guests with an elegant formal dining room, sun-drenched reading parlour and spacious living room featuring a gas-log fireplace to keep warm by.

Moranghurk

Moranghurk is a 1,035 acre sheep farm between Ballarat and Geelong just over an hour from the West Gate Bridge. The bluestone shearer's quarters accommodates up to 30 people in eight bedrooms in bunk beds. The large kitchen has a wood fired stove and original bread oven as well as modern cooking facilities. The small sitting room has an open fireplace and all rooms face onto a brick courtyard overlooking the Moorabool Valley. Activities include tennis and bushwalking. It is ideal for family reunions, small conferences, bushwalkers, cycling groups and suits young and old. Please call for more information.

Seahaven Village

Indulge yourself at Seahaven Village. The accommodation offers log fires, spas, full kitchens (most with dishwashers), air conditioning (heating/cooling) and fresh seaside decor. A park outlook and easy walks to the beach, shops and restaurants complete the perfect getaway. Bookings include breakfast basket, chocolates, linen, towels and other supplies. They also offer brand new one and two bedroom accommodation with king size beds, leather sofas, six star energy rated, gourmet kitchens, large television, DVDs, luxury linen and towels.

Seaview House

Built in 1875 Seaview House is warm and friendly with traditional guesthouse charm and ambience. 14 rooms all with ensuites. Premier rooms feature queen sized beds with delightful French and Oriental style quilts; handmade in Queenscliff. The Deluxe Suite is attractively furnished and has a private balcony, large bathroom complete with Victorian claw-foot bath, TV/DVD player and fridge.

Seaview has two guest lounges, one upstairs with delightful views of the town. In the downstairs lounge guests can relax in front of the open fire.

Ti-Tree Village
The Village is only minutes walk from the Ocean Grove beach and a short walk to the main shopping village. All 18 cottages are fully self-contained, have a gorgeous open fire and two person spa bath. Complete your stay by opting for the Slow Weekend package. Arrive to the smell of a slow cooked meal simmering in your cottages kitchen and a basket full of yummy breakfast provisions.

Twomey's Cottage
Twomey's Cottage is a quaint 1880's Victorian fisherman's cottage that boasts an open fire place and gas heating. The Cottage features two bedrooms, and sleeps up to five. The Cottage has the charm of yester-year and is within walking distance of to all of Queenscliff attractions.

Benambra B&B

Benambra B&B was built in the 1870s. It has been fully restored and it’s charm will bring a smile to your face. Each room is individually decorated and all rooms are ensuite. The downstairs sitting room features an open fire which is great for relaxing and enjoying a glass of wine. The formal lounge room has an open gas fire and is a perfect place to relax. On arrival, enjoy a cup of tea or coffee with some homemade goodies. Start your day after a good night's sleep with a sumptuous Benambra breakfast.

Arusha B&B

Arusha B&B Retreat is set on five acres of natural bushland and just a five minute drive from Victoria's spectacular Ocean Grove surf beach; it ignites the imagination and tantalises the senses. The open-plan apartment has been designed with indulgence in mind. Snuggle up in the king sized bed as you look out onto the gardens or sit in front of the log fire and watch a DVD. Maybe you would prefer to just lay back in the therapeutic double spa.