SLOW STAYS

IKEA may have infiltrated many a home, but you don’t want to feel like you’re stepping into their latest catalogue when you’re exploring at the foot of Kooparoona Niara / the Great Western Tiers in Tasmania. Blessedly, everything about Cedar Cottage Meander – an hour’s drive from both Launceston and Devonport – is bespoke. The structure itself was built by hand by the owner’s grandfather; the Myrtle floor and Huon Pine kitchen crafted slowly and thoughtfully. In this pristine natural environment, the magic of the surroundings is matched in every carefully considered choice of decor. You can’t help but be drawn to the romantic 1940s cane daybed, a French faux bamboo coat rack, and a lamp fashioned from an old brass and wood surveyors’ tripod. On the walls, Australian artworks purchased directly from the artists themselves. During your stay you’re invited to pick your own fruit and veg from the abundant ‘Veg Mahal’ organic garden and soak in the chlorine- and bromide-free cedar hot tub under the stars.