HOLLY LODGE, Kalorama offers 4.5 star luxury bed and breakfast accommodation in the heart of the in the beautiful Shire of Yarra Ranges in the Mount Dandenong area.
Holly Lodge Bed and Breakfast offers luxury B&B accommodation is set in an acre of gardens, surrounded by a national park and boasting breathtaking panoramic views both day and night.
Holly Lodge Bed and Breakfast Luxury Accommodation is a place where you can immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the area or retreat for a time of pampered indulgence, offering top quality, self-contained, pet friendly bed and breakfast accommodation set in absolutely magnificent surrounds.
Located only 40 minutes drive from the Melbourne CBD and close to Mount Dandenong’s Sky High lookout, Olinda, the Yarra Valley and Puffing Billy, Holly Lodge luxury B&B accommodation is the perfect getaway for a night, a weekend or a week.
Holly Lodge meets and exceeds the high standards set by RACV and AAAT Four and half stars bed and breakfast classification for hospitality, comfort and cleanliness. These high standards are a result of many years experience in the hospitality industry by your friendly host, Stephen Magnuson.
Holly Lodge Bed and Breakfast Luxury Accommodation offers a range of accommodation options including a romantic 1 bedroom cottage, a fully self-contained studio suite or a two level retreat or a 50 square Lodge that’s just perfect for large family gatherings, special occasions and weddings. Holly Lodge Luxury Accommodation features spas, log fires and views of the lights of Melbourne or the surrounding gardens.
In-house massages are available from our qualified masseuse and baby sitting can also be provided.
The provisions for a continental breakfast (including delicious country baked bread) are included in the overnight price or, if you prefer, a full English breakfast can be arranged for a small additional charge.
The local area is full of great restaurants, antique shops, art galleries, intriguing shops and many cosy cafes.
The Dandenong Ranges and Kalorama in particular, are home to some of the most spectacular scenery in Victoria. Local attractions in Mount Dandenong include stately European gardens, the William Ricketts Sanctuary, the Puffing Billy steam train and a variety of nature walks. The friendly staff at Holly Lodge would be delighted to help you make the most of your stay by providing you with interesting and helpful information on local attractions – including a Walking Trail Map of the Dandenong Ranges.
Nearby Attractions
Your choices are endless...
There is a scenic lookout only a short walk from Holly Lodge where you can get a feel for the beautiful area you’re visiting – or, for the best view on a clear day, visit the Mt Dandenong Observatory. The Dandenong Ranges are scattered with small towns and villages full of galleries, antique and craft shops, nurseries, tea houses, cafes and restaurants. You can enjoy the country atmosphere or walk through the towering forests and tree fern gullies. Feed the kookaburras, parrots and lorikeets, play golf at the Olinda Golf Course or catch your own rainbow trout. Your choices are endless.
There are walking tracks, cycling paths and horse riding trails. You can enjoy a picnic at any of the picnic grounds nestled amongst the tall trees of the National Park and Sherbrooke Forest, ride the historic Puffing Billy steam train, explore the rain forest or spectacular European style gardens including the National Rhododendron Gardens. There are country houses and historic homes – many open to the public and of course you shouldn’t miss the William Ricketts Sanctuary with its kiln-fired clay sculptures of Aboriginal figures discreetly set among rocks, fern trees and Mountain Ash. In September the Tesselar Tulip Farm in Sylvan is awash with colour. Day trips can include a tour of the Yarra Valley Wineries or cuddling a koala at the Healesville Animal Sanctuary.
Wildlife and scenic walks in the Dandenong Ranges
The Dandenong Ranges are a nature lover’s paradise. More than 350 plant species have been recorded in the area, along with 130 bird species including lyrebirds, crimson rosellas and eastern whip-birds, 31 species of mammals such as wallabies, bandicoots, echidnas and possums, 21 reptile species, 9 amphibians and 47 species of flora including native orchids. The best way to enjoy and interact with this abundant wildlife is to walk.
Most walks start from the many picnic grounds scattered throughout the Dandenong Ranges. Some popular walks include the challenging 1000 steps in the Ferntree Gully National Park and the Living Bush Nature Trail from the Ferntree Gully picnic ground, Sherbrooke Falls from the Sherbrooke Picnic Ground and Grants Picnic Ground at Kallista.
If you are visiting the Kalorama/Mt. Dandenong area or staying in one of the charming B and B’s like Holly Lodge, consider exploring the mostly deserted walking tracks of the Mt. Evelyn, Olinda or Doongalla sections of the National Forest. You can enjoy gentle or more challenging walks through dry and wet fern-gully forested areas of the Mt. Evelyn section. A good place to start is from the water tank on Inverness Rd. opposite Gumbirra B and B.
Holly Lodge is an ideal location to launch walks along Ridge Rd. to the Observatory at Mt. Dandenong, Burke’s Lookout, the Kyeema Memorial Cairn or the Doongalla Estate. A short drive or walk to the nearby Olinda Falls Picnic Ground will give you access to the bubbling rock waterfalls along the Olinda Creek.
If you’re going walking, be sure to take a map, wear good walking shoes, a hat and sunscreen. Taking your mobile phone is also a good idea. Be sure to observe National Park guidelines such as fire restrictions, treating the local flora and fauna carefully, leaving cats or dogs at home, not littering, and riding mountain bikes only on designated trails. All that’s left is to choose your spot and start walking in the wild.
