The luxe log cabins hiding in Victoria

Architect-designed cabins tucked into the wild beauty of Victoria’s Grampians promise seclusion, serenity and pure luxe escapism.

Hidden among the eucalypts in the Grampians bushland, DULC is Victoria’s ultimate hideaway – a handful of architect-designed cabins where minimalist luxury meets wilderness serenity. With just five exclusive stays, each cabin offers the kind of stylish seclusion peace-seekers dream about: think panoramic bush views, private spa baths and cosy fireside evenings.

Mountain View log cabin hot tub at DULC — DULC is Victoria’s ultimate hideaway.

The Mountain View Cabin is a dreamy one-bedroom retreat designed for couples chasing privacy without sacrificing luxury. Warm wood meets polished concrete, floor-to-ceiling windows frame the rugged beauty of the Grampians, and evenings can be spent in your own private outdoor spa under the stars. At $385 per night, it’s intimate elegance at its best.

For those travelling in groups or families, the Mountain View Deluxe cabin takes it up a notch. Offering two spacious bedrooms with luxe finishes throughout, this retreat combines sleek design with generous living spaces. It’s slightly pricier at $485 per night but promises an unmatched sense of space, serenity and refined comfort.

The Treehouse log cabin at DULC — The Treehouse is an elevated one-bedroom escape perched among the trees.

Then there’s the Treehouse Cabin, an elevated one-bedroom escape perched among the trees. With a gallery-style loft bedroom, airy living space below and huge windows that immerse you in leafy panoramas, this unique stay redefines luxury treehouse living. Starting at $385 per night, it’s a lofty retreat made for romance.

What makes DULC truly stand out is its seamless integration with nature. The cabins are crafted from rough-sawn timber, concrete and glass, blending effortlessly into their bush setting. Despite feeling remote and deeply secluded, they’re just three kilometres from Halls Gap’s cafes, cellar doors and spectacular lookouts. Halls Gap just won silver for Victoria’s Top Tiny Tourism Town award.

Mountain View log cabin at DULC — DULC is seamlessly integrated with nature.

With walking trails, wine tastings, breakfast hampers and guided tours at your fingertips, DULC goes far beyond your average rustic retreat. Whether you’re after a romantic treehouse escape or a luxe group getaway, these hidden log cabins in Victoria deliver the kind of tranquillity and modern comfort that’ll have you booking your next stay before you’ve even checked out.

Victoria’s ‘mussel capital’ is the source of exceptional shellfish used by top chefs far and wide. Step aboard a beautifully refurbished trawler to see how these plump and juicy bivalves are sustainably cultivated.

A curtain is slowly winched from the placid, teal waters just off Portarlington, like a floating garland beside our boat. The ropes heave with blue mussels, the star attraction of our tour. But as we reach to pluck our own, it’s quickly clear they’re not alone; a mass of weird and wonderful creatures has colonised the ropes, turning them into a living tapestry. ‘Fairy’ oysters, jelly-like sea squirts, and tiny, wriggling skeleton shrimp all inhabit this underwater ecosystem.

We prize our bivalve bounty from the ropes, and minutes later the mussels arrive split on a platter. The plump orange morsels are served raw, ready to be spritzed with wedges of lemon and a lick of chilli as we gaze out over the bay. They’re briny, tender and faintly sweet. “This wasn’t originally part of the tour,” explains Connie Trathen, who doubles as the boat’s cook, deckhand and guide. “But a chef [who came onboard] wanted to taste the mussels raw first, and it’s now become one of the key features.”

A humble trawler turned Hamptons-style dreamboat

inspecting bivalve bounty from the ropes — Inspecting the bounty. (Image: Visit Victoria/Hannyn Shiggins)

It’s a crisp, calm winter’s day, and the sun is pouring down upon Valerie, a restored Huon pine workhorse that was first launched in January 1980. In a previous life she trawled the turbulent Bass Strait. These days she takes jaunts into Port Phillip Bay under the helm of Lance Wiffen, a fourth-generation Bellarine farmer, and the owner of Portarlington Mussel Tours. While Lance has been involved in the fishing industry for 30-plus years, the company’s tour boat only debuted in 2023.

holding Portarlington mussels — See how these plump and juicy bivalves are sustainably cultivated.

It took more than three years to transform the former shark trawler into a dreamy, Hamptons-esque vessel, with little expense spared. Think muted green suede banquettes, white-washed walls, Breton-striped bench cushions, hardwood tables, bouquets of homegrown dahlias, and woollen blankets sourced from Waverley Mills, Australia’s oldest working textile mill. It’s intimate, too, welcoming 12 guests at most. And yet there’s nothing pretentious about the experience – just warm, down-to-earth Aussie hospitality.

As we cruise out, we crack open a bottle of local bubbles and nibble on the most beautifully curated cheese platter, adorned with seashells and grey saltbush picked from the water’s edge that very morning. Australasian gannets soar overhead, and I’m told it’s not uncommon for guests to spot the odd seal, pod of dolphins, or even the occasional little penguin.

The sustainable secret behind Victoria’s best mussels

blue mussels off Portarlington — Blue mussels sourced just off Portarlington.

Connie and Lance both extol the virtues of mussels. They’re delicious. A lean source of protein and packed with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, iron, selenium, and zinc. They’re cooked in a flash (Connie steams our fresh harvest with cider and onion jam). And they’re also widely regarded as one of the most sustainable foods in the world.

Portarlington mussels with lemon and chilli — Mussels served with lemon and chilli.

“Aquaculture is [often] seen as destructive, so a lot of our guests are really surprised about how environmentally friendly and sustainable our industry is,” Lance says. “[Our mussels] would filter 1.4 billion litres of water a day,” he adds, explaining how mussels remove excess nitrogen and phosphorus from the water. “And through biomineralisation, we lock carbon into mussel shells.”

a hand holding a Portarlington mussel — Mussels are a sustainable food.

Despite their glowing list of accolades, these molluscs have long been seen as the oysters’ poorer cousins. “It was a really slow start,” explains Lance, who says that in the early days of his career, “you could not sell mussels in Victoria”.

But word has slowly caught on. Chefs as globally acclaimed as Attica’s Ben Shewry and even René Redzepi of Noma, Denmark, have travelled to these very waters just to try the shellfish at the source, sharing only the highest praise, and using Lance’s mussels in their restaurants.

guests sampling Portarlington mussels onboard — Sampling the goods onboard. (Image: Visit Victoria/Hannyn Shiggins)

According to Lance there’s one obvious reason why the cool depths of Portarlington outshine other locations for mussel farming. “The water quality is second to none,” he says, noting how other regions are frequently rocked by harvest closures due to poor water quality. “We grow, without a doubt, some of the best shellfish in the world.” And with Lance’s bold claims backed up by some of the industry’s greatest names, perhaps it won’t be much longer until more Aussies uncover the appeal of Portarlington’s mussels.