Rawson Retreat Luxury Country House

Perched on a ridge in north Leura between the valleys to Mt Hay National Park in the east and Minni Ha Ha Reserve in the west, Rawson Retreat is quite simply an enchanting home. Its spacious open plan, colonial style structure opens to polished wood floors and lush interiors redolent of years in the Orient. Hand spun textiles, wool and antique silk hangings and draperies in spice pots colours complement the rich hues of Baluchi and Shirazi hand woven rugs. Intricately carved teak sideboards, mirrors, lamps and tables from Rajasthan, Java and Burma are melded with simple contemporary wooden pieces by local craftsmen.

From intimate assignations to celebrations of family and friends this warm, tactile haven welcomes you, embracing the senses and restoring the spirit.

Seasons and the House

Originally settled by early colonial families, Leura’s alpine climate offered respite from Sydney’s heat and humidity. The mauve eucalypt scented miasma, visible for hundreds of kilometres, earned its name the Blue Mountains, where both the winter snow and the cooler summers were a reminder of the European seasons.

Rawson Retreat’s north-easterly orientation captures each distinctive mountain season in the many windows and doors that open to decks in every direction.

Winter fills the house with light and sunshine melting the occasional snow drifts that dust the landscape.

Spring bursts through every window with greening buds and burgeoning blossom on every tree and crisp nights heavy with jasmine and jonquils.

Summer waterfalls, mountain streams and deep mossy pools beckon bushwalkers and picnickers as readily as heritage pubs, hip cafes and bijou tea shops gather in the less adventurous.

Autumn leaves - gold russet, burgundy and copper, first in the spectacular trees that line every roadway, then swirling in fierce gusts to colour every path and lawn and finally in the peaty bonfires that resign us again to winter.

Dawn spills onto the vine fringed easterly deck inviting sheltered year-round breakfasts. Or a cool refuge to stretch out on a daybed with the newspaper and something chilled on summer afternoons.

Another deep covered deck enclosed with large cedar windows creates a conservatory space spanning the entire back of the house. Furnished with huge day beds heaped with cushions and comfy armchairs, it frames spectacular sunsets overlooking a boardwalk and garden terrace into the valley and up the ridges to Yosemite Creek. The fireplace provides a cosy gathering point with a large barbeque, outdoor dining facilities and gas heaters inspiring entertaining in every season.

And in winter, there’s the instant comfort of natural gas central heating.

Food, glorious food

The kitchen is fabulous – large, very well equipped and laid out for lots of cooks to prep and chat and drink wine together. That combined with long gentle days working up an appetite bushwalking, and the local weekend farmers markets just begs you to gather fresh produce, artisan goodies and create….. Zest a lime, baste a turkey, whip up a paella, a cake, a stir-fry, slow braise a ragout, blend a cocktail, puree a soup, steam basmati, roll pastry, grind coffee, shave parmesan, melt chocolate!

A soup tureen, a cake stand, martini glasses, a cheese board, a wine decanter and buckets, pots for Oolong tea, a herbal infusion… gastronomic indulgence is anticipated. And to present everything from afternoon tea to a lavish celebratory feast, there are all the goblets, glasses, plates, platters, dishes, jugs, bowls, napery, candlesticks and other accoutrement you could wish for. Plus a dishwasher and wine fridge. And an additional BBQ with plates that fit into the dishwasher on the adjoining kitchen deck.

And for the less culinarily inclined, there’s a list of great local cafes and restaurants!

Sleep until you waken

On cushion topped chiropractic mattresses with pure Egyptian cotton sheets, downy duvets, throws in wool and silk and electric blankets for pre-warmed beds on chilly nights. There are 4 bedrooms: 1 king (with an additional single day bed) and en suite with spa bath; 1 queen and 2 rooms with twin beds that may be configured as kings.

There are two additional full bathrooms (a total of three) all with natural gas heated hot water on demand.

Music hath charms

The large forty square metre salon is home to a baby grand piano and a range of percussion instruments. For composers and musicians to family singalong groups and music students, the piano is a centrepiece of their stay for many of our returning musical guests.

Life begins the day you plant a garden

Despite the magnificent native sclerophyll landscape you just can’t resist tulips, camellias, dogwood, magnolias, rhododendrons, lavender, violets, roses, jasmine, clematis, azaleas, hydrangeas, lilac, daffodils, jonquils, narcissus, daisies, maples, weeping cherries, viburnum, petunias………so you don’t! The combination of the rich soil, the alpine climate and the profusion of European exotics that herald every season beguiles you eventually.

Rawson Retreat resolves the dilemma with a series of gardens – some exclusively exotic, a north facing wintergarden, an extensive native garden surrounding a large grassed terrace and a few transitional areas where gnarled banksia, scribbly gums and burnished leafed immigrants cohabit harmoniously. The abundance of grevillea, callistemon, acacia and other natives entices the parrots, rosellas and lorikeets, finches, honeyeaters, bell and butcher birds, cockatoos, kingfishers and kookaburras, doves, owls, magpies and currawongs………..Cayley’s bird book is always on hand! And there’s wild bird seed to fill the bird feeders dotted throughout the garden for additional entertainment on a slow day.

Out and about….if you must!

The Mall: Rawson Retreat is a 15 minute walk or a 4 minute drive from Leura Mall famed for its baristas and bakers, bars, cafes, restaurants and quaint little emporia with everything from handmade chocolates, paintings, jewellery, woodwork and apparel to bijoux from around the globe for your home, your garden, yourself and your loved ones. The nearly villages of Katoomba, Blackheath, Medlow Bath, Wentworth Falls and Mt Victoria also abound with cafes, restaurants, pubs, wine shops, spas, a range of fashion, food and homewares, supermarkets and specialty providores, weekend markets, a couple of cinemas and heritage hotels hosting high tea.

Bushwalking: Mt Hay National Park is in walking distance from the house offering several spectacular destinations anything from an hour to a half day’s hike away. The Three Sisters and Echo Point in Katoomba, the Everglades and the Cascades in Leura, Evans Lookout and Govetts Leap in Blackheath, Darwin's Walk in Wentworth Falls and other well-known natural, environmental and historical attractions are a short drive away. Local tours from gardens, bushwalks and the skytrain to more daring adventures can be booked in Katoomba.

Festivals and Events: The Winter Magic Festival in the June Solstice, the Leura Garden Festival in October, the Rhododendron Festival in November, the Blues Festival in March, the Harvest Festival in May and other wonderful community food, music, drama and art events coupled with monthly markets in almost every village provide an abundance of distraction for every inclination.

Indulgence: More than any other delight for many visitors is that of peace and pampering. The mountains probably have more masseurs, osteopaths, herbalists, healers and well-being practitioners, spas and retreats per square metre than anywhere else in Australia! And with a mere phone call, you can organise a reservation or for someone to come home and spoil you

Check List
Enjoy the luxury and comfort of a quality furnished family home in a ridge-top garden setting a short distance from Leura Mall and the valleys of the Blue Mountains

4 bedrooms: 1 x king + single; 1 x queen; 2 x twin or king;
3 full bathrooms with toilets: 1 x en-suite with spa bath, 1 x bath and shower, 1 x shower

Kitchen: Granite surfaces, double sink; gas cook top, electric oven; microwave, dishwasher, large fridge freezer, wine fridge, blender, food processor, stick mixer, rice steamer, slow cooker, bread maker, electric frypan, 4 slice toaster, electric jug, coffee plunger, well stocked cook’s pantry, Global knives and every kind and size of cooking utensils, pots and pans.

Serving ware: Fully stocked red & white wine glasses, goblets, highball, shot & martini glasses; side and flat plates in 27 & 30cm sizes, flat rimmed bowl plates in 25 & 30cm, 3 sizes of cereal/noodle bowls and the usual white-ware, ramekins, platters, tea sets, and a selection of candles, placemats and napery.

Central Heating: Brivas natural gas

Gas Barbeques – 6 burner with wok attachment plus a smaller Zeigler and Brown on the kitchen deck

Large Jetmaster fireplace with firewood on the back deck conservatory and café style gas patio heaters

Entertainment systems: Music systems including a wifi JBL, an ipod dock in dining and lounge rooms, on the back deck and in some bedrooms, a large CD collection plus a WiFi and Netflix enabled 50" Smart flat screen television, satellite and DVDs.

Communications: NBN WiFi and a landline as mobile reception can be chancy in the bush
An extensive enclosed, conservatory style deck at the rear of the house overlooks the valley to the ridge beyond while the huge master bedroom opens onto the north east facing front deck

Become one of our extended family of guests who see Rawson Retreat as their personal mountain getaway year after year for family celebrations, girls getaways, book groups, overseas visitors, wellness and pampering breaks or just a glorious opportunity to step away from the clamour for a few wonderful days and mooch about without a care in the world!