NEW - CENTRAL DUCTED HEATING & COOLING HAS NOW BEEN INSTALLED.
Telegraph Station Stays is full of nostalgic history. Built in 1870 as the original Telegraph station, now heritage listed, it has been lovingly restored, & located in the historic township of Penola SA. A short 1 minute walk to the main street, shops, cafes, IGA, cellar doors, restaurants. Our charismatic colonial style 3 bedroom home, has been tastefully decorated, sleeps up to 6 & is the perfect base to explore the beautiful Coonawarra wineries, Mt.Gambier, Robe & the Limestone Coast area.
The space Every detail of the house has been thoughtfully restored and updated. A quiet, private, relaxing getaway. Suitable for groups, couples, singles and families. A place for adventurers to rest & reconnect with loved ones.
There are 3 Bedrooms at Telegraph Station Stays.
BEDROOM ONE & TWO: Bedroom 1 & 2 offer a Queen Bed with luxurious pillow top mattress, beautiful linen, along with cosy Onkaparinga pure wool doonas. Both rooms are filled with natural light & block out blinds for a peaceful sleep. Bedroom one also has a door leading directly out to the verandah. The perfect spot to sit in the sun for your morning cuppa.
BEDROOM THREE: Bedroom 3 has two standard single beds for a cosy restful nights sleep. This room is filled with lots of natural light and charm. Bedroom three is a great kids room and adjoins bedroom one if your children like to be close by.
If you have more than 6 people please message us. We can offer blow up mattresses for additional guests.
LIVING AREAS: You will have access to two inviting lounge areas. Living room one does include a large flatscreen television if winding down with a movie is on your list, however our house is designed to make memories & reconnect with your loved ones. We have a comfy couch to snuggle up on and read your favourite book. Large coffee table to play your favourite board games & reconnect. If you are a history buff you will love our wall of old photographs of the town & history books from the National Trust of SA on the coffee table.
The second living room area is a cosy reading room with a wood fire. Here you will find a complimentary bottle of local Coonawarra wine to enjoy on arrival.
KITCHEN: Our kitchen has all your modern conveniences, stocked with complimentary ingredients to whip up a delicious meal, plus light continental breakfast provisions. Tea, a Nespresso coffee machine with coffee pods supplied. Everything you need to cook up a storm for your friends or family. The kitchen also includes a breakfast bar & stools. Hang out with the chef and enjoy a glass of wine! Please note: Fridge & dishwasher located in laundry next to kitchen. (Your very own 1860's butler's pantry..!)
DINING ROOM: We have a large light filled dining room with reverse cycle heating and cooling, miners couch to relax & read a good book, plus table seating for six. This area is perfect for groups or families to share stories & laughs and to talk about the magical day had. This area also has a lovely kids corner with table & chairs, books & toys.
BATHROOM & LAUNDRY: There are two bathrooms. Bathroom one has a bath with shower over, perfect for soaking the day away. And please note, this bathroom has no toilet & is a shower only. Whilst the house has been lovingly restored, the bathrooms are sparkling clean & updated but not completely modernised. Bathroom two offers a walk in shower & toilet. Our laundry has a front loading washing machine & clothes airer or use our outdoor line strung across the verandah. Laundry liquid supplied.
OUTDOORS: Directly off the dining room is a small private courtyard with an outdoor bath. For the ultimate experience we highly recommend bathing under the stars in our antique clawfoot bath. A truly magical experience!
On the other side of the house, a verandah wraps around the front and side of the house and you will find an outdoor table and chair setting to seat six. We have a hooded BBQ here to cook what your heart desires. This area also has a large grassed lawn area which is fenced and enclosed. Great for the kids to run off some energy.
Children: Please note we welcome children and have boardgames, books & toys available. For toddlers/children under the age of 3, please note we have low line heaters, a wood fire which will burn little hands if touched plus, some decor items you might like to put up a little higher, out of reach of little ones. Please make sure you supervise your precious ones at all times.
MOBILE NETWORK: Being a small rural town, please note it is quite common for the mobile network to be slow at times. We offer WIFI free as part of your stay, but please keep in mind it can be slower than you may be use to.
OTHER THINGS TO NOTE: The property is also available for photo shoots. Please contact us for more information.
Guest access You will have access to the whole house. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, laundry & three living/dining area. You'll have access to a private courtyard with an outdoor bathtub, plus securely fenced lawn area with out door table & chairs ideal for families.
Other things to note: HEATING & COOLING - Our home is toasty & warm with ducted heating & cooling, with an additional reverse cycle in the dining room & a portable electric heater if needed. In the reading room we have a cosy fire place, which is for ambience. As this is not the main source of heating, if you wish to use during your stay wood can be purchased from the IGA a 5 minute walk away or the local hardware store. Please note: A booking for two adults is based a couple sharing the main bedroom. If you require an additional bed/room to be made up, please advise as additional charges may apply. You will receive a complimentary bottle of local wine on arrival. Please contact us for more information.
Add dates for prices
Amenities
Kitchen
Washing machine
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Outdoor space
Parking available
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Please note: Please only use the rooms you are allocated during your stay. If additional beds are used a fee will be charged.
No dishes to be left in the sink. Please pack dishwasher before leaving and turn on.
Important information
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there are no carbon monoxide detectors or gas appliances on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
About the area
Penola
Penola is home to this holiday home. Koonara Wines and Parker Coonawarra Estate are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Nangwarry Forest Reserve and Round Waterhole Forest Reserve.
Mary MacKillop Interpretive Centre - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
Koonara Wines - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
Penola and Coonawarra Information Centre - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
Parker Coonawarra Estate - 3 min drive - 2.3 km
Getting around
Mount Gambier, SA (MGB) - 30 min drive
Restaurants
Coonawarra Motor Lodge - 14 min walk
Windara Bakery - 1 min walk
Cafe Lito - 2 min walk
Ottelia - 8 min drive
Moss and Wild - 2 min walk
Frequently asked questions
Is Telegraph Station Stays
pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at Telegraph Station Stays
?
As of 4 Apr 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Telegraph Station Stays
on 8 June 2026 start from AU$325, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at Telegraph Station Stays
?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Telegraph Station Stays
?
Check-in begins at 2:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Telegraph Station Stays
?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Telegraph Station Stays
located?
This family-friendly Penola holiday home is steps away from Koonara Wines, Mary MacKillop Interpretive Centre and Petticoat Lane. Penola and Coonawarra Information Centre and Parker Coonawarra Estate are also within 2 miles (3 km).
Reviews
9.2
Wonderful
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Absolutely stunning house, very warm and welcoming. All the amenities were amazing, couldn’t fault this place would definitely stay again.Post stay the Host was amazing with contact regarding left behind belongings very punctual with responses and happy to help.
Rebecca C.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 10 Nov 2025
We are so happy you loved our house & enjoyed your stay. Rebecca's group were a pleasure to host & we would welcome them back anytime.
The house has been renovated beautifully to keep its historical charm. Penola was a little sleepy in August with some restaurants and cafes closed but that’s life in country towns when it’s not peak season! Would recommend for visit to the coonawarra. Beautiful area.
Belinda G.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 4 Sept 2025
Was a pleasure to host Belinda. Our house was left immaculate & we would happily have her stay again anytime.
Loved the house but felt the two bathroom rating was a little weird….only one toilet and not ideal when sharing with old parents….apart from that lovely
Comfy beds. Soft towels . nice dining area. Could not get the stove to work
Dee G.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 12 Feb 2025
Hi Dee. I did notice that the power safety switch on the wall above stove was turned off. This would be why stove didn't work, wish you had contacted us. Thankyou for leaving our house so tidy, you are welcome back anytime.
I loved everything about this property. Larger than expected. Extremely clean and comfortable. Excellent location. Owners went out of their way with little touches like fresh bread, eggs, wine etc on arrival. Would definitely stay again.
Alison D.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 1 May 2024
Thankyou for the great review. We would definitely recommend Alison as a guest.
Excellent property for a relaxing weekend. Right in the centre of town opposite the Royal Oak Hotel. Convenient location.
House is brilliant. Old world charm. Very spacious and immaculately presented
Garry M.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 26 Feb 2024
Garry and his guests left our house immaculate. They are welcome back anytime and we have no hesitation in recommending them to other hosts.
Our welcome message detailed the heating in each room. Upon arrival we found the heaters no longer in the bedrooms. Oops said the manager we removed them for 'tagging' but you will be fine with the electric heater in the lounge and the fire. No problems. If only they had provided firewood to compensate for the lack of heating. We understand its not a requirement if its purely for ambiance but to tell us that is our heating source in winter and expect us to supply our own was not nice. It may not have bothered us if we were told before hand as we would have made provisions.
From there the broken promises continued - we have supplied your pods for the nespresso. 6 pods for 6 adults for 3 nights is not a supply. Especially as half were decaf. If we had known we would have brought our own!
For future people staying note that two bathrooms does not mean two toilets. That was not clear but didnt bother us but may annoy future stayers.
In all the house is lovely but our hosts did not live up to the promises they made.
Cassandra M.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 14 June 2024
Hello Cassandra. We appreciate your feedback and feel saddened your stay with us wasn’t as expected. We hope we may have another opportunity at a later date to correct this experience for you.
In regards to the heating, we have always gone out of way to ensure are guests are warm and toasty in winter and cool in summer. The bedrooms all have thick high quality doonas, plus extra blankets in every room. We have the large electric heater in the lounge, plus a reverse cycle heater and air con in the dining/ living area. The fire place is for ambience and a lovely addition, and we always ensure there is wood there also.
We also like to make sure we leave extras for your stay, with wine, chocolate, bread, milk cereals, eggs, pantry essentials. Pods for coffee plus additional tea and coffee in the pantry.
Again, our apologies you feel let down, but we have always strived to make all of our guests feel extremely welcome and we enjoy adding the little extras so it feels like a home away from home.
Again we appreciate your feedback, and hope you may consider staying with us again in the future.
Warm wishes
Melissa & Meredith
About the host
Hosted by Melissa And Meredith
Meredith & Melissa are Mother & Daughter and your hosts during your stay. We both share a passion for food & wine, interior design and adore the beautiful Coonawarra wine region. We've created family friendly accommodation with all the modern luxuries and look forward welcoming you.
What makes this property unique
Our property is in the heart of Penola, and only a two step walk from the Main Street. Restaurants, shops, coffee shops and wine tasting rooms on your door stop. Our beautiful home is also rich in history. Built in 1860 it was the original Telegraph Station.