Wilderness Stay at the Pet Friendly Wollemi Retreat & Cabins, Rylstone
Trying to find your next dog friendly road trip from Sydney? Look no further than the luxurious Wollemi Retreat & Cabins in Rylstone – just shy of a 3-hour drive from Sydney. If you love the great outdoors, then these cabins are your next calling!
Situated on a 100-acre bushland property in Wollemi National Park, choose from three private accommodation options, all featuring modern decor and appliances throughout. We were fortunate to bring our two dogs on this trip and stay at the pet friendly Winyu Cabin – and loved every moment that we spent together here.
As you turn onto Coxs Creek Road, it’s a 10-minute drive along a sealed road to the main gate of Wollemi Retreat & Cabins, plus an additional 100m drive along a compacted gravel path to the Winyu Cabin. Easy keypad PIN access to enter and exit the main property, and a fairly levelled parking spot once you’ve arrived at the Winyu Cabin.
We did notice the Wambal Cabin (another cabin available on the property) situated on an elevated hill nearby, and I was curious on how to navigate to and from this on a frequent basis. There is a separate driveway that splits upwards, but between the two, our preference – and stay – was at the Winyu Cabin.
The construction of the cabin fits perfectly within its surroundings; the natural rock formation views and expansive flora & fauna at your doorstep is incredible! When you touch the cabin walls, it has a dry grit under your finger tips – rammed earth with clay sourced directly from the property, and grey gum timber complemented throughout. Polished concrete floors are directly under your feet, with underfloor heating also available (perfect for the winter weather). The cabin architecture screams “wow” all around, and you will not be disappointed – the photos don’t do justice of the experience, and it’s even more amazing when you’re here.
The large floor to ceiling windows were an absolute highlight for us – and our boys too. We regularly saw kangaroos and wallabies, especially at dawn and dusk, and the dogs would alert us when they saw one hop by or graze about in the wild. I would sometimes sit on the outdoor deck for an hour or so, just looking at the landscape and listening to the peaceful wildlife in abundance, which is dreamy to say the very least.
These large artistic windows are in all corners of the house; from the main living area, to the bedroom, and even adjacent to the big, deep bath and rainwater shower, so the views capture you from all angles!
Plenty of natural sunlight, and peaceful all around.
Wall-mounted air-conditioning is available in the living area and separately, in the bedroom, so as the sun moves around, the cabin can be cooled down if you choose to stay indoors during the day. We headed out on most days, enjoying the local delights of both Rylstone & Mudgee.
We didn’t realise there were sliding doors integrated into the kitchen wall to divide the living area and bedroom until the second day, which came in handy after our dogs would wake us in the morning seeing the wildlife – so keep these in mind if you’re staying here with a pet, as they do come in handy.
The Winyu Cabin features a well-equipped kitchenette with an induction cooktop, stove and bar fridge (no microwave), and a BBQ for your use. The basic cooking essentials such as olive oil, salt & pepper, tea, 2x small milk containers and 2x bottled waters and included. During our stay, there was a total fire ban in place, so we didn’t use the outdoor fire pit or indoor fireplace.
You’re in your own wilderness oasis when you stay at the Winyu Cabin. Our dogs are long-haired, and unfortunately, we didn’t venture too far into the bush as we were concerned there may be ticks (and we’d it miss in all of their fur). But for those that love a good hike, the host provides gaiter guards in the cabin that you can strap on to your feet if you’re keen to explore the trails, and there’s sunscreen and insect repellent too.
“Winyu means ‘Waterhole’ in Wiradjuri language with this cabin down by Cox’s Creek and close to the biggest waterhole on the property with its own small waterfall.”
There’s a nearby Cox Creek Walk about 2.5km long that you can follow from your cabin, signposted on the property. We followed part of the track with our dogs and would’ve loved to have ventured further in, but didn’t do so during this stay.
Just a 15-minute drive from the cabin is the local Foodworks supermarket in Rylstone for your every day food supplies and drinks, and the local Cafe On Louee is a great coffee spot with a handful of outdoor tables that you can sit at with your dogs.
You must also try 29 Nine 99, a local Asian restaurant. They’re not your traditional yum cha restaurant – more like a dumpling house – and whilst they’re not dog friendly to dine in at, their take away services are just as good, with all the sauces and chopsticks provided which you can set up back at the cabin.
We stayed for three nights, and it was just the right amount of time to get the recharge that we were after. We experienced all weather types during our stay including a cracking thunderstorm that echoed through the property, yet magical to watch from inside the cabin. On the third night, we had good weather, and sat outside with the dogs to watch the starry night light up the evening sky.
Tip:
If you’re driving back to Sydney, stop at Pearsons Lookout over Capertee Valley, on the left side of Castlereagh Highway between Capertee & Lithgow. On a sunny day, you’ll see one of the best views of the majestic Capertee Valley – the second largest canyon in the world. There is only 5 or so car spots, so parking is very limited. To note, you cannot cross the highway if you’re travelling in the other direction, so it’s best to stop only when you’re heading in the direction from Mudgee to Lithgow.
Address
1245 Coxs Creek Road, Rylstone, New South Wales, Australia 2849