Luxury Healesville retreat hits the market

Myers Creek Cascades in Healesville has quietly become one of Victoria’s top-rated rainforest retreats and it’s now for sale walk-in-walk-out.

A Melbourne couple who bought a forest escape in Healesville have spent nearly a decade quietly building one of the Yarra Valley’s most successful short-stay retreats, with no ads, no social media, and barely a weekend spare.

Now, they’re putting the entire 6.45ha property at 269 Myers Creek Rd on the market with a $2.35m-$2.55m price guide.

Bruce and Mandy Pollard purchased the property for $1.6m in 2015 and have run it as Myers Creek Cascades Luxury Cottages, a boutique couples-only retreat that’s become a cult favourite with guests.

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“We’ve had 100 per cent weekend occupancy for years,” Mr Pollard said.

“Only one Saturday night in 10 years hasn’t been completely booked.”

Each of the three architect-designed cottages features a king bed, spa bath with rainforest views, a double rain shower, wood fire and private deck.

A fourth guest lodge includes a lounge, billiards table, firepit and kitchenette.

“It’s consistent and reliable,” Mrs Pollard said.

“We’ve built it around peace, privacy and connection.
“It’s not just a stay, it’s a retreat.”

A standard two-night stay starts from $890 and includes a breakfast hamper.

Guests can also book extras like massages, hot air ballooning, wine and cheese platters, or champagne, all through a self-managed online system.

The main three-bedroom residence blends seamlessly into the rainforest surrounds, offering total privacy and serene treetop views.

Each architect-designed spa cottage is tucked within the trees, purpose-built for couples seeking seclusion and luxury.

The Pollards say they’ve never paid for advertising or used social media to promote the business, instead relying on loyal guests, strong reviews, and word of mouth.

“We’ve had guests return every year, some of them for seven, eight years running,” Bruce said.

The couple live on site in a three-bedroom main residence with timber floors, a Bosch kitchen, multiple living zones and rainforest-view decks.

Mr Pollard said the property’s water is sourced from a spring-fed creek that begins in the Toolangi State Forest.

The spacious lounge features timber floors, a wood fire, and large windows that frame the forest — the heart of the owner’s private retreat.

A Bosch-appointed kitchen with stone benchtops anchors the home, designed for entertaining or relaxed everyday cooking.

“You don’t hear a car out here,” he said.

“It’s just birds and trees.”

Mrs Pollard said wombats, wallabies, echidnas and three resident lyrebirds are regular visitors.

So are the same couples who’ve been escaping the city grind, often for a decade or more.

“It really resets your perspective on what matters,” she said.

They’re now relocating up north to be closer to family, and for more sunshine, travel, and golf.

Inside one of the guest cottages: open-plan interiors with luxe finishes, a spa bath, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the bush.

A new billiard table features in the guest retreat lodge, a favourite hangout for couples travelling together or hosting group stays.

Jellis Craig Mooroolbark & Lilydale’s Lindsay Ryan said the property offered a rare two-in-one lifestyle and business model.

“You’ve got a fully equipped family home and a profitable boutique accommodation business on one title,” Mr Ryan said.

“That kind of combination is incredibly rare in the Yarra Valley.”

Mr Ryan said most interest so far had come from semi-retired couples or buyers chasing a flexible tree-change income stream.

“It’s the kind of place people dream about when they say they want to escape the city,” he said.

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david.bonaddio@news.com.au

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