The Place That Held Me: How Rea Rea Lodge Became My Sanctuary

I first discovered Kangaroo Valley while celebrating a milestone birthday for my sister. It was a weekend of crackling fires, green-drenched views, and moments of pure connection with family. By the time we left, I knew I hadn’t just visited somewhere special—I’d been changed by it. The escarpment had imprinted itself on my soul. I went home and began searching for a property of my own. Nearly a year later, I found the property I have made mine: Rea Rea.

Perched high on a hill with 180-degree views of the escarpment, north-facing and nestled beside the flowing waters of Trimbles Creek, it was the expansive acreage, wildlife and ever-changing play of light over the land that initially called me. After I spent time there, I realised it was much more. A feeling—a quiet pulse. When the local First Nations community blessed (what is now known as) Rea Rea Lodge with a smoking ceremony and corroboree before its official opening, they spoke of the Valley as a sacred place of renewal for over 20,000 years. That deeply resonated with me. As I navigated my new life as a single mum, Rea Rea became my own place of healing.

Though the house had strong bones, I worked with interior and landscape designers, my builder and local “makers”, artsists and tradesmen, to breathe new life into it. I transformed the interiors and outdoor spaces to balance style with soul—“luxe but liveable” was the aim; a space where both adults and kids could feel at ease. The result is a home that lives and breathes with the land, where something is always blooming and beckoning you outside.

Rea Rea is designed for togetherness. The two pavilions give families space to spread out, while the central outdoor areas—the pool, fire pit, spa, and pizza oven—create a natural gathering place. We’ve hosted birthdays, Christmases and elopements. I love getting the kids involved in making pizzas or sharing slow lunches with friends that stretch into dusk. Out here, there’s time. Time to cook, to swim, to lie on the grass and stargaze. It’s entertainment that doesn’t compete with nature, but flows with it. A far cry from the busy city lives we live. '

Days often begin with a walk on the bush trails, where wombats, echidnas, and wallabies cross your path, and maybe—if you’re lucky—a platypus in the creek. Breakfast at The General Café is always a treat, but mostly, I prefer to be at home, champagne in hand, watching the changing colours of the escarpment as golden hour sets in.

Rea Rea has become more than a home—it’s a sanctuary for the people I love. A place where nature and nurture entwine. A place that held me when I needed it most, and that now holds space for others to rest, reconnect, and rise.