Get out of town: eight cosy group escapes
Posted on
If your getaway is struggling to make it out of the group chat, let our list of cosy group escapes inspire your next road trip.
All roughly a two-hour drive or less from Canberra, these regional retreats are the perfect backdrop to connect with your favourite people, whether you’re celebrating a milestone or just need an excuse to catch up.
Mona Farm (Braidwood)
Where art, nature and luxury collide, Mona Farm in historic Braidwood completely reimagines the rural group getaway. This stunning 124-acre heritage property features a collection of award-winning historic guest houses with striking contemporary art and outdoor sculptures. It’s the perfect country escape for friends who want to roam manicured English gardens, spot resident wildlife and toast by the fireplace in style.
Drive time: Just over one hour.
Capacity: Multiple bespoke, standalone heritage buildings can sleep from six to 12 guests each (or they can be booked together for large groups).
Hillview Cottage (Braidwood)
Tucked away in the historic township of Braidwood, Hillview Cottage offers a deceptive exterior that opens into a remarkably spacious haven. Perfect for an intimate escape or a family gathering, this property perfectly balances peaceful comfort with ultimate convenience, located just a short walk away from vibrant breakfast and dinner options.
Drive time: Just over one hour.
Capacity: Sleeps up to 10 guests.
Redbrow Garden Guesthouse (Murrumbateman)
A purpose-built, premium nature retreat designed specifically with group connection and functions in mind, this property features a secluded private lake (complete with rowboats), manicured gardens, fairy-lit undercover entertainment spaces and lakeside views. It’s perfectly geared toward wellness groups, hobby enthusiasts and extended family gatherings.
Drive time: Approximately 35 minutes.
Capacity: Features four spacious suites, or can sleep up to 30 guests when the whole property is rented for exclusive use.
Birkenburn Farm (Bungendore)
If your group is craving a grand country homestead vibe with a focus on open space and outdoor activities, this massive estate offers rustic luxury, featuring expansive living spaces and generous dining areas with a fireplace. Outside, guests can explore scenic walking trails, play backyard cricket on the rolling lawns or gather around the large outdoor fire pit for stargazing and storytelling.
Drive time: Approximately 35 minutes.
Capacity: The grand farmhouse comfortably sleeps up to 16 guests.
Sage Manor (Bowral)
This gorgeous luxury retreat is set right against the forest surrounds of Mount Gibraltar, just four minutes from Bowral. With light-filled communal spaces, manicured gardens and access to on-site catering or wellness services, it offers total seclusion while remaining incredibly close to Bowral’s high-end restaurants and boutiques if you’re keen to venture out.
Drive time: Two hours.
Capacity: Eight luxury suites, tailored for large multi-generational families or group wellness getaways.
The Sticks (Kangaroo Valley)
This striking designer home delivers a high-end nature retreat across two sleek, mirroring wings.
With five luxurious bedrooms, each with their own private ensuite, the house boasts soaring open living spaces and floor-to-ceiling glass windows that frame jaw-dropping panoramic views of the picturesque Kangaroo Valley.
Drive time: Two hours and 20 minutes.
Capacity: Sleeps up to 10 guests.
Linnaeus Farm (Berry)
Nestled on a sprawling eight-acre estate, this gorgeous country retreat is designed perfectly for large groups, celebrations and gatherings, blending a minimalist interior aesthetic with 360-degree views of rolling paddocks. Guests can make use of the swimming pool, saunas, cold plunge, meditation hut, hand-sewn vegetable garden, fire pit and multi-use barn featuring an infrared sauna. If you’ve got little ones in tow, it’s also perfect for families, featuring a treehouse and upstairs games area.
Drive time: Approximately two hours and 40 minutes.
Capacity: Sleeps up to 10 guests in the restored original farmhouse, with additional estate properties available for larger bookings.
Greyleigh (Kiama)
If a coastal setting is more your style, this contemporary beachfront property is a little further than the rest but certainly worth the drive. Tucked into rolling green hills overlooking the ocean, Greyleigh blends farmhouse elegance with curated interiors. Each room is fitted with decadent details, including French and German lighting, king beds, clawfoot bathtubs, Italian marble and farmhouse sinks.
Drive time: Approximately two hours and 45 minutes.
Capacity: The Homestead sleeps 12.
Feature image: Mona Farm. Photography by Mattia Panunzio.
