Kemey's Mountain Hideaway is one of those secret places that everyone who has found it feels is totally their own. The visitor book is crammed with messages from couples who felt they just had to propose there (so watch out!), families back for the tenth time, people who have come from Britain, Germany, the US, Japan, and weary Sydneysiders on weekend breaks to peace - its only 1 hour 40 mins from the city. A lovely drive up and into another world... The hosts, Robert and Jenny, are very welcoming and can tell you absolutely everything about where to go, what to see etc in the area --- Lake Macquarie, which is full of boats, hike trails and no doubt great restaurants, but having found Kemey's we stayed there the whole time! They don't impose on you though, so you can easily stay in your own suite of rooms the whole time. We had our own sitting room, kitchen/diner (fully equiped), big double bedroom and spa bathroom --- lots of fluffy white towels and v hot water...

The best bit for us was the wildlife - there are wallabies that hang around in the garden and glorious parrots that will come for birdseed. Its absolutely in the forest with its own creeks and marked trails. You can have dinner there and most of the delicious food is grown in the garden. The kids can feed the ducks and the horse...Oh yes, and theres Robert's famous fluffy omelettes for breakfast that rise like souffle from the pan!