As we scroll through our phones, sometimes it’s a good idea to stop for a moment. Listen carefully and we’ll hear a whisper: ‘There’s more to life than this’.

As necessary and useful as they are our phones and their apps can be overwhelming. When that feeling hits, it’s time to listen to that whisper, switch off the glaring lights of the screen, and visit somewhere quiet to reconnect with the good things in life.

The bliss of uninterrupted sleep

Country fresh air and never-ending views place a sense of perspective back into our lives. These are the things that remind us that life is lovely, and that our problems aren’t as big as we imagined.

Where to sink into the bliss:

• Fellcroft Farmstay for natural surroundings and old-fashioned country hospitality
• Shizuka Ryokan for a peaceful Japanese-style stay with blissful spa treatments

Savour a tech-free meal  

Fresh local produce engages all our senses and anchors us to the place we’re in. And when we’re sharing a meal with loved ones, without other distractions, we can really immerse ourselves in the environment. 

Where to enjoy a relaxing tech-free meal: 

• Blackwood Ridge: savour the manicured gardens before enjoying a meal in the off-grid restaurant. It doesn’t get fresher than this, with produce grown onsite. 
• A dinnertime visit to Kadota, the Japanese restaurant that incorporates local produce and clean eating, is an invitation to relax into the moment. 

Disconnect to reconnect

When the phones go off, we turn on.

When we retreat to a place filled with a peacefulness that’s designed to drop our stress levels (and those tense shoulders), we can truly hit the off switch.

Where to find it:

• Slow the mind among the blooms at Forest Glade Gardens
• Trot into a gentle adventure with Hepburn Lagoon Trail Rides, departing from Quirindi Stables

Your chance to be mindful

Being busy is overrated. It’s time to declutter our minds. And the perfect antidote to everyday life is fresh air, tall trees and soothing walks. This is our permission to breathe deeply and rejuvenate.

Where to find it:

• Experience the art of forest bathing with Yogabout
• Picnic at Wombat Forest, Hanging Rock, Macedon Ranges National Park or Lederderg, where there’s not a screen notification in sight

That whisper that’s telling us there’s more to life than screens, technology and busyness, is leading us right here to the Daylesford Macedon Ranges region.