Seafarer’s Lodge

If you arrive at Seafarers Lodge at night, the stars give off just enough light to make out a shack on stilts, poking out from thick shrubs of coastal banksia. It feels like you’re in the middle of nowhere, but the sound of nearby crashing waves is a reminder you’re on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Enter to discover a long, open-plan space filled with cosy nooks to curl up in, piles of books to flick through, and a stack of vinyl to spin on the mint-green Crosley record player. A bottle of SA Distilling Co’s Native Pink Gin is on hand for a welcome drink.

Then there’s the magazine-worthy decor: soft, marine-hued furnishings; vases bursting with olive branches and eucalyptus; walls lines with ocean scenes, fisherman knots and driftwood; and warm Persian rugs throughout.

Beneath it all is holiday home filled with everything you need for a relaxing stay. There are two lovely bedrooms (one with a queen, the other two singles), and a spacious kitchen stocked with mod cons. A bottle-green bathroom touts a bathtub and a swag of luxe products. There’s ample outdoor space too, including a ground-level trampoline and a cubby house for kids, plus two big decks (front and back).

But we need to talk about the living room. Believe us, they don’t get much cosier than this. Light the combustion fireplace the moment you walk in and it’ll keep the whole place toasty day and night. There’s no TV, but we’ll admit that’s a good thing. Instead, treat yourself to an in-shack massage by a local masseuse, or a yoga class on the back deck. For adventure-seekers, the local area has stunning walking trails and bikeways. Plus, Goolwa is also very close by for a spot of cockling during the season. Did someone say spaghetti vongole?