Lake House Daylesford

After acquiring some prime real estate skirting Daylesford’s tranquil lake in 1979, Alla and Allan Wolf-Tasker set about clearing the swampy surrounds to build their farm-to-table restaurant. Today, the stringybarks and Russian silver birches Alla planted as seedlings tower overhead.

This award-winning destination has since grown to include accommodation, a day spa, cooking school and function space. Allan, the artist-in-residence, has a studio on-site that’s open to visitors, and exhibits the work of other artists from the region. His vibrant, semi-abstract landscapes are also on display in the hotel’s guest rooms and public areas.

Alla acts as the restaurant’s culinary director, and is particularly supportive of local producers. In 2019, she and the team opened Dairy Flat Farm and Lodge, a regenerative 38-acre property nearby boasting an olive grove, an apple orchard and a bakery supplying slow-fermented bread and viennoiseries to guests at Lake House, the farm’s own boutique accommodation, and Wombat Hill House at the Daylesford Botanic Gardens, Friday to Tuesday.

Fruit, heirloom vegetables and herbs grown at the farm inform the restaurant menu, making it a true expression of the seasons and Daylesford itself. It’s backed by one of the country’s most impressive wine cellars, which holds around 12,000 bottles at any one time.

To stay at the hotel is a quintessential Victorian experience. Rooms range from spacious suites to more keenly priced options, all replete with elegant country style and most offering views of the lake. In addition to the restaurant, guests receive priority booking at the hotel’s spa, which offers a range of signature treatments using botanicals sourced from Dairy Flat Farm.