A 1940s Log Cabin Turned Serene Retreat In The Yarra Valley

Inside Carl’s Hut, a rustic cabin turned modern retreat! Photo – Nick Skinner

The property is nestled onto the owner’s family vineyard, Solitude Estate. Photo – Nick Skinner

But the property has come along way since Susan To and her husband Greg Kerr took ownership of the winery, and converted the cosy cabin into a dreamy getaway! Photo – Nick Skinner

Elements of the original cabin have been preserved, including the aged logs that Greg’s family used to re-build the hut in the ’90s. Photo – Nick Skinner

The accomodation is designed for a couple, or solo travellers with everything you need to work remotely there too! Photo – Nick Skinner

Susan has rounded out the getaway’s charm with vintage pieces. Photo – Nick Skinner

A look into the main bedroom. Photo – Nick Skinner

The recent renovations bought in polished concrete floors (complete with underfloor heating!) and lime-finished walls. Photo – Nick Skinner

The bathroom is a departure from the original log cabin, with an exterior clad by a Hotham drystone wall, and a dramatic floor to ceiling window overlooking the vines. Photo – Nick Skinner

Italian tiles are paired with dark cabinetry. Photo – Nick Skinner

Guests can sample the estate’s wines while enjoying vineyard views. Photo – Nick Skinner

The facade of the beautiful eco-cabin. Photo – Nick Skinner

Carl’s Hut is in Yellingbo, only an hour’s drive from Melbourne in the foothills of the Yarra Valley. Set amongst nature reserves, grazing land and within boutique vineyard, Solitude Estate, the one-bedroom accommodation feels like a tranquil sanctuary immersed in nature – with only kangaroo, birds, and wombats as the occasional visitors!

Interior designer Susan To first fell in love with the cabin when her now-husband Greg Kerr took her to his family’s vineyard for a twilight dinner date. ‘I knew this would be an amazing place to share,’ Susan says.

‘Preserving the natural character of the hut was key to the design process, but why couldn’t we make the interior super-cosy and luxurious, a place where guests could cook a lovely meal, light a fire, and enjoy a glass of estate wine while looking over the nearby mountains?’

Greg’s family first purchased the property in the 1970s when it was in a dilapidated condition. The original Carl’s Hut was constructed in about 1945, pairing local stringybark logs with a corrugated tin roofing, but in the ’90s the owners updated it, replicating the same look and feel as the original cabin, with the addition of a wine tasting and entertaining room and a large fireplace.

So in 2019, when Greg and Susan took over Solitude Estate, they embarked on an additional restoration and renovation that turned the rustic retreat into the idyllic eco-cabin it is today.

The couple engaged local builder Justin Watson and his team of skilled labourers for the 10-month transformation, bringing in lime walls and slab-heated polished concrete floors for a modern look while retaining the cabin’s existing exposed logs, which came from the surrounding farmlands.

‘The hut was always about subtle natural textures and understatement. We wanted to work with the intrinsic beauty of the surrounding environment, and let it shine; not distracting or flashy, but still a bit special,’ Susan explains.

She says guests often explore the region’s wineries and restaurants, go bushwalking, simply recharge and relax amid the towering trees, or watch the sunset while enjoying the natural warmth from an outdoor fire pit.

‘It is hard to imagine few better places to offer a gold class seat to view the four seasons as they unfold in the Yarra Valley!’

Book your stay at Carl’s Hut here.