Farm stay
Stay at our Orto straw eco cottage in Victoria’s central highlands
Experience the comfort of living on our peaceful 15-acre permaculture farm and cooking school — we invite you to stay within our strawbale eco cottage, located just 15 minutes from Daylesford in Victoria.
Our cosy cottage features two independent bedrooms, each with its own entry and ensuite, plus a shared guest kitchen inspired by our travels to Italy.
Made by hand from straw and clay, our cottage produces a really beautiful feeling that can’t be captured in a photo. Book one or both bedrooms — Orto One and Orto Two.
“A truly magical place. We found so much rest, beauty and warmth here. Also watched the stars and harvested the most incredible veggies for our meals. We can’t wait to return!.”
~ Anthea, farm stay visitor
Explore our permaculture farm
Our home and garden is based on permaculture principles and we like to make and grow as much of our own food as possible.
In summer, you are welcome to harvest and eat veggies and berries from the kitchen garden near your eco cottage. In winter, we are busy growing soil.
You might also enjoy walking around our 15-acre property and through the beautiful wetland we have spent the past decade establishing.
(You can read more about our home and farm building journey via our blog.)
The eco cottage is immediately adjacent to the main farmhouse we — Mara, Ralf and our two daughters — live in, yet still separate and with it’s own living space and guest kitchen. We wanted the guest kitchen to be shared between the Orto One and Orto Two rooms because we loved our experience at an Italian agri-turismo villa we stayed in while travelling.
I (Mara) am almost always in the kitchen — baking, fermenting, making yoghurt, preserving, making soap, or cleaning foraged fruits and seeds.
Perhaps you might also like to join me at Orto Cooking School (inside our main farmhouse) for workshops in sourdough bread baking, fermenting, homemade pasta, food preserving, cheese making and charcuterie?
“What a beautiful farmstead. It is a great to see how Mara has created a sustainable farm and great accommodation, not far from many nice places in the area.”
~ Alberto, farm stay visitor
