There should be a warning sign somewhere on the drive into Victoria’s High Country.
Not because the roads are particularly wild (in fact, they’re bitumen almost the whole way). Not because you’ll probably spot more kangaroos than people. But because between the Yea and Karak Eco Lodge, your brain starts behaving a little differently.
Mine certainly did.
I arrived exactly as I’d expected to. Halfway through replying to a message, mentally writing tomorrow’s to-do list and convincing myself I’d just quickly check my emails once I’d unpacked my jumper, pyjamas and the two pairs of fluffy socks I’d unnecessarily packed for one night. I even connected to the Wi-Fi.
Which, by the way, is excellent. I know that sounds like a weird thing to mention when I’m trying to sell the idea of switching off, but bear with me.
Located just outside Mansfield, Karak Eco Lodge sits on a secluded off-grid property overlooking rolling hills on the edge of the Strathbogie Ranges. It feels disconnected but doesn’t sacrifice comfort. Everything runs sustainably through solar power and harvested rainwater, yet inside, you’d never know you’re staying in off-grid accommodation in Victoria. If anything, it feels like the opposite.
Once I’d cracked the challenge of ‘where’s the lockbox that has my keys’ that every Airbnb comes with, I opened my way in.
The interiors are warm. Timber, linen and enormous windows let the landscape do most of the decorating, while a crackling fireplace made me hope the evening stayed cold enough to justify lighting it (spoiler alert, it did). The kitchen had everything I needed to cook properly, the bed made sleeping in dangerously easy (heated blankets!!), and every room is deliberately positioned to frame the hills outside.
I kept catching myself looking out of the many windows instead of down at my screen, which was probably playing a TikTok video I’d seen already on Instagram.
But the deck stole my whole afternoon. I eye-spied my way through the cabinets to find a packet of hot chocolate, made one, and laid down in the hammock intending to stay for ten minutes, yet it wasn’t long before I’d fished my book out (My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones, for anyone wondering) and spent an hour or so flipping pages with nothing but birdsong as background noise.
I then built myself an unnecessarily elaborate cheeseboard (ultimate girl dinner), and settled into watch the only reality TV on offer; a family of kangaroos casually hopping across the property before stopping for dinner of their own.
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I had completely lost track of time. Instead, I started keeping track of other things. Whether the cockatoos were planning another flyover that I thought sounded like an argument. How many hot chocolates I’d manage to justify before leaving the next morning. If I needed another bite of brie.
Now, the irony isn’t lost on me that Karak Eco Lodge might actually be one of the best places I’ve found to work remotely. We’ve already covered the fast Wi-Fi, but there’s also plenty of working space and absolutely nobody to interrupt you.
So, I opened my laptop, and…closed it about twenty minutes later. Turns out I liked the idea of working remotely more than actually doing it. But if you’re looking for Mansfield accommodation where you can escape the city without disappearing completely off the grid, it ticks every practical box.
And I know I’ve become spectacularly bad at doing nothing. If I’ve got a few minutes, I’ll fill them. Scroll something. Reply to something. Watch half a video. Start another one before the first finishes.
As with every Gen Z-er, I’ve convinced myself that every spare moment needs to be productive. Karak called my bluff.
Of course, if I’d wanted to, I could’ve spent the afternoon exploring the wider region. Mansfield is only a short drive away, while Lake Eildon, Mount Buller and countless walking trails make easy day trips. It’s an ideal base for discovering the Victoria High Country, whether you’re visiting in summer for hiking and mountain biking or winter for snow adventures.
But honestly, the hardest part about my stay was convincing myself to leave the property at all (which I obvs didn’t do). And I reckon that’s because this isn’t really about the location. Or the outdoor bath. Or the hammock. Or even the fact that Karak Eco Lodge might be one of the most thoughtfully designed examples of eco accommodation in Victoria.
It’s about what happened to me after a few hours. My shoulders dropped. I sorta remembered how to build a fire (it was only alight for 20 minutes), I finished another chapter of my book. I sat through an entire sunset without feeling the need to film it.
I’d spent an entire afternoon doing absolutely nothing (apart from the things I’ve literally just listed). A year ago, I would’ve called that laziness. Now I’d probably call it the most productive thing I’ve done all month.
Why It Exists
Built to prove that switching off doesn’t have to mean sacrificing comfort.
The Vibe
Like someone bottled the feeling of finally exhaling and turned it into an off-grid cabin.
Your Bed Tonight
A cosy, timber-lined retreat where the loudest thing you’ll hear is birdsong.
The Thing You’ll Brag About Later
That you stayed completely off-grid, AND somehow had better Wi-Fi than home.
Eat / Drink This
A locally sourced grazing platter paired with a Victorian wine as the sun dips behind the hills.
Steal This Local Move
Fill the outdoor bath before sunset and watch the High Country slowly change colour around you.
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