EcOasis Retreat Pool with Mt Warning in background, Uki, northern NSW

Early morning near Uki in northern New South Wales. A thick fog surrounds our chalet. All we can see through the long glass doors are the tops of the eucalypts on the slope below.
And all we can hear are whip birds.
It feels ethereal, as though we’re floating among the clouds a long long way from anywhere.
Our chalet is one of four secluded luxury studios set in the middle of a rainforest in the lush Tweed Valley about 25 minutes out of Murwillumbah.  The drive out is through green dairy pastures and winding rivers and it’s not until you’ve passed the old sawmill and gone up the hill that you realise how off the beaten track it is.
Mt Warning looms in the distance, a reminder of the volcanic activity which took place in this area over 20 million years ago.
The contrast between the ancient landscape and the swish two storey architect-designed studios constructed of timber, glass and steel is notable.
Set on 45 hectares of temperate and sub-tropical rainforest, EcOasis is designed for couples looking for a short break away from their busy schedules.
“They come for a short break over a weekend or during the week”, explained Jill Wadsworth, the energetic friendly owner. “We’re finding more and more young professionals from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne are coming here to chill out and de-stress.”
“Once they’ve arrived, most don’t move – they’re usually the ones who request the ‘Bliss Package’,” she adds with a laugh.
Understandable when you know this includes chilled sparkling wine and chocolates on arrival, a three-course dinner for two delivered to the chalet, a half hour massage and two continental breakfast hampers delivered the following morning.  Jill loves to cook and on the dinner menu are dishes like sesame chicken salad, chilli prawns in coconut curry sauce and golden syrup dumplings.  For breakfast, there’s a fabulous fresh fruit platter (I counted nine different fruits), croissants, macadamia muesli and Greek-style yogurt.
There’s also a smart fully-equipped kitchen in each chalet, complete with coffee and tea and eco-friendly toaster, which means you can self-cater or supply a list before you arrive and EcOasis will do the shopping for you.
A long soak in the double spa bath – or a plunge in the pool – after you’ve unpacked helps start the de-stress process.  Luxurious body butters, gels and scrubs are scattered around the bath and you can lie there in candle-lit bliss with the large wooden partition flung open to the forest outside.
One of the main features of EcOasis is the privacy it offers to its guests – the chalets are camouflaged by tall white gums and blend into their surroundings.
The two-bedroom spa chalet we stayed in was a delight and is spacious enough to accommodate two couples or a family. Upstairs the contemporary kitchen and living area opens through bifold glass doors to a wide timber deck complete with gas heater and barbecue. Downstairs two queen-size beds complete with plump pillows, pretty mosquito nets and faux fur throws are so enticing you just want to fall into them.
The one-bedroom Hideaway and Hidden Valley chalets feature a spa bath while Forest Chalet has a cast iron bath.  Each chalet is equipped with a CD player (and CD’s like Ken Davis’ soothing “Early Morning in the Rainforest”), TV, video and DVD player, air-conditioning and fans. The attention to detail is apparent in the provision of umbrellas and hand-crafted walking sticks which come in handy if you decide to venture outside.
Once the fog lifted, we went for a 45 minute circuit walk around the property and were astonished by the number of tiny dew-laden gossamer spider webs on the trees and the variety of birds calling to each other through the bush. We discovered later that some guests come to EcOasis specifically for bird-watching.
If the white beaches and blue surf of Byron, Kingscliff or Lennox Heads beckon, they’re just an hour’s drive away.  World-heritage listed Mt Warning National Park is close by and the sleepy hamlet of Uki (“where the mountains meet the sky”) just around the corner.  The village is a heritage conservation area and many of the buildings (like the Mt Warning Hotel, the bank and old butter factory) are heritage-listed. The local hippy caf, with its pink and lavender trim, sells Nimbin ice creams and offers an all-day breakfast. The local market on Saturday mornings is also worth checking out – as is the Stokers Siding Gallery & Pottery just down the road.
It’s the perfect place to let the ancient landscape seep into you whilst feeling you’re
somewhere close to Shangrila.

One of the chalets at EcOasis Retreat, Uki, NSW

Bookings: Ph. 02 6679 5759
Email: nature@ecoasis.com.au
www.ecoasis.com.au