Meringa Springs

Gariwerd, as the Grampians are also known, was declared a national park in 1984 and added to Australia's National Heritage list in 2006 for its rock formations and plant diversity. Meringa Springs sits inside the Wartook Valley on the park's sheltered side, a 30-minute drive from Halls Gap and about three hours from Melbourne. The lodge holds a maximum of ten guests across its rooms and three Terrace Spa Villas, each with a king bed, high ceilings, a fireplace and timber finishes. A front patio catches the sunrise; a private verandah faces the sunset. The main lodge houses Deluxe King rooms close to the restaurant, bar and communal lounge, all built around a solar-heated infinity pool that reflects the surrounding peaks. It is a compact stay. Outside the gate, the park spans 1,700 square kilometres and shelters close to a third of Victoria's native plant species, along with kangaroos and other marsupials that wander close to the villas. Wildflowers colour the ranges through winter and spring, and the air carries a clarity typical of high country rather than coast. Guests come mainly for the quiet: the pool at dusk, the fire at night, and a valley that has kept its heritage listing since 2006.