A Moonlight Drive to Uber-Luxury in Australia

Visitors to Australia can now arrive at The Great Ocean Road even faster with Moonlight Head Private Lodge’s new ‘Moonlight Drive’ package, an all inclusive luxury drive and stay experience.

Located three hours from Melbourne on the mid-point of the Great Ocean Road, the Lodge is a dream drive destination. After collecting the car at Geelong or Melbourne International Airport guests indulge in life behind the wheel of an extensive choice of luxury cars that includes a Maserati, Porsche Boxter or Mercedes SLK 350 along Victoria’s Great Ocean Road. Curling past attractions including the acclaimed surf of Bells Beach, and quaint sea-side villages leading on to the 12 Apostles, one begins to see for themselves why this is one of the world’s most scenic drives.

Then upon arriving at Moonlight Head Private Lodge, the next stage of the journey begins. With privacy at the top of the agenda for five-star travellers – according to the recent International Luxury Travel Market in Cannes – the Lodge is tucked away in a semi-wilderness environment on 40 hectares. Glenn’s Murcutt’s architectural masterpiece is one of Australia’s finest accommodation experiences, and sleeps up to eight people. 

Understated European chic is key to the décor and each room is filled with a sanctuary of style: B&B Italia pieces, B&O audio system, Phillipe Starck, Antonio Citterio and art by Karl Maughan – collected by Cate Blanchett amongst others.

Mark Banning-Taylor, CEO, said: “The Great Ocean Road and its attractions are iconic in Australia and Moonlight Head is beautifully positioned right next to it. These luxurious cars are synonymous with the experience at the Lodge – they can be collected and returned to either Melbourne or Geelong’s airports providing a door to door experience – and offer a chance to explore the spectacular local scenery.”

The two day and two night ‘Moonlight Drive’ package includes car hire; accommodation; breakfast and dinner daily with your own personal chef; a selection of beverages; your own concierge; and a housekeeper. Prices start from AU$9,500 for a Mercedes SLK 350, AU$12,000 for a Maserati and AU $10,000 for a Porsche Boxter based on two people sharing for two nights.

The ‘Moonlight Drive’ package is available throughout the year. For more information and bookings visit www.moonlighthead.com or Tel: +61 (0) 2 9363 8870.

The Lodge is acclaimed internationally by the leading private jet magazine Elite Traveler as one of the world’s most decadent places to stay, and by Britain’s Tatler magazine as one of the “101 Best Hotels” in the world in the 2008 Travel Guide listing.

By night, enjoy views of the Southern night sky’s twinkling stars through glass ceilings in the saw-toothed roof. By day, an abundance of sunshine is spread throughout the Lodge, highlighting contemporary furnishings and designer artefacts. The Lodge is world-class in its eco-design and responsibility towards the environment in all aspects of its operation.

Moonlight Head is an experience as much as a destination. Set in over 40 hectares of Australian bush and farmland against a backdrop of the Southern ocean, Moonlight offers a range of special interest activities from an expert team that include:

Horse-riding from half to multiple days exploring the Great Otway National Park and coastline, a unique adventure only available to clients of Moonlight Head
A private lecture with Australia’s leading architect historian and critic Philip Drew on the work of Pritzker Prize winners Glenn Murcutt and Jorn Utzon, also available as weekends away
Access to five great links golf courses along the coastline
Ornithological tours, for an opportunity to see over 160 birds native to the region
Ecology discussions and dinner with Dr Tonia Cochran, on issues effecting native fauna and flora
A one-on-one tutorial and talk with renowned wildlife photographers including Peter Merritt, to learn his unique techniques of capturing subjects in their natural habitat
Experience the Otway fly, an elevated rainforest walk
Ramble along the Great Ocean Walk with an ecologist or historian for a day discussing the coastline
Other activities include whale and seal  watching, deep sea or fly-fishing, mountain-bike riding or wreck-diving

As a founding member of Healing Hotels of the World, Moonlight Head Private Lodge is the perfect refuge to soothe your soul, refresh the body and contemplate new beginnings. This is a place where the needs of your mind and body are closely matched with a range of treatments to secure equilibrium. 

Just you and the kangaroos….