New height of luxury

IF you don't feel content at this retreat, you never will, says Mike Smith after a stay on Victoria's Phillip Island.

Home-grown ... Hill of Content owner, Fiona Cody in her vegetable garden. Picture: Mike Smith

MUCH can be said about a name. Take Victoria's Phillip Island, for example: a two-hour drive southeast of Melbourne, it's more than just home to a fairy penguin colony and the annual motorcycle grand prix.

It also has Hill of Content – a name owners Fiona and Howard Cody had little hesitation bestowing on their luxury, boutique-style retreat.

Sitting on a gentle rise near the northeast point of Phillip Island, within a five-minute drive of the jetties, boat ramps and slipways of Rhyll, the Hill of Content is a five-star address that lives up to its name.

"What do you think?" Fiona asks, as she ushers me to her private vegetable garden to look at the carrots, corn, tomatoes and all kinds of herbs.

"Do you feel relaxed staying here?"

Looking across the property towards the distant, sparkling waters of Westernport Bay, I have little trouble saying yes.

The sweet sounds of birds dominate and there's a genuine feeling of contentment standing on this hill. Anyone who doesn't feel it never will, I think aloud on the walk to the tasteful apartments.

Hill of Content is more than a hotel room: it's a spot to sit back in a comfy lounge and warm to the open spaces of the bush by the sea.

It is self-contained and contemporary. And, judging by the bookings, the preferred apartment is the Havana Suite, with its plush furnishings and polished, dark timber floors.

In a corner of the suite's living area – which is airconditioned and has a dining table and kitchen – is a cosy gas log fire.

The bedroom is also spacious, with doors opening to a private, Tuscan-style courtyard.

The bathroom has a doubly deep and long spa for blissful moments.

Next door is another plush apartment – Number Four. This has a different feel, with coastal hues dominating. It, too, has a private courtyard.

Less expensive are two smaller loft apartments, Cypress and Timber, each with a smaller kitchenette and a private deck with barbecue.

But if you want to order a seafood platter, cheese platter or a picnic hamper, Fiona and Howard will look after your every wish.

Another option is the Content Cottage, complete with huge bath and shower.

With so much contentment on offer, getting away from this retreat can be difficult.

Then again, there are penguins, sea lions and other Phillip Island attractions to see – and they won't disappoint.

Drive 15 minutes across the island to Summerland Beach, and you can marvel over the 2000 penguins that nest in the sands each year.

A large arena has been built for admirers to watch the birds waddle shoulder-to-shoulder across pools of water from the icy Bass Strait for the warmth of the sand dunes.

For something different, John Dickie's Wildlifecoast Cruises has two-hour journeys from the jetty at Cowes to Seal Rocks, to see 10,000 or more Australian fur seals just off Phillip Island's Point Grant.

Phillip Island is proud of its penguin colony, but other drawcards – the racing circuit, beaches and a giant maze – play a part. And then there's the Hill of Content. You're bound to feel content.

The writer was a guest of Hill of Content and Tourism Victoria, flying Virgin Blue.

Sunday Mail (QLD)