n 1916, David Lahey, the forward-thinking owner of Lahey’s Sawmill, set out to create something unique in Canungra: The Bellissima Guesthouse. Built in response to the region’s growing prominence as a hub for travellers and businessmen associated with the sawmill industry, Bellissima was an architectural gem that brought both elegance and modernity to the quaint township.
Tucked away just a brief 10-minute drive from the heart of Canungra township, O’Reillys Canungra Valley Vineyard beckons you to explore its intriguing blend of history and natural beauty.
After completing the cabins, decorating them, and dreaming of what be, the Country Mile Escape story truly began. In Easter 2017 I welcomed our first guests to Country Mile Escape. I was excited to finally be open, relieved I had achieved the goal of opening, and nervous about what the guests would say as I hoped they saw my vision of offering a boutique secluded and tranquil luxury stay on a country property.
How it all Began
This is the beginning of Country Mile Escape story. I have lived here in the Canungra region most of my life,(why would you want to leave this beautiful area). After some years away, my husband Murray and I returned and purchased our overgrown 70 acres property in October 2006. Murray, my dad, and I (mainly Murray doing all the hard work with a chainsaw and a bobcat) took six years working every weekend and on yearly holidays, to clear all the scrub from the land and to create the place we call home today. We had our home professionally built, while we concentrated on creating the gardens and property that surrounds it.
As I was born and grew up in Canungra, I am a genuine local to the area; my grandparents were among one of the first original settlers who came to Little Flying Fox Valley in 1935 to settle in the district and begin their life as dairy farmers. This was the same year the Canungra…
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