"An Australian icon where the beautiful rhythm of life
is emphasised and honoured."
— Luxury Travel Magazine
Enter your details below to join our waitlist. We'll be sure to reach out should any availability open for your chosen event.
Thanks for submitting, your enquiry was successful.
Stay two nights and the third night is on us.
From $1055 per person in a Lodge Studio
"An Australian icon where the beautiful rhythm of life
is emphasised and honoured."
— Luxury Travel Magazine
Our Commitment to a Greener, Cleaner Planet
from our House on the Lake
Here at Lake House and Dairy Flat Farm and Lodge, we are committed to continued learning, and fostering best practise activity when it comes to sustainable business and property practices. We have been implementing some of these sustainable practices since 1981 when Alla and Allan Wolf-Tasker first set eyes on what was a barren and desolate piece of land in Daylesford that would eventually become one of Australia’s leading culinary and spa destinations.
The successful development of Lake House’s award-winning restaurant, hotel and spa since 1979 has been a true labour of love and where every effort has been made to ensure our team and guests leave only the faintest footprint possible during their stay. In the early 1980’s, Alla and Allan planted over 200 native and drought-resilient trees and shrub seedlings all of which now envelope the Lake House and form a towering canopy over its expansive outdoor pavilions, shielding them from the elements and providing a feast for the senses with the changing of each season.
Single-use plastics, including hotel amenity bottles, were discontinued early on, we don’t use pesticides on the property and here at Lake House, we have always collected and recycled rainwater and mineral spa water to water the gardens and to hold in reserve during those devastating drought-stricken periods which we have encountered many times over the past three decades in our little corner of Victoria.
Culinary Director Alla Wolf-Tasker AM has always worked hand-in-glove with her local producers to create the award-winning, two-hatted cuisine Lake House prides itself on. From those very early days when there was just one potato farmer in all of Daylesford to the dozens and dozens of suppliers and sustainable farmers that we are proud to call our friends and peers, Alla, Allan and our team have helped put Daylesford on the map and as a thriving regional food bowl it is today.
When we officially opened our regenerative farm at Dairy Flat in 2018 we were able to close the loop when it comes to being as responsibly sustainable as possible. Much of our fresh fruit, heirloom vegetables and herbs that we grow are what we serve as part of our seasonally-driven menu at Lake House and Wombat Hill House.
We have made it our mission to leave the soil at our farm even better than we found it. Food scraps and coffee grinds from our kitchens each day are returned to the land as compost and layers of cardboard are also recycled over our farm’s garden beds to keep building up the soil level and to not destroy the microbiome which is critical for the soil and our gut health.
In addition to the regenerative farm garden, we cultivate olives that are pressed into our own estate blend of olive oil each year, we have our own Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the 5 acre vineyard, cider is made along with honey, honeycomb and wax from our resident bees.
A major source of learning comes from the humble bee in fact. Our hives and their intuitive, industrious, wise and dedicated community – mirror much of what we aim to do. To work in harmony with one another, as a community, to create something very special. We ensure our plantings favour the little pollinators, to create beautiful honey – raw, unpasteurised and unfiltered.
In the bake house we source non GMO grain from local mills to produce a sourdough that is naturally and as a result ‘slow’ fermented. Not only a sound practise for sustainable farming but good for your health too, no added nasties, preservatives or additives.
We choose to work with local and regional suppliers wherever possible. Artists, woodworkers and sculptors, upholsterers and craftspeople, florists and stylists, builders and signwriters and everything in between with the aim of supporting the community in which we live and work.
Most recently, our house on the lake has been transitioning to include significant investment in solar power. Helping to capture store and feed back into the grid copiuous amonst of solar energy from our largest expanse of north facing rooftops.
We also support electric vehicles on site with available chargers for our hotel, lodge and restaurant guests.
At our beating heart is what we believe to be the true essence of hospitality.
Service, generosity, craft and community.
Nourishment through quality of produce, regenerative farming, organic and time honoured 'slow' practices, increasingly rare 'from scratch' cooking techniques and professional intuitive service. Curated, creative experiences and spaces within which to immerse oneself. A sense of joy, collaboration and friendship always. 40 years on, and we're still always learning.
Our innovation and delivery of our version of sustainable luxury continues.
