Just 90 Minutes From Sydney, This Secluded Estate Redefines Regional Luxury

By Ben McKimm - News

Updated: 9 June, 2026

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Readtime: 5 min

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• Set across 70 acres of working farmland and native bush in the Southern Highlands.
• Features four contemporary villas, two off-grid cabins, an infinity-style pool, and a tennis court.
• Ideal for slowing down with paddock-to-plate, fire pits, and riverside meditation along Paddy’s River.

Known for its antique stores, cool-climate wines, and bustling country bakeries, the Southern Highlands usually dictates a very specific kind of weekend itinerary. I could easily spend an entire trip navigating the busy main streets of Bowral or Berrima, or rubbing shoulders at crowded cellar doors. But on my most recent trip down the Hume Highway, I wasn’t looking for the usual boutique bed-and-breakfast routine.

I needed somewhere to completely disconnect. To get there, I loaded up the new Mazda BT-50 XTR (from AUD$62,750 before on-road costs). With its newly added 360-degree camera making light work of navigating tight spaces and rural tracks, the drive was seamless, but it was the destination that truly stood out. Located just 90 minutes from Sydney, hidden among the rolling hills, Aruna Estate has added to the ever-growing list of locations that elevate what a luxury regional escape can be. Previously, I would have been happy with a standard heritage room somewhere in town, but within five minutes of arriving, I could tell this secluded property was something entirely different.

Set across 70 acres of working farmland, native bush, and open skies, the estate isn’t trying to be another traditional country homestead. Instead, it offered me a rare combination of architectural design, sustainability, and understated sophistication. It felt like a private world where luxury and landscape exist in perfect balance, completely primed for my weekend of slow, deliberate living.

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Architecture & The Landscape

Born from a serendipitous visit to the Highlands, the estate was envisioned by owners Antony and Chris Spanbrook as a place to slow down and experience nature without sacrificing modern comfort. I stayed in one of the four contemporary villas, which sit lightly within the landscape, framed beautifully by Australian Blackwoods and native plantings.

When flipping through the explainer book on arrival, I got a sense of the intention behind the build, but experiencing it was another matter. Expansive windows drew the outdoors straight into my living space, making the environment the focal point of the room. Then, for those wanting an even deeper bush immersion, they also offer two custom-designed off-grid cabins complete with outdoor bathtubs that feel worlds away from civilisation.

“The name Aruna carries a layered cultural meaning,” says Antony Spanbrook. “In Thai, ‘Arun’ signifies dawn or daybreak, and in Japanese, ‘Aruna’ translates to ‘moon love’. For Chris and I, the name reflects the beauty we see here from dawn through to night”.

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Foraging, Fire Pits, and Slowing Down

What truly set Aruna apart for me was the depth of the on-site experience. Because the property backs directly onto the Penrose State Forest, I spent a quiet morning under the pine canopy foraging for wild mushrooms. It’s a level of immersion that most luxury stays simply cannot offer, but one that you can experience at such a short distance from Sydney on any given weekend.

That evening, after picking up some premium cuts from a local butcher, I sparked up the outdoor fire pit. I wandered over to the estate’s seasonal gardens, grabbed some fresh herbs from the veggie patch, and whipped up a rustic chimichurri to serve over the local steak. Cooking over an open fire as the sun set over the mist-covered paddocks, my foraged mushrooms roasting alongside the sirloin, was exactly the kind of restorative, paddock-to-plate escape the Spanbrooks envisioned.

The property practically begged me to switch off. I spent my mornings drinking coffee on the deck, but I easily could have started the day with yoga on their purpose-built decks nestled in the bush, taken a walk down to the meditation spaces along Paddy’s River, or just floated in the infinity-style pool that overlooks the valley.

My time at Aruna Estate was the perfect balance of indulgence and isolation. With easy reach to the region’s celebrated food and wine scene, I got the best of both worlds before returning to complete seclusion once I passed through the estate gates.

If you’re seeking a design-led experience where luxury feels grounded, and nature is the centrepiece, this needs to be your next booking.

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