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Sea change for a day
When the daily grind of work starts to get you down, when the pollution of the city wages war on your hair and you find yourself scowling at your fellow commuters, it might be time for a sea change. The idea of packing up your shoebox apartment and moving to an ivy-hung cottage in the country is enormously appealing, but if you can't face giving up your high-powered city salary to run a teashop/antique store/hobby farm in Woop Woop, a day trip might be a nice compromise.
The east coast is packed with idyllic little towns and these sophisticated eateries provide the perfect excuse to jump in the car for a nosy day trip. After a rejuvenating meal, you can stroll through the nearest town and rediscover such rural delights as fresh air, smiles - and bakery mince pies.
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Ca Marche
Port Macquarie
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Ca Marche is located at Cassegrain Winery which, for many, is all you need to know. After all, what's a sea change fantasy without rows of vines and barrels of your very own vintage? Here, the fantasy gets even better, with exquisite plates of contemporary cuisine.
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Zest Restaurant
Nelson Bay
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Nelson Bay is a charming little town that hasn't collapsed under the strain of the burgeoning tourism industry, making it a sea changer's ultimate destination. The town also has a healthy dash of cosmopolitan luxury, as evidenced by Zest, the only restaurant in the region to be hatted by the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide judges.
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Barrenjoey House
Palm Beach
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Palm Beach isn't exactly the sticks; only a short drive up the northern beaches peninsula from the city, it's where Sydney's privileged few keep their 'beach houses' (read: weekend mansions). It's easy to imagine a life of easy bliss, ensconced in a wooden house on the hill, writing your first novel while looking out over the water. You just might want to buy a lottery ticket on the way home.
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sourcedining
Albury
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Okay, so Albury-Wodonga isn't on the coast and it isn't exactly a small town. But a tree change springs from the sea change concept and a little house on the Murray River has the same escape-it-all appeal as a beach shack. Sourcedining is the culinary highlight of this border town, showcasing produce from both sides of the state line. Perhaps, while munching on local saltbush-fed lamb, you could imagine your own little hobby farm, flogging top-class produce to fine diners such as this one
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Tuck's Ridge Cafe
Red Hill South
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The rolling hills of this part of the Mornington Peninsula are so attractive to sea changers that many move here, despite still having to make the daily commute to Melbourne. There's something about the combination of red earth and lush greenery here that gives the land the perennial blush of a dramatic sunset. Tuck's Ridge Cafe offers all this, plus the region's well-known wines and a slick menu of local produce.
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Athelstane House
Queenscliff
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Queenscliff is the ultimate seaside town, with the classical grace of an English resort village and not a whiff of eau de bogan. Dining in the elegant vintage space of Athelstane House, you can easily imagine yourself running one of Queenscliff's boutique hotels or selling chi chi seashell necklaces on the beach.
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