July in the Scenic Rim is cold enough to want a fire and clear enough to enjoy it. The grass goes pale brown with the frosts, the mornings start foggy, and the middle of the day is bright and still. It is my favourite time of year out here, and the fire is the reason. It’s simple luxury at it’s finest.
We have written before about why couples come here year-round. This one is about winter, and specifically about the fireplace.
The fire is ready when you arrive
You let yourself in. Check-in is from 2pm through a lock box, and the pre-arrival email a few days before has everything you need: the directions, the door code, and how the fire works. We leave firewood, kindling, and starters ready for your first night. So you walk in, drop your bags, and get the fire going while it is still light. By the time the sun is behind the hills the cottage is warm and you are not going anywhere.
The indoor fireplace runs through the cold months, roughly April to October. The outdoor fire pit is there year-round.
The Shay, The Aerial and The Bode
There are three cottages, all with a fire. The Shay is French Provincial, adults only, and built for two. The Aerial is modern country and works for a couple or a family, with a second bedroom you can add. The Bode is Country Miles Escape’s newest addition. It’s named after local painter Edwin Bode, and the most unique feature of The Bode is the outdoor bath. Either way you get a king bed, your own bathroom, a kitchenette, and a deck looking out over the valley. Pure heaven.
The bath, the bed, the slow morning
The soaking tub looks onto the trees, deep enough to sit in properly. Run it hot, take a glass of red in with you, and let the afternoon go. The bed is a king with heavy linen, which is exactly what you want in winter. Mornings are slow on purpose. There is no reason to be up, and nowhere you need to be.
Outside after dark
After dinner the outdoor fire pit takes over. Or if your staying at the Bode, the private outdoor bath. There is no light pollution out here, so once the fire dies down the sky fills up with stars. It gets properly cold on a clear winter night, so bring a jacket. A fire, a blanket, and the dark valley below is hard to beat.
Foggy mornings, bright days
Some mornings the fog sits right down in the valley and you wake up inside a cloud. It lifts by mid-morning and the day turns bright and still. It does not happen every day, but when it does it is worth getting up for, coffee in hand on the deck.
The Bode is here!
There is a third cottage we just completed. The Bode is named after Edwin Bode, a landscape painter who lived and worked around Canungra a century ago. It has an outdoor bath on the veranda looking over the paddock and the trees. It is built, and we’ve are taken our time getting it right.
“It was truly a break from the hustle and bustle of life. Beautiful accommodation and lovely quiet location. I enjoyed sitting by the fire watching the super moon rise. Nature at its best.”
Larisa Design, June 2026, Google review
Common questions
Do the cottages have a real fireplace?
Yes. All the cottages have an indoor wood fireplace that runs through the cold months, roughly April to October, plus an outdoor fire pit you can use year-round. We leave firewood, kindling, and starters ready for your first night.
Where can we go near Brisbane in winter that actually has a fireplace?
Country Mile Escape is just over an hour from Brisbane, on 70 acres in the Scenic Rim. The cottages are private, the fire is set for your arrival, and winter is the best time to make use of it. Book a weeknight and you will likely have the valley to yourselves.
How cold does it get?
Winter in the Scenic Rim brings crisp mornings, occasional frost and misty paddocks, followed by bright, sunny days. It’s a beautiful time for a romantic country getaway, couples retreat or secluded farm stay, just a relaxing weekend getaway from Brisbane. Pack a warm jacket for evenings around the fire pit and enjoy the peace, open country views and slower pace of winter at Country Mile Escape.
Is it suitable for a romantic getaway?
It is built for two. The Shay is adults-only and couples-only. The Aerial suits a couple as well, or a small family if you want the second bedroom. A king bed, a deep bath, a fire, and no one else in sight covers most of what a winter weekend for two needs.
Plan your winter stay
Take a look at The Shay and The Aerial and find a date with a fire in it. If you would rather come for the quiet than the cold, read about doing nothing out here, or get in touch if you have a question first.
