Boho bliss in Byron: A visit to Sun Ranch

Australia’s first luxury ranch is an off-grid, offbeat, out-of-the-box, one-of-a kind retreat that transcends the ordinary and sets a blueprint for a new style of luxury accommodation in Australia

When only oat or almond milk nestle proudly – maybe even cheekily – on the top shelf of your resort room fridge for your morning coffee, you know you’re staying somewhere with a mischievous mindset that challenges the norm. And while you can certainly request cow’s milk for your brew, you remind yourself you’re in Byron Bay, Australia’s uber-cool, free-spirited capital of bohemian culture, so almond milk it is!

There are no signposts to this hidden retreat, which hugs the verdant hills and dales of Byron’s magical hinterland, but from the moment you enter the bucolic, rambling 22-hectare property at Coopers Shoot, you know you’ve arrived somewhere special and unique.

Daring to be different

This is Sun Ranch,an offbeat, laid back, luxury estate inspired by the ultra-chic Californian ranch houses of the ’70s. In a world saturated with cookie-cutter experiences and predictable offerings, Sun Ranch dares to be different, challenges conventions and boldly – and creatively – expresses its individuality through its dedication to eclectic design and authentic sustainability.

Feted as Australia’s first luxury ranch upon opening in November 2023, Sun Ranch has quickly earned global buzz for its audacious, path-forging – even disrupting – boho-luxe aesthetic that sets the barometer for a new genre in luxury retreats. With its layers of Spanish and Mexican vibes, it is a striking and imaginative expression hospitality, drawing free-spirited guests from across Australia and around the world.

Sun Ranch boasts a meticulously crafted, five-room luxury lodge called The Rambler Longhouse, featuring swanky, sunken vintage-styled lounges and bars. There are also six deluxe two-bedroom barns that straddle a lofty hilltop, one of which is my abode for two soul-smoothing nights.

Dappled across the sprawling ranch, you’ll also find a stunning, 25-metre basalt stone infinity pool, an oh-so-cosy woodfired cedar sauna hovering over a dam, a not-so-cosy ice bath next to it, an alfresco terrace for fire feasts, an organic orchard, a babbling brook and, perched at the top of the property, a boulder-lined healing circle for meditation and contemplation – this is Byron, after all.

Off grid and on point

And being Byron, Sun Ranch is rooted in sustainability. The six barns are completely off-grid, while the guesthouse relies on a hybrid of solar, battery and minimal grid power. The pool is heated only by the sun to save energy and the entire estate runs solely on rainwater.

But the hero of this swanky, Texas cowboy-themed getaway is clearly the quirky design of everything you see – which is at once nostalgic and contemporary, where local artists’ work stars alongside carefully curated vintage pieces. Every furnishing and artwork has been hand-crafted, handpicked and designed to push boundaries and defy .

It’s luxe, exclusive and sophisticated, yes, but there’s a relaxed swagger, a heart-stirring earthiness and a quintessential Byron ease to the place, as well, which soothes the nerves.

A vision of good times

“We envisioned a place perfect for a bunch of mates to come around and have a good time together,” explains Sun Ranch’s creative director, Julia Ashwood. She was part of a remarkable group of creative visionaries – seven couples, in fact – who together turned ordinary farmland into this extraordinary sanctuary of innovation and indulgence.

“The destination we wanted to create for people had to be grounded in sustainability, and we chose materials and builders to underpin this, but we were also passionate about infusing the place with lots of experimental styles, colours, textures and playfulness with an emphasis of fun and the unexpected,” Julia adds. “And yes, even the oat and almond milk in guest room fridges was part of that idea scape and a reaction to the type of people we were attracting to the ranch.”

Julia says she and co-creator and close friend, Jamie Blakey, travelled together throughout the US and Mexico to source personality pieces and design features from vintage merchants and markets, filling a container with all their harvested treasures and shipping it all back to  Byron to create the vision of Sun Ranch.

“The result is a beautiful feel and flow that echoes with a celebration of life,” says Julia.

Diamonds on your skin

I can sense this love of life as I rest on my cabin balcony above waves of green meadows cascading away below me, terracotta mug in hand as I greet the day with a morning coffee.

I wander down to the pond-view, Finnish sauna, marinate in the heat and then brave the adjacent four-degree ice bath that is said to create ‘diamonds’ on your skin. Breakfast is a convivial and communal affair in the longhouse featuring richly brewed coffee, grilled sourdough, smashed avocado, soft-boiled eggs, pickled onions and chilli jam, with all produce sourced locally.

I work off the spread with a  complimentary yoga class in the garden followed by laps of the spectacular pool overlooking the valley and then retreat to my cabin where I can’t decide if the king bed with Egyptian cotton sheets or the sumptuous fireside day bed in the living area is the better choice for a nap (I opt for both). And later in the day, I relish Sun Ranch’s signature salty margarita cocktail, accompanied by a ‘cowboy board’ of classic cheeses, cured meats and gourmet accompaniments.

That night as I gaze at a canopy of sparkling stars, swept intermittently by the circling beam from Byron’s famous lighthouse, I feel myself surrendering to the languid, ‘me time’ cadence which permeates Sun Ranch. It’s infectious and many guests find no need to venture off to Byron Bay down the road, preferring instead to channel the sultry Byron vibe at the ranch where exquisite artistry, natural serenity and inventive design fuse to create a place of exception that fills the senses.

‘Cosmic Cowboy’ additions & events

Sun Ranch offers a revolving calendar of cultural events and activities for guests and visitors including vinyl record-spinning soirees, clay making classes, life drawing sessions, breathwork lessons, sound healing, psychic readings, cacao ceremonies and indulgent, pop-up dinners and fondue nights that pay homage to local rituals and flavours.

Accommodation, including breakfast, at Sun Ranch starts from around $500 per night for pool rooms and $800 per night for two-bedroom barns (two night minimum).  Booking the whole ranch for up to 34 people for special celebrations or events is from $7700 per night (two night minimum) 

www.sunranch.com.au