It had seemed such a good idea when, weeks ago, we’d booked a weekend escape to Denmark in WA’s deepest south.

We’d get into the office early on the Friday, knock everything on the head and hit the road to be at Denmark by lunchtime. But heading on for noon on Friday and only just starting to thread our way through the city traffic, with the long drive still ahead of us, it didn’t seem such a good idea at all.

But the drive passed quickly and late in the afternoon when we pulled into Tree-Elle retreat, a group of five self- contained, purpose-built holiday houses, it all seemed worthwhile.

In Walpole-Nornalup National Park, Tree-Elle is set in landscaped parkland with thousands of trees on rolling lawns of the 11.73ha property. Owners Trina Meade and sister Ellina Mackay, whose names make up the name of the property, have built five spacious, luxurious homes in the tranquil rural setting, with views of the hills and the Irwin Inlet.

Our house with four bedrooms had spacious living areas of glass opening up the view on all four sides. Guests are greeted with the irresistible aroma of fresh homemade bread and, in winter, by a gourmet platter of Denmark Farmhouse cheeses, Ducketts Mill wine and a welcoming wood fire.

There’s also a tub of home-made yoghurt in the fridge for breakfast with eggs and other local produce.

Elle says the sisters bought the first chunk of the property five years ago to give them a bit of a retreat from the city where they could drive down to Denmark and camp. But life became too busy to enjoy it themselves and it was decided to build the first holiday house to rent out.

‘‘It just took off,’’ Elle said.

Tree-Elle became so successful that Elle decided to move down south permanently and last year three more houses were built, which are also proving enormously popular with overseas visitors in particular.

Elle was a successful design consultant in Sydney, something that shows in every element of Tree-Elle. From the spectacular, restful gardens to the beautifully finished decorated interiors, nothing is wanting.

‘‘We want people to come and fall into the place and really relax,’’ Elle said.
‘‘We’ve tried to create a place we’d like to stay.’’

And they have certainly created somewhere special.

Initially, we had been thinking about visiting the local restaurants for our evening meals, but having scouted the district a little and seen some of the fantastic local produce, we opted instead to make the most of the fabulous kitchen at the property.

We bought marron from Old Kent River winery (and a couple of lovely bottles of wine to go with it), we picked tomatoes, capsicums and lettuce from the abundant vegetable gardens of Tree-Elle and we bought some superb cheeses from the nearby Ducketts Mill cheese factory.

Year round, guests are invited to pick the organically grown vegetables and herbs for their meals. The sisters are now putting in a bathhouse where a local masseur will offer quality professional massage therapies with natural and organic products, sauna, and a spa.

This winter, from May to August, each booking will receive an introductory half-hour massage treatment.

Games are being established for adults, creating even more incentive to stay at home.

While the peaceful surrounds make it ideal for adults, it also has plenty to offer families, with geese, sheep, cattle, guinea pigs and rabbits on the property.

‘‘But we wouldn’t want people to think of it as a farmstay,’’ Elle says.

Their intention is very much to maintain Tree-Elle’s relaxed atmosphere.

Fortunately, the property is big enough for children to do their own thing without causing a problem for adults. There’s also plenty to see and do away from Tree-Elle, which is about halfway between Denmark and Walpole on South Coast Highway. It is 12km from the world-famous Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk and has the Ancient Empire Forest and Bibbulmun Track on its doorstep.

We had lunch at a lovely little licensed restaurant at Nornalup, the Nornalup Teahouse Restaurant. We also took a drive along the Intriguing Figafolia Rd, which according to Elle, runs smack bang through the only place where figafolia trees grow in the wild.

These trees have become popular on streetscapes and come in an amazing variety of shades of red. The coast line here is extraordinary. Hardly a soul was about on a glorious sunny afternoon at Conspicuous Beach, where white sand and a pounding surf created a postcard outlook.

A hike to the lookout at the top of the cliffs to watch for whales is a must. At Mt Frankland, the Circular Pool on the Frankland River — where the track has been refurbished to make access for able-bodied and wheelchair visitors a little easier — was another picture-perfect spot.

For those seeking a taste of the wild, WOW Wilderness EcoCruises offers daily interpretive cruises into the heart of Walpole Nornalup National Park. There is also an abundance of galleries, craft shops, wineries and restaurants, the Interpretive Bird and Reptile Discovery Centre is just around the corner from Tree-Elle and Bartholomews Meadery, with its glass beehive and tastings of mead, also is worth a visit. There’s also plenty of opportunities for fishing and golf in the district.

Tree-Elle’s four homes can accommodate six guests, and one home can accommodate eight guests.