We’re a reading retreat venue with open fires, comfy beds and plenty of cosy corners to curl up with a good book

If you’re planning to bring a community of diehard bookworms away for a weekend reading retreat, Curraweena House has a charm and romantic Hamptons vibe your guests will love

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Price your retreat

60 retreats since 2022

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11 or 18 guest capacity

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Self-catered or connect with local chefs

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2027 dates now booking

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Talk to us about mid-week retreats

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60 retreats since 2022 ✳︎ 11 or 18 guest capacity ✳︎ Self-catered or connect with local chefs ✳︎ 2027 dates now booking ✳︎ Talk to us about mid-week retreats ✳︎

Why Curraweena House is ideal for reading retreats

Our property is just the kind of lush, unhurried environment a reading retreat needs. Guests can check in, settle into a quiet corner and be lost in a book within the hour - no adjustment period, no pulling them back to the everyday.

Plus, most retreat hosts hire a local caterer [LINK TO RETREAT CATERING PAGE] for the stay, so meals are simply taken care of. For guests escaping their day to day lives, not having to think about cooking is its own kind of luxury!

What your guests can expect

  • A stunning heritage property at the foothills of the Blue Mountains, the perfect setting for rest and relaxation

  • There’s a ivy-covered yoga barn for your exclusive use

  • The small hamlet of Kurrajong just a 1km walk away, where there’s a chemist, deli and bakery

  • Farm gates, cellar doors and biking trails are all nearby, if your guests are set on doing a bit of exploring

  • The option of two houses that sleep up to 18 guests (if you’re planning a smaller retreat of up to 11, Curraweena House is ideal and we have overflow accommodation at Bell View House, a 200m walk across a lush green paddock

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“I specifically run reading retreats, so having comfortable spaces is really important. Couches, areas to sit outside, good spots for reading - and Curraweena just has a really cosy feel about it. Plus, I loved that it wasn’t in the middle of nowhere, but still far enough from Sydney that you felt kind of tucked away and separate from everything.”

— Annabel, Bound and Co

Spaces for reading and gathering

The living room

If the fire’s lit, there’s no nicer place to be than the living room at Curraweena House. Grab a cuppa and your book and you’re all set

Here are some of our favourite spots on the property

The country gardens

Pop a picnic rug down with other retreat guests or find a solo spot in the landscaped country gardens around the property

The water’s hot

Take a dip in our heated plunge pool - it fits ten people and is perfect for casual chats and getting to know your retreat buddies

What if you’re planning a writing retreat?

Curraweena House has been hired by retreat leaders many times for a writer’s retreat - so we’re sure you’ll find it a great venue with everything you need. Here are the facilities we have to support your community of writers:

  • Our barn is fully equipped with trestle tables and chairs to seat up to 30 people, so it’s easy to turn that space into a quiet writing workspace

  • The barn also works equally well for workshop-style writing days or head-down solo writing time

  • The light-filled dining room or table on the outdoor deck can provide additional distraction-free spaces for your guests to write (and if they need to make calls, the deck is the best place to do so)

  • We have good, reliable WIFI for anyone needing to do research.

Get in touch about your retreat

Questions we often get from reading retreat leaders

  • Our rates start at $1575 per night at Curraweena House (from Sunday to Thursday). For Friday and Saturday nights, rates are $1750 per night. If you need to sleep up to 18 people, rates start at $2400 per night for Curraweena House and Bell View House (mid-week), and $2650 per night for Friday / Saturday nights. All rates are plus GST. Want to cost your retreat? Check out our handy retreat pricing calculator. [go to Price your retreat page]

  • The possibilities are endless! You could have a round-table book discussion, if everyone’s reading different things. Or if you’re reading the same book, a book club night could be the highlight. Past reading retreat leaders have organised craft nights, or s’mores by the firepit.

  • Yes, a bedside table and a lamp for nighttime reading is next to each bed.

  • Guests can curl up with their book in their bedroom, or on a comfy couch or deep armchair by the fire. You can also sit at our light-filled dining table with a cuppa. There are also plenty of places outside to get lost in a book, including shaded verandahs, decks and gardens.

  • Yes, there’s a fireplace at Curraweena House and a firepit - we provide all firewood for the duration of your retreat.

  • Not noisy at all! We’re in a quiet, semi-rural pocket between Kurrajong and Grose Vale, and we’re set back on an acre of paddocks and country gardens. There may be some slight noise around commuter times on Grose Vale Road, but most guests report that once the gates are closed and you’re inside the property, it’s a beautiful and peaceful setting.