Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley

The resort occupies a private conservation reserve of some 7,000 acres in the Wolgan Valley, a steep-sided gorge about two and a half hours' drive northwest of Sydney. Sandstone escarpments rise on both sides, and the only way in is a single dirt road. Forty freestanding villas are spread far enough apart that you rarely see another; each has a heated private pool, a double-sided fireplace and a verandah facing the cliffs.

Rates include three meals a day, most drinks, and a daily programme of guided activities - wildlife tracking at dawn, horse riding across the valley floor, mountain biking, archery, and walks to the old shale-mining ruins at Newnes. Wombats and grey kangaroos graze the grass in front of the Homestead restaurant most evenings.

Only a small fraction of the reserve is built on; the rest is managed for regeneration, and guests can join the conservation team on field work. The spa sits apart, with treatment rooms opening onto bush.