Remote Work, Rustic Luxury. My Stay at The Oaks Ranch
Late‑afternoon sun washes the Oaks Ranch grounds in a honeyed glow, illuminating rows of agave and native grasses against rolling green hills. A soft breeze carries eucalyptus and ocean salt, reminding me this isn’t a typical “work‑from‑home” set‑up. It’s 2025, and my office for a few days is a poolside lounge at a stylish ranch retreat on the NSW South Coast. In this era of slow living and digital freedom, I’ve swapped fluorescent lights for natural light, and my home office for Mossy Point birdsong and the occasional kangaroo on the nine‑hole golf course. Here, remote work meets resort living – and yes, it feels every bit as indulgent as it sounds.
I start each day with a stroll through the lush gardens beside curious kangaroos, a dip in the mineral‑rich magnesium pool, and the perfect flat white savoured on the alfresco deck. By 9 a.m. I’m typing in the shade by the pool, cooled by a quick swim and inspired by the view. My biggest distraction? The aesthetic itself: Spanish‑Mission archways and white‑washed walls reach beyond my laptop screen, and the open‑air space makes even spreadsheet edits feel like a mini holiday. The vibe says “treat yourself”, so I do – answering emails with feet propped on a sun‑lounger, a mocktail within reach. This is a new take on luxury, pausing to breathe and drink in the beauty around you.
My suite is grounding luxe personified – expansive, light‑drenched, with cream linen bedding and terracotta accents echoing the earth outside. A glass wall frames emerald fairways and wild wetlands. I often pause to watch kangaroos graze, a far better view than any screensaver. Inside, comfort feels considered: soft Cultiver sheets, a cloud‑like bed and textured throws invite post‑work unwinding. I note time in my schedule for a decadent noon power‑nap wrapped in airy linen, French doors ajar to the coastal breeze. Even the ensuite whispers opulence – dual rain showers and a deep tub begging for a soak. Earthy textures weave through every detail, from jute rugs underfoot to Australian‑made toiletries scented with lemon myrtle.
By lunch, I realise remote work at Oaks Ranch also means eating spectacularly well. On‑site restaurant Arlo, famed in foodie circles, turns a quick break into a gourmet moment: one day plump Clyde River oysters with a crisp local sauvignon blanc, the next, honey halloumi from a nearby dairy, seasonal salad bursting with South Coast produce, and a silky house‑made gelato finale. There’s no sad desk sandwich here – only chef‑curated plates that delight taste‑buds and match my relaxed schedule. As I start to reset for the afternoon, I remind myself to slow down – I’m at the Ranch. Travel culture in 2025 savours indulgent simplicity, unhurried meals, and the freedom to blend work with wellness. Oaks Ranch embodies it.
Yet what truly makes this place sing is its people. Josh, the warm general manager, greets me each morning with an easy grin that sets the day’s tone. His hospitality is effortless: a house‑made lemonade sprigged with garden rosemary on arrival, a discreet “let me know if you need anything” as he glides on. Staff mirror his warmth – from the waitress delivering lunch poolside so I can keep working, to the groundskeeper pausing the mower to point out a sulphur‑crested cockatoo. Instead of anonymity, there’s community; I feel less guest, more family.
Evenings at the Ranch find me strolling the property with a glass of wine in hand and marvelling at how work and life have blurred into something balanced. As my stay draws to a close, I see how profoundly grounding this remote‑work retreat has been, and I conjer ways I can integrate these practices into my own routine at home - brainstorming barefoot in grass, taking a Zoom call from a cosy wicker chair on my patio, watching dusk settle over the horizon once the last email is sent.
This is travel’s future – not frantic sightseeing or sterile business trips, but slow living in stunning places where you log on in the morning and log off into a mineral pool at sunset. Freedom, it turns out, is simply a change of backdrop. At Oaks Ranch I learnt that sometimes the best way to work hard is to holiday harder – and I have absolutely no regrets.
