A dreamy day and night spent at Halcyon House, Cabarita Beach, NSW
Images Mel Carrero | Story by Lizzy
I was always delightfully romanced by the ancient Greek myth explaining the origin of ‘Halcyon Days’, the term used for those few weeks in Winter when the sea goes beautifully calm and the sky achingly blue… Digging deep into my memory the story goes something like this ~ though perhaps google it before you quote me…
The goddess Halcyon was the daughter of Aeolus the ruler of the Wind, and she fell in love with Ceyx of Tachis who one day perished in the ocean during a violent storm. On hearing of his death Halcyon threw herself into the ocean to die. The Gods were so moved by her love and devotion that they decided to save her life by turning her into a Halcyon (a type of Kingfisher bird), and so she would be happy they also turned Ceyx into a Kingfisher too so they could live together forever. Though Kingfishers only lay their eggs in winter, so the God of Wind (Halcyon’s Father) allowed a calm to take over the ocean for 7 days before and after the Winter Solstice so the lovers could lay their eggs safely… and still today during the middle of winter, before the northerly Spring winds arrive, a calm will take over the ocean and the sky shines a deep sapphire blue…
I always loved this story… and it came flooding back to me when I arrived at Halcyon House, a converted 60s surf motel perched on the pandanus littered dunes in the quiet beach town of Cabarita. Cabarita, despite it’s uber close proximity to Byron Bay (only half an hour up the highway), has eluded me all these years!
The boutique hotel is the epitome of Australian beach chic, though I kept catching myself thinking I was happily lost somewhere in the South of France ~ dripping with old worldly charm, and quaint without being twee.
Our stay was peppered with 5 star moments (like a choice of 4 different firmness of pillows and fresh baked brownies on our turned down bed when we returned from dinner), warm and friendly staff and delectable offerings from the hotels restaurant Paper Daisy (named after the flower that grows wild on the headland)…
Spelly and I kept looking at each other and blissing out ~ it’s not often frantically busy, working mums (I’m still feeding once or twice a night!) get spend time away like this… Halcyon Days indeed…
Clothing featured: Santorini embroidered tunic in white, Kiss the sky mini in bluejay, Kiss the Sky gown in Bluejay + Fleetwood shorts , unreleased Peasant Girl throw-on mini, Peasant girl wrap skirt, Mermaid Crochet Coat in turquoise.