Western Ringtail Possums listed as 'rare or likely to become extinct'.

Phoebe - ready for release

Our beautiful Phoebe, a Western Ring Tail Possum who was orphaned when she fell of her Mummies back as she was branch hopping between the trees, is now ready to be a big girl in the wild. Joslyn hand reared Phoebe for several months until she had gained enough weight to be released. Phoebe has been out the the past several nights, racing across the deck, trying to climb windows and waking us up. We think she has ventured further a field now as we don't hear her, but every morning we find her fast asleep in her pouch. She is not eating the food we leave out for her, so she must be getting enough to eat during the night. Western Ring Tail Possums love Peppermint Tree leaves and we have plenty of those in our backyard.

There is little knowledge of the social behaviour of Western Ringtail Possums. They are said to be very solitary and mostly live on their own, but our Phoebe loves it when we spend time with her while she is in her pouch. We don't handle her anymore as she needs to learn to be a wild child, but she knows where she can be safe and warm.

The Western Ringtail Possum is listed as a threatened species. Their legal status under the EPBC Act (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999) is "Vulnerable" and under the West Australian Wildlife Conservation Act (1950) they are listed as 'rare or likely to become extinct'. We are so blessed to have Phoebe here, she can join Polly who is our resident wild possum.

Phoebe came to us from licensed wildlife carers Pauline and Kevin at Dreamers Dream Wildlife Rehabilitation in Mount Barker. This is now our Sammie Jo's new home. We are guided by their expertise and knowledge during Phoebes release stage.

"It is such a privilege to share our backyard with a species that cannot be found anywhere else on this entire planet."

September in Albany at HideAway Haven Luxury 5* Accommodation

September may be almost over, but love this poem, so thought I would share it anyway

September in Australia

by Henry Kendall

Grey Winter hath gone like a wearisome guest,
And, behold, for repayment,
September comes in with the wind from the west
And the spring in her raiment!
The ways of the frost have been filled of the flowers,
While the forest discovers
Wild wings, with the halo of hyaline hours,
And the music of lovers.

September, the maid with the swift silver feet!
She glides and she graces
The valleys of coolness, the slopes of the heat,
With her blossomy traces;
Sweet month, with a mouth that is made of a rose,
She lightens and lingers
In spots where the harp of the evening glows,
Attuned by her fingers.

We, having a secret to others unknown,
In the cool mountain mosses,
May whisper together, September alone
Of our loves and our losses.
One word for her beauty, and one for the grace
She gave to the hours;
And then we may kiss her, and suffer her face
To sleep with the flowers.

Albany's Beautiful Harbour

The view of our harbour from Marine Drive is stunning.....you can stand at any of the numerous lookouts along the way and be mesmerised by the awesome views.  Next time you are in Albany, take a drive along Marine Terrace from Middleton Beach into Town and stop along the many viewing platforms along the way.

Our First 'The HideAway Infusion' Weekend

What happens when you mix great people with exquisite food in a very special spot

We have been anxiously waiting for our first 'The HideAway Infusion' weekend.   The HideAway Infusion is a day spent with Albany's very own celebrity chef, Daniel Sharp visiting the local farmers markets and touring local producers purchasing food for an amazing dining experience in the main kitchen of HideAway Haven..

We were asked by the WA Club to donate a 'The HideAway Infusion' together with 3 nights accommodation for their May promotion. They were promoting the regions of Albany and Denmark to their members. Jill and Brian were the lucky winners.

Saturday morning Daniel arrived to pick up our guests and they headed down to the local farmers market. It was a cold blustery day but as usual the atmosphere at the markets was exciting. We bought most of the ingredients for our evening meal and Daniel then took Jill and Brian to several local producers and visited Pepper and Salt Restaurant in Denmark for lunch.

During the evening Daniel delighted us with his passion for local produce during an interactive cooking experience and a delicious dinner.

Sail-a-Way - Whale Watching in Albany

Luxury Accommodation in Albany 

HideAway Haven ~ Happiness and Harmony Happen Here

Whale Watching Tours start again in June, 2011 though the whales are already in our waters.  John says ...  'Its not what you see when you are out on the water, it's what you feel during the experience'...  John would have to one of the most gentle spiritual men we have met....he loves the quietness of the night and is at one with the water. We will be taking a tour in June and hope to be able to share some photos with you. I am so excited to experience our first whale watching cruise.
Don't miss out on an unforgettable experience.  Come down to Albany for a stay at HideAway Haven and enjoy a day or evening out on the water with John and Sail-a-Way.  Chances are you will get more than 1 tour while you are here.  May & June are the nicest months in Albany with cold nights and warm days and no wind.

Skål

Skål is a professional organisation of tourism leaders around the world, promoting global tourism and friendship. We were invited to one of Albany's Skål monthly meeting's aboard Sail-A-Way a whale watching catamaran.  It was a perfect evening, with a very special sailor. Perfect night with clear skies and a million stars.  One day we will take a tour away from all the lights and just enjoy the sky.

If you came to Albany would you take a tour to watch the whales play in our water?

Luxury Accommodation in Albany 

HideAway Haven ~ Happiness and Harmony Happen Here

Girls GetAway @ HideAway

A Perfect weekend for girlfriends, sisters, mothers & daughters to create unforgetable memories together. We offer the services of professionals to deliver the personal services in this package. As part of the launch, first 3 bookings will receive a 10% discount.

Our Amazing Albany

Amazing Albany Slideshow: Maggie’s trip to Albany, Western Australia, Australia was created by TripAdvisor. See another Albany slideshow. Take your travel photos and make a slideshow for free.

Babymoon

Babymoon is a  term used to describe a vacation taken by a couple that is expecting a baby in order to allow the couple to enjoy a final trip together before the many sleepless nights that usually accompany a newborn baby

Combining the intimacy of a bed-and-breakfast with the luxury lodging accommodations of a boutique hotel, HideAway Haven offers personal touches for parents-to-be. 

We have been hosts to many couples who are expecting their first baby.  We offer them peace, privacy, modern conveniences and serve a delicious gourmet breakfast each morning to give them the required energy needed for a day of sightseeing in beautiful Albany.  Our breakfasts are never boring and there is always something different on the menu each morning.

As it is not advisable to sit in a steaming jacuzzi while pregnant, due to the risk over overheating, we are quite happy to drop the temperature in the Jacuzzi to a comfortable and safe 36 degrees, so pregnant Mums can still enjoy the therapeutic massage of the jets on their back.

An evening session in the jacuzzi will help you to relax and sleep better by relieving any aches and pains With so many physical and emotional changes happening during pregnancy, it's no surprise that 8 out of 10 women have insomnia and other sleep problems during pregnancy.  An evening soak in the Jacuzzi certainly goes a long way towards having a better night’s sleep.

Healthy Lifestyle Week

Its healthy lifestyle this week and the end of leave your car at home month. So after an easy day of Professional Learning in Albany, I grabbed the camera and went on a walk through the local bush. The wildflowers are out in full bloom. Lots of colours everywhere.

September in Australia

by Henry Kendall

Grey Winter hath gone like a wearisome guest,
And, behold, for repayment,
September comes in with the wind from the west
And the spring in her raiment!
The ways of the frost have been filled of the flowers,
While the forest discovers
Wild wings, with the halo of hyaline hours,
And the music of lovers.

September, the maid with the swift silver feet!
She glides and she graces
The valleys of coolness, the slopes of the heat,
With her blossomy traces;
Sweet month, with a mouth that is made of a rose,
She lightens and lingers
In spots where the harp of the evening glows,
Attuned by her fingers.

We, having a secret to others unknown,
In the cool mountain mosses,
May whisper together, September alone
Of our loves and our losses.
One word for her beauty, and one for the grace
She gave to the hours;
And then we may kiss her, and suffer her face
To sleep with the flowers.

Our Dream became our Vision and is now our Reality

Our vision was to make HideAway Haven an exclusive and exceptional lodging experience for our guests. We wanted guests to be able to share our serene setting and fresh country air, to experience nights of restful and peaceful sleep and share our paradise.

HideAway Haven is the culmination of a unique vision of ambience and architecture. The focal point is the Jacuzzi which sits on the deck under the open sky. On a clear night you will be mesmerized by a trillion stars.

HideAway Haven was designed and built as a haven with an atmosphere that encourages relaxation, romance and a renewed sense of well being.

Our dream was simple: be enthusiastic to learn, willing to connect, quickly contribute, ready to take risks, be open to have fun. We would base our accommodation on caring and sharing values, good old fashioned service, honesty, professionalism and friendliness.

The many comments in our visitor guest books prove our vision is now our reality. We are committed to continue to provide 5 star services with guests reluctant to leave and eager to return.

‘Thanks so much for all the finer details that make your home ours. We have loved the peace and serenity here and have only just begun to reap the relaxation that our few days here have allowed.’

Piero & Michelle, Sydney

‘We took your motto very seriously and are now thoroughly relaxed after a horrific 2009. The setting is beautiful, the food is manna of the gods, the contact with you very enjoyable and the bed and Jacuzzi were luxurious…Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.

Lesley & John, Mount Claremont

‘What a spectacular place! You have certainly created a ‘heavenly’ haven. 1 night was not enough, but we thoroughly enjoyed your special hospitality. PS can we move in?’

Pauline & Jim, Perth

‘A beautiful place and a great find. Thank you for making our stay so wonderful and fun. Could not think of a better place to spend and celebrate our 25^th wedding anniversary.’

Jeff & Sue, Melbourne