# The 16 acres: the property grounds and lake at Montville Country Cabins
> What's on the property itself: the spring-fed lake, the gardens, the rainforest edge, and the four animals you'll most often see.
- Tag: Field notes
- Published: 2026-05-28
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The 16 acres at Montville Country Cabins is two types of land joined together: manicured gardens around the cabins, and rainforest edge running into Kondalilla National Park. A small spring-fed lake sits between the two. Most of what guests do outside their cabin happens on this land.
## The lake
Spring-fed, small, with picnic tables on the shore and outdoor furniture scattered between the cabins and the water. The view from the lake-side cabins (Cuddle Pie, Silky Oak, and the three two-storey family cabins Rose Gum, Iron Bark and Hoop Pine) opens onto it; Snuggle Pot catches a distant glimpse through the trees.
The lake is the visual centrepiece of the property. Lake Baroon, 3.2 km away, is the larger lake for canoes and sailing craft; see [Hinterland walks near Montville](/journal/hinterland-walks-near-montville/index.md) for what's possible there.
## The gardens
Manicured paths run between the cabins, through the gardens, and down to the lake. The cabins are 50 to 100 metres apart, so the gardens between them are real spaces with picnic tables and outdoor furniture at intervals, not narrow strips between buildings.
## The rainforest edge
The property line meets Kondalilla National Park along part of its boundary. Walks into the park leave from the edge of the gardens.
The couples cottages with rainforest outlook (Harmony, Peace, Seclusion) sit closest to this edge; their verandahs look directly into the bush. The lake-side cabins face the water and the gardens instead.
## Where to sit outside
Outdoor furniture and picnic areas sit at intervals across the property: by the lake, in the gardens, near the rainforest edge. From any cabin, walking to a quiet spot to read or to drink coffee is a matter of minutes.
## The four animals you'll see
The property's wildlife is consistent across the seasons:
- **Kookaburras** at breakfast. They watch the BBQ rails and the picnic tables; food left unattended will move.
- **Whip-birds** in the canopy. The whip-crack call carries across the property, especially in the morning.
- **Green tree frogs** after rain. Around the lake edges and the verandah eaves.
- **Possums** at night. They visit the cabins after dark; closing the verandah door is a good habit.
The general bushland soundtrack (birdcall, leaves, water) runs across all 16 acres.
## How a stay uses the property
Most guests do a slow walk of the lake in the morning, sit on their verandah at some point in the day, and spend time at one of the picnic areas. The grounds frame the cabins. The lake mist, the rainforest soundtrack and the half-hour-from-anywhere quiet are what guests come for.
## Seasonal beats
The garden looks different across the year. After rain in any season, the rainforest is loud and the lake holds the haze. Winter mornings hold mist longest; summer afternoons run with brief storms; autumn and spring sit in between. The grounds work in any of these states; nothing about a wet afternoon ruins a Montville stay.
