About

Overview & Vibe

300 acres of Victorian High Country twenty minutes from Mansfield, with Howqua River frontage and no main road anywhere near it. A wedding here takes exclusive use of the whole property from midday Friday to midday Sunday. The owners' framing is deliberately unfussy — “a place to slow down, celebrate and stay awhile… where everything feels natural, without the fuss.”

Setting & Style

Three ceremony spots to choose between: The Lawn with panoramic valley views, beside the Howqua River, or in the Bush Gully. The reception is The Barn — a large, flexible room seating 120 at timber trestle tables or set for cocktails, with a dedicated dancefloor, food servery and bar, opening onto an alfresco landing over the valley where wine barrels and market umbrellas go. After dark it runs on festoon and fairy lights, with fire pits in the cooler months. Accommodation is The Stables, a converted working horse stable sleeping 18.

Ideal For

Couples who want a whole property to themselves for a weekend, at up to 120 guests, and who are happy to bring their own caterer and run their own bar.

The Need-to-Knows

Nothing is priced on the site. The wedding package is described — “exclusive use of The Barn and two nights accommodation in The Stables” — but no figure appears anywhere. Enquiry is a form.
It is a BYO venue, and the responsibility is explicitly yours. “As a BYO venue, we require that alcohol service be provided by staff with a valid Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) certificate. The organisers of the wedding take full responsibility for the responsible service of alcohol to their guests.” An RSA bartender is available for a fee.
Bring your own caterer or food truck. Outside caterers are welcome and the lodge keeps a list of local suppliers who know the venue.
Guests arrive by bus, not by car. “For everyone's safety, guest transport is by bus.” The lodge recommends local operators. Budget for it.
Music stops at 11pm and non-staying guests leave by 11:30pm. Only the 18 people in The Stables remain.
Furniture is included — all of it. Tables and chairs for 120, bench seats and a signing table for the Ceremony Lawn, wine barrels, stools and market umbrellas for the landing. “There is no need to hire additional furniture.”
The Stables is deliberately basic. Four bedrooms, 18 beds, two bathrooms plus a laundry toilet, a wood fire, a pizza oven and a fire pit — and no TV, no Wi-Fi, and BYO bed linen and towels. Telstra reception only.
Sparklers by prior arrangement only, because of the bush setting and fire risk.

Standout Feature

Three hundred private acres with a river running through them, a barn that lights up after dark, and the whole place yours from Friday to Sunday.

Amenities

300 Acre Private Property
Howqua River Frontage
Exclusive Use Of The Whole Property
The Barn Reception Space
Dedicated Dancefloor
Food Servery
Bar Area
Alfresco Landing Overlooking The Valley
Festoon And Fairy Lighting
Fire Pits In Cooler Months
Wine Barrels And Market Umbrellas
Tables And Chairs For 120 Included
Bench Seats And Signing Table
Ceremony Lawn With Panoramic Views
Riverside Ceremony Site
Bush Gully Ceremony Site
Dam With Small Jetty
Deciduous Trees For Autumn Colour
Post And Rail Driveway
Venue Coordinators On Site
Local Supplier Network
Outside Caterers And Food Trucks Permitted
BYO Alcohol
RSA Bartender Available For A Fee
Onsite Accommodation For 18
Wood Fired Pizza Oven
20 Minutes From Mansfield

Ceremony Setting

outdoor
lawn
riverside
bushland
barn
indoor

Dietary Options Supported

No details available.

Nearby Landmarks

Howqua River – Runs through the property
Howqua – The valley locality the lodge sits in
Mansfield – Twenty minutes away, with cafes and services
Lake Eildon – The lodge names it as the local base for exploring
Mount Buller – The alpine resort above Mansfield
Howqua Hills Historic Area – Upstream in the Alpine National Park
Alpine National Park – The bush country surrounding the valley
Melbourne – About two and a half hours south-west

On Site Accommodation

The Stables – a converted working horse stable, included in the wedding package for two nights
Four bedrooms sleeping up to 18, with a mix of double beds, single beds and bunks
Two full bathrooms with hot showers, plus an extra toilet in the laundry
Large open-plan living and dining area with comfortable sofas and a large wood fire
Well-equipped kitchen and a generous dining table for the whole group
Undercover outdoor area with a wood-fired pizza oven and a gas BBQ
Large outdoor fire pit; stargazing with no city light
BYO bed linen and towels – the lodge keeps it low-cost by asking guests to bring them
No TV and no Wi-Fi; Telstra phone reception only
Larger weddings arrange additional accommodation nearby; the lodge recommends options

Price Notes

NOTHING IS PRICED ANYWHERE ON THE SITE. The wedding package is described but never costed: 'Our wedding package gives you exclusive use of The Barn and two nights accommodation in The Stables, so you can relax and immerse yourself in the joy of your celebration.' There is no per-head rate, hire fee, minimum spend or deposit on the weddings page, the FAQ or the accommodation page, and the domain serves no document. Enquiry is a form. Recorded as gated rather than not found.
THE VENUE SUPPLIES THE SITE AND THE FURNITURE; YOU SUPPLY THE FOOD AND THE BAR. On catering, from the FAQ: 'Are outside caterers allowed? Absolutely. You're welcome to choose your own caterers or food trucks. We can recommend trusted local vendors who know the venue well.' On alcohol: 'What are the rules about supplying alcohol? As a BYO venue, we require that alcohol service be provided by staff with a valid Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) certificate. The organisers of the wedding take full responsibility for the responsible service of alcohol to their guests. We can offer a qualified RSA bartender for an additional fee.' THE RSA RESPONSIBILITY SITTING WITH THE COUPLE IS UNUSUAL AND MATERIAL - most BYO venues in this campaign either supply the bar staff or charge corkage to do so. Here it is the organisers' legal responsibility unless the lodge's bartender is engaged, and that bartender is an extra.
FURNITURE IS FULLY INCLUDED, which offsets the absence of published pricing: 'Do we need to hire furniture? There is no need to hire additional furniture. We provide tables and chairs for up to 120 guests, and bench seats and a signing table for the Ceremony Lawn. Wine barrels, stools and market umbrellas are also provided for the landing.'
GUEST TRANSPORT IS BY BUS AND THE LODGE TREATS IT AS A REQUIREMENT, not a suggestion: 'How do our guests get to and from Howqua Lodge? For everyone's safety, guest transport is by bus. This allows everyone to arrive and depart together, relax, and enjoy the celebration without worrying about driving. We can recommend local bus companies to make the process simple for you and your guests.' With only 18 beds on site and a bush location twenty minutes from Mansfield, this is a real line in the budget.
A HARD CURFEW WITH A TWO-STAGE CLEARANCE: 'Is there a noise curfew? Yes, music and noise must wind down by 11pm. We ask that all guests not booked into The Stables leave by 11:30pm.'
ACCESS IS A FULL WEEKEND: 'When can we arrive to start setting up our wedding? Check-in: from midday on Friday. Check-out: by midday on Sunday. If you have suppliers needing earlier access or items to be dropped off/collected outside these times, please don't hesitate to ask.' 48 hours of exclusive use.
THE LODGE ACTS AS VENUE COORDINATOR, NOT WEDDING PLANNER, and draws the line itself: 'Do you offer a Wedding Co-ordinator? We are available as Venue Co-ordinators for the duration of your time at Howqua Lodge to assist with anything to do with our venue. We're here to help you set up, we liaise with your suppliers regarding their access and bump-in/out, we help with any unexpected issues on the night, and we're here at the end of the evening to farewell guests and secure the venue.'
SPARKLERS ARE RESTRICTED FOR FIRE REASONS: 'Due to our bush location and being mindful of fire risk, sparklers are only permitted by prior arrangement in a suitable location and with safety measures in place.'
BOOK EARLY FOR SPRING AND AUTUMN: 'We recommend securing your dates as early as possible, especially if you're aiming for a peak weekend in Spring or Autumn. Weddings are often booked up to 2 years in advance, but sometimes we take booking within 2-3 months!'
NO STRUCTURED PRICING DATA. The site is Wix and carries no offer, price or priceRange.