Quantum Leap
Gourmet Traveller|May 2017

With the opening of Jackalope, a luxe hotel with a sense of fun and artistic adventure, the Mornington Peninsula has acquired a new level of staying power, writes Larissa Dubecki.

Larissa Dubecki
Quantum Leap
The rabbits are coming. Actually, make that rabbit singular, super size it to seven metres and crown it with gold-tipped antelope horns. Melbourne sculptor Emily Floyd’s giant jackalope makes an arresting faux-naïf statement in the forecourt at Willow Creek vineyard, the first sign that the changes afoot at this boutique winery are profound indeed.

The horned jackrabbit of North American cowpoke myth has lent its name, along with its shape-shifting personality, to Jackalope, an ambitious $40 million hotel three years in the making, and opened last month on the Mornington Peninsula, about an hour’s drive from Melbourne.

For dedicated followers of hotel fashion, as well as those who merely dabble in five-star comfort, Jackalope is more than a welcome answer to the wealthy wine region’s dearth of good accommodation options. It’s a game-changer, the kind of place that might beget a reputation as a destination in itself. Forty-six guestrooms, a bistro, wine bar and restaurant are the bare bones of the Jackalope tale, not the sum of its parts.

It’s a hotel with a rare sense of fun and artistic adventure, something the brains behind MONA might dream up, if they ever get around to building their long-touted hotel. Jackalope’s guiding theme is alchemy – specifically, the alchemy of winemaking, although the breadth of the topic gives art-obsessed owner Louis Li plenty of wiggle room on the conceptual elements. They range from the neon alchemical symbols lending an eerie David Lynchian feel to the hallways to the 10,000 sepia-toned light bulbs suspended in glorious LED-powered animation on the restaurant Doot Doot Doot’s ceiling, imitating the fermentation process.

This story is from the May 2017 edition of Gourmet Traveller.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the May 2017 edition of Gourmet Traveller.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM GOURMET TRAVELLERView All
From personal experience
Gourmet Traveller

From personal experience

Former Hope St Radio chef ELLIE BOUHADANA invites you to gather your loved ones and enjoy an evening of good food and laughter with recipes from her new cookbook, Ellie's Table.

time-read
8 mins  |
September 2024
Kimberley Moulton
Gourmet Traveller

Kimberley Moulton

Kylie Kwong celebrates the individuals helping to grow a stronger community. This month, we applaud the international curator and Yorta Yorta woman who is shining a light on First Peoples.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024
Tom Wallace
Gourmet Traveller

Tom Wallace

We share a drop with the head winemaker for Devil's Corner, Tamar Ridge and Pirie Sparkling, a master of cool-climate grapes.

time-read
1 min  |
September 2024
Best in class
Gourmet Traveller

Best in class

The top drops to keep an eye out for on wine lists (and why they're worth the splurge)

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024
A taste of refuge
Gourmet Traveller

A taste of refuge

Fleeing war and persecution, Australia's new arrivals push our food culture forward. DANI VALENT explores the contributions of the country's refugee communities.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2024
BE OUR GUEST
Gourmet Traveller

BE OUR GUEST

Inspired by the sense of place conjured by Europe's Michelin-star restaurants, local restaurateurs are expanding their hospitality remit to include accommodation

time-read
6 mins  |
September 2024
Barcelona BUZZ
Gourmet Traveller

Barcelona BUZZ

A popular drawcard for digital nomads and expats alike, the Catalonian capital offers equal parts sophistication and fun. Here, DANI VALENT discovers the latest dining hotspots.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2024
HEATHCOTE BOUND
Gourmet Traveller

HEATHCOTE BOUND

MICHAEL HARDEN hits the road to explore regional Victoria's Heathcote, home to this year's Best Destination Dining and a host of other delights.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2024
The art of...relishing restaurants
Gourmet Traveller

The art of...relishing restaurants

Does working in hospitality make someone a better or worse diner

time-read
3 mins  |
September 2024
HEART AND SOUL
Gourmet Traveller

HEART AND SOUL

Not a vegetable but rather a flower bud that rises on a thistle, the artichoke is a complex delight. Its rewards are hard won; first you must get past the armour of petals and remove the hairy choke. Those who step up are rewarded with sweet and savoury creaminess and the elusive flavour of spring. Many of the recipes here begin with the same Provençal braise. Others call on the nuttiness of artichokes in their raw form. The results make pasta lighter and chicken brighter or can be fried to become a vessel for bold flavours all of which capture the levity of the season.

time-read
7 mins  |
September 2024