Gather | Make | Feast
2027
21 to 23 May | $1300 per person ($600 deposit)What to Expect
A few days to step away from the everyday.
To slow down, make beautiful things, eat wonderfully, and spend time with a small group of like-minded creatives in an intimate and nurturing setting.
Gather Make Feast brings together stitching, seasonal food, creativity and connection at The Millhouse, an incredible State Heritage property just 20 minutes from Daylesford. Think beautiful materials, long tables, warm conversation, country air, delicious food and plenty of time to simply enjoy being creative.
❋ Two days of workshops with Anna VictoriaAnna will guide you through two textile jewellery workshops, both specifically designed for the retreat - a silk and velvet botanical brooch and a hand embellished silk bracelet, inspired by The Millhouse surroundings
❋ Creative connection in a nurturing, small group environmentConnection is a core aspect of this retreat - we are keeping our group small (14 people max) so that you can enjoy meaningful connections with like-minded creatives and leave the retreat feeling nourished, supported and rejuvinated by the experience.
❋ Relaxed cooking demonstrations and a hands-on masterclass with The Millhouse owner and chef, Rachel Marshall Passionate farm-to-table and seasonal cook Rachel will open her kitchen for retreat guests to learn a few of the home cooking secrets that she loves the most
❋ Sumptuous, bountiful country hospitalityRachel will prepare wonderful morning and afternoon teas and lavish lunches every day to fill our hearts and our bellies as we create together. We will end each day with an aperitif inspired by The Millhouse gardens themselves.
Your Hosts
Anna Bastiaan
Mixed Media ArtistAnna is a Melbourne-based mixed-media artist whose work brings together painting, embroidery, textiles, vintage materials and a love of the handmade. Her workshops are an invitation to slow down, explore creativity and make something beautiful with your own hands.
Chef & Owner of The Millhouse Rachel Marshall
Rachel is a chef and passionate seasonal cook. After owning and running Sydney restaurant Hearth and Soul, she and her husband Don traded city life for the country, buying and lovingly renovating The Millhouse. Here, Rachel continues her love of seasonal, generous and farm-to-table cooking.
The Price
To secure your place, a $600 non-refundable deposit is required at the time of booking.
The remaining $700 balance is due 1 December 2026. You will be sent a payment link to complete your payment.
Once the full retreat price has been paid, both the deposit and balance are non-refundable.
If your circumstances change and you can no longer attend, you may transfer your booking to another person up to one week before the retreat, provided you notify us at: hello@annavictoria.com.au
We encourage you to take out travel and event insurance to protect your payment should your circumstances change.
There is a minimum number of guests required for the retreat to go ahead.
In the unlikely event that we do not reach this number, we will notify you and refund any payment you have made in full.
$1,300 per person
Location
The Millhouse
9 Alice St, Smeaton, Victoria
(Parking is available onsite)
What is included:
Welcome drinks on Thursday evening for guests who are already in the area
Three full days together at The Millhouse (accomodation is NOT included)
Two exclusive textile jewellery workshops with Anna Victoria (more details on these workshops below)
ALL materials for both workshops
Lavish morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea each day
Seasonal and often locally sourced produce prepared by Rachel
A late-afternoon aperitif inspired by The Millhouse gardens
Relaxed cooking demonstrations with Rachel on day two
A hands-on cooking class with Rachel on day three
Beautiful surprises throughout the retreat
Plenty of opportunity for creative exploration, connection and simply enjoying the surroundings
What is NOT included:
ACCOMMODATION IS NOT INCLUDED
The Millhouse is a private estate and as such there is no accommodation available for retreat guests at the property.
The good news is that we are in Victoria’s beautiful spa country, just 20 minutes from Daylesford, with a wonderful range of nearby accommodation options to suit different preferences and budgets.
If you need some help, we’re very happy to provide a couple of accommodation suggestions.
Guests will make their own way to and from The Millhouse each day.
Breakfast and dinner are also not included, although after Rachel has been looking after you for the day, we suspect you won’t be thinking about dinner!
The Program
For those who are already nearby, we’ll begin the retreat with welcome drinks on Thursday evening.
The location is still being finalised, but we anticipate gathering somewhere in Daylesford.
It will be a relaxed opportunity to meet one another, have a drink and ease into the retreat before we begin our first day at The Millhouse.
Before we begin
We’ll begin with a beautiful silk and velvet rose brooch, an extension of my one-day brooch workshops but designed especially for the retreat as a more elaborate statement piece.
We’ll work with exquisite materials including beautiful silks, velvets and Swarovski crystals to create something truly special.
All materials and tuition are included.
Day One
Day two is dedicated to a new embroidered bracelet design, created especially for Gather Make Feast.
Inspired by The Millhouse, its history and its gardens, the bracelet will be embellished with beautiful motifs and charms drawn from the character of the property.
All materials and tuition are included.
Alongside our stitching, Rachel will invite us into her kitchen for some relaxed cooking demonstrations — perhaps sourdough, or another of the seasonal things she loves to make.
Day Two
The final day is deliberately relaxed, to enable you to continue your creative projects at your own pace with Anna's support and tuition at the ready.
Continue working on your brooch or bracelet, begin something new from one of the additional kits available to purchase, or simply bring along another creative project you’ve been wanting to spend time on.
The day is yours.
Rachel will also host a hands-on cooking class exclusively for retreat guests, giving you the opportunity to get involved and learn from her incredible knowledge of cooking and seasonal produce.
Or simply sit, stitch, talk, eat and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.