Once Were Wild: helping women reclaim their spirit of adventure one journey at a time

Decades of hospitality, hosting and friendship form the foundations of Once Were Wild, a new travel venture for women, founded by Maleny’s Adele Gruber and Barbara Lutze.

Adele and her husband Josef have owned and operated Lillypilly’s Country Cottages for 30 years, and Barbara and her husband Klaus are the formidable team who founded and ran King Ludwig’s Restaurant for 32 years, and continue to operate Cottage in the Woods, Maleny.

“At this stage in our lives, we both felt a strong pull to collaborate on what is a passion project for us,” Adele explained.

“We wanted to build a travel company that creates spaces for women to step away from the pressure of everyday obligations and reconnect with their inner wildness - hence the name Once Were Wild.”

“This venture was born from our shared love of premium hospitality, outstanding food, fine wine, and wild open spaces,” Barbara added.

“We are building a community of women who are ready to reconnect with themselves, our stunning natural environment and like minded people to share the journey.

“We will be encouraging our community of women to consider the world their playground, and our intimate journeys and immersive experiences are designed to take you deeper, not just further.”

Launching this November 22, their inaugural project consists of two back to back, six night all inclusive creative immersion retreats, crafted specifically for women.

Meticulously designed, guests will be treated to luxury accommodation, boutique workshop transfers and curated regional sightseeing.

The experience will include bespoke dining, exclusive masterclasses with world celebrated and awarded artists Peter Hudson, Tina Cooper and Wolfgang Engel, and a Monte Lupo Clay sculpting workshop amongst many features.

“We have also adapted our pricing structure for locals who would love to join us,” Adele said.

“We are excited about building a community of women who are ready to take the time to really breathe in the incredible world around us, and we can’t wait to welcome them to Once Were Wild.”

To find out more, go to www.oncewerewild.com

Once Were Wild founders, Adele Gruber & Barbara Lutze “this is a passion project for us.”