The most luxurious glamping spots in Australia

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Glamping – or ‘glamorous camping’ – means a trip to the great outdoors without the hassle or fuss: arriving at your campground to find your tent set up for you, bedding supplied and some lovely homely touches added to make your stay more comfortable. Plus, toilets that aren’t too far away!

And there’s no shortage of luxury glamping spots around Australia that elevate the experience to the level of a five-star hotel stay: we’re talking lodgings or abodes with silk-lined roofing, a proper hotel-style bed and amenities closer to that of the Hilton than a campsite. Yes, we’re talking fully functioning en suites. Hooray!

Whatever level of luxury you’re pitching at, check out some of the best glamping spots in the country…

 

QUEENSLAND

Sanctuary by Sirromet

Luxury level: 8/10

In the heart of South East Queensland, settled around a natural lagoon, the new Sanctuary by Sirromet brings true eco-luxe camping to this remote area. All surrounded by bushland, the tented pavilions give you the feeling of sitting in a tree house, while offering all the amenities needed – including free wi-fi and air conditioning. Located on the grounds of Sirromet winery, you can also go behind the scenes of a working winery or join in on one of the tastings.

Sirromet is also part of the Unique Winery Experiences of Australia.

Price: from $380 per night for two people.

Sanctuary

Habitat Noosa

Luxury level: 6.5/10

Only 25 minutes north of Noosa, Habitat Noosa offers a wide range of glamping and camping options. Whether you choose a 30-metre-square paperbark glamping tent with queen-size bed and full en suite, or a comfortable wilderness tent already set up for you, or simply the perfect camping spot under a tree, the fully renovated and refurbished eco camp impresses with its new facilities and premium comfort for every guest to enjoy. And because the area is known for its large population of eastern grey kangaroos, you might find yourself making new friends of the marsupial persuasion.

Price: wilderness tents available from $33 per person per night (quad share). Paperbark tents available from $290 per night for two people.

 

Castaways on Moreton Island

Luxury level: 8.5/10

A queen-size bed, private en suite and verandah, environed by giant Melaleuca trees and the beach in plain sight – who would have thought camping could ever be like this? Castaways in Bulwer on Moreton Island lets you experience the outdoors without the usual camping hassles. The tents are fully furnished, linen and towels are provided and the communal camp kitchen has all the utensils you need. A unique island camping experience.

Price: from $100 per night, two nights minimum.

 

NEW SOUTH WALES

Cockatoo Island

Luxury level: 6/10

Cockatoo Island is the ideal solution for those who aren’t looking for luxury in their escape from the everyday, but for an unforgettable, hassle-free camping trip. The little island in the middle of Sydney Harbour invites you to go back in time and retrace colonial and maritime history, or take in the island’s top attractions – it often hosts events, such as the Biennale of Sydney, within its impressive heritage and industrial buildings. After exploring Cockatoo, you can end the day by camping in one of the tents on the waterfront. All you’ll have to do is bring your food and cooking utensils to make the most of your magic sleepover.

Prices: from $150 per night for two people (Monday to Thursday) or $175 per night (Friday to Sunday)

 

Paperbark Camp

Luxury level: 8/10

Nestled in the bush in the spectacular Jervis Bay area and just a two-hour drive south of Sydney, Paperbark Camp is the place to enjoy some quiet, lazy days surrounded by nature, with pristine beaches and national parks just around the corner. The canvas safari-style tents are built above ground amid the eucalypts and paperbarks, and offer luxurious accommodation amenities, such as a wraparound decking and an open-air private en suite. Also onsite is a gorgeous restaurant and communal lounge, the Gunyah.

Price: from $495 per night including dinner, bed and breakfast for two people.

 

 

Night views of Paperback camp

VICTORIA

Happy Glamper

Luxury level: 6.5/10

Happy Glamper gives you the opportunity to experience a fuss-free camping trip, anywhere you want, all across the Mornington Peninsula. No tent to pitch, no sleeping bag to untangle, no heavy equipment to carry. All you have to do is choose your location/spot and Happy Glamper will set up your night’s lodging before you arrive. You can choose from either bell tents or Lotus Belle tents and with your package you’ll receive a heater in winter, all linen and bedding, towels, chairs, an LED lantern, computer games, books and magazines, a combination lock and fairy lights – if you book a powered site. In terms of where to relieve yourself, each spot you choose is located on a local foreshore campground, and Happy Glampers are welcome to use the ground’s amenities.

Prices: from $360 for two people for two nights. One night stays are also available mid-week.

 

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SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Ikara Safari Camp, Wilpena Pound Resort

Luxury level: 9/10

The Ikara Safari Camp’s luxury tents offer exactly what you would expect from its safari-style premise, with a full-size king beds, en suite bathrooms, air conditioning, private decks and your own fire pits for a little bit of marshmallow roasting. All in the heart of one of Australia’s most underrated destinations, the Flinders Ranges.

Price: from $320 for two people per night.

 

Kangaluna Camp, Gawler Rangers Safaris, Wudinna

Luxury level: 8.5/10

Choose a permanent luxury tent among the mallee woodlands, or stay in the glorious ‘Swagon’ – a re-engineered wagon topped with swag-style tent and transparent ceiling – cue endless stargazing, especially if you acquire the help of the site’s eight-inch computer controlled telescope.

Price: two nights from $1825 with tours included.

Comfort to the max at paperbark camp

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Kooljaman, Cape Leveque

Luxury level: 6/10

Probably our pick of the Kimberley glamping spots, no one we know has ever regretted staying at Kooljaman. Owned and run by the local Indigenous community, the Bardi Jawi, the whole experience is so infused with local culture that it leaves all guests truly transformed. Right on the beach at Cape Leveque, 210 kilometres and about six hours’ drive north of Broome, the glamping accommodation comes in two different levels: basic glamping, which is comfortable camping with single beds or more safari-style luxury tents.

Prices: bookings are all on a package basis, from $1390 for two in a mini safari tent, for a three-night stay including all meals.

One of the Deluxe eco-tents with beachfront views available at Discovery Rottnest Island.

Discovery Rottnest Island

Luxury level: 7.5/10

The first of its kind on Rottnest Island, the eco-resort has been designed to deliver a low environmental impact glamping experience. The 83 eco-tents are nestled behind the iconic Pinky Beach with sweeping views of The Basin and the city skyline visible in the distance. You can choose from affordable family tents right through to five-star glamping accommodation.

Each eco-tent has its own en-suite bathroom, pillow-topped bed and furnished private decks, while many others come complete with kitchenettes. Splash out on a deluxe tent and you’ll get opulent beachfront views and a walk-in wardrobe. Guests also have access to the resort pool, pool bar and Pinky’s Beach Club.

Prices: Starting from $183 per night for a standard tent for two, and ranging up to the Deluxe tent for two from $387 per night.

 

APT Wilderness Lodges, the Kimberley

Luxury level: 8/10

The crew from one of Australia’s largest cruise and tour companies, APT, were so successful in the Kimberley tour market that they created their own glamping camps to cater to their guests. The three camps are Bungle Bungle Wilderness Lodge, Bell Gorge and Mitchell Falls, and all offer a touch of luxury in the amazing remote outback. The Bungle Bungle Wilderness Lodge includes open-air dining, three course dinner and buffet breakfast, as well as a fully equipped bar and lounge to relax in after a long day of exploring.

Prices: From $443 per night for two people, from $590 per night for two people with breakfast and dinner included.

 

Karijini Eco Retreat

Luxury level: 8.5/10

Hidden in the heart of Karijini National Park, the Karijini Eco Retreat offers a broad choice of accommodations, ranging from campsites to deluxe eco tents and dorm-style cabins. The retreat is located at Joffre Gorge and embraces a greener style of accommodation. It’s 100 per cent owned by the local Gumala Aboriginal Corporation, which acts according to the interests of the Aboriginal people of the region. Lunch boxes and snacks are provided daily and an Australian restaurant on the campground offers traditional meals.

Price: prices start at $315 per night for two people in the Deluxe Eco with Ensuite including continental breakfast.

 

Sal Salis, Ningaloo

Luxury level: 8.5/10

Surrounded by the dunes of the Cape Range National Park, the Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef makes the ultimate place to combine a bush-and-beach camping adventure with luxury accommodation. Each of the safari-style tents offers all the amenities you would expect for an eco-luxe camping trip – including the marvellous panorama of the bushland and the ocean beyond. As the camp sets its priorities on sustainability, it abides by strict tenets of minimal impact. Therefore, it uses solar-generated power, contains composting toilets and provides native herb soaps. Your stay also includes chef-prepared meals and drinks from a select open bar, as well as snacks.

Price: starting from $1500 per night for two people, including national park entrance fee as well as guided wilderness activities. Minimum stay two nights.

 

 

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NORTHERN TERRITORY

Longitude 131°

Luxury level: 9.5/10

The Northern Territory’s Longitude 131° brings glamping to a whole new level. Completely renovated and overhauled, this wildlife oasis is hidden among dunes with a spectacular view of Uluru. The floor-to-ceiling windows allow you to feel at one with the desert of the Red Centre while enjoying exclusive tranquillity and luxury. Offering all the amenities of a five-star hotel, you can decide whether to spend your time resting on your balcony with a luxury swag and the warmth of a fireplace, receiving a relaxing treatment at the spa, dining at the Dune House restaurant, or watching the sun go down from the dune-top bar with as much French champagne as you can handle. A prime spot for discovering the NT’s outback, and the spiritual heart of Australia, this magical basecamp is a place like no other.

Price: from $1500 per person per night for a twin share in a luxury tent. Minimum stay two nights.

Views from Longitude

 

Banubanu Beach Retreat

Luxury level: 7.5/10

Located at the north-east coves of Bremer Island, the Banubanu Beach Resort offers premium comfort to a maximum of 10 guests at a time. The Deluxe Beachfront Eco Tents are situated directly at the beach and equipped with king-size bed, en suite bathroom, pedestal fan and private deck. For those who prefer rainforest vibes, the retreat has beach house cabins among the monsoonal vine thicket, also with private bathrooms.

Price: from $350 per person including breakfast, lunch, dinner and soft beverages. Minimum stay two nights.

 

Wildman Wilderness Lodge

Luxury level: 7/10

The Wildman Wilderness Lodge in the Mary River Wetlands is the ultimate spot to embrace the wilds of the Top End. While the romantic ‘Habitat’ comes with air conditioning and premium furnishing, the safari tents offer a more basic, but still stylish option. The lodge is situated on the edge of Kakadu National Park and provides a wide range of tours and activities. Also, packages including day tours to the park are available.

Price: from $615 for two people per night.

 

TASMANIA

The Truffle Lodge

Luxury level: 8.5/10

One of Australia’s first truffle orchards decided to expand its horizons and is now offering boutique glamping on its farm. Just a 45 minute-drive from Hobart, its owners set up five luxury tents directly on the edge of Derwent River, each one with a private deck facing the water.

The tents and en suites are fully equipped and offer all the amenities a hotel room would. Each tent is connected – via a boardwalk – to the lodge, where you can enjoy breakfast, dinner, and drinks or just relax in one of the fireside lounges.

Price: from $599 for two people per night, with a river view.

 

Huon Bush Retreats

Luxury level: 6.5/10

Huon Bush Retreats is a great choice for all those who want to experience an original camping trip – with a hint of luxury and without the usual hassles of camping. Among cabins and campgrounds, the retreat has set up a selection of teepees, all placed within the natural bushland of the Huon Valley.

Each tent contains a pull-out bed, a cosy wood-fired heater and a music device. As they are all nestled in the woods without any major clearings having been made, you’ll be completely surrounded by nature and its residents while sitting on your little covered deck. Sanitary facilities and a camp kitchen supplying essentials are just around the corner, as well as an outdoor bath for two. This glamping opportunity combines nature, comfort and an affordable price point.

Price: from $95 per night for two people in the Deluxe Teepee.

 

Wingtons Glamping

Luxury level: 8.5/10

Spending a night at Wingtons Glamping is like going back in time to the 1930s – with today’s advantages. At Clarence Point, Tamar Valley, in the heart of Tasmania’s premier wine region, Wingtons erected three canvas bell safari tents. Furnished with vintage pieces and decorations including steamer trunks and Persian-style carpets, you’ll also find modern conveniences such as wi-fi and Bose bluetooth speakers. Furthermore, each tent contains its own private bathroom teepee with hot water and flushing toilets, and an outdoor kitchen with barbecue.

Price: from $220 per night for two people.

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What it’s really like to stay on the world’s largest sand island

    Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
    Exploring the world’s largest sand island starts with the perfect K’gari homebase.

    The morning light is still soft, but it’s already a perfect sunny day. We left our K’gari homebase at Kingfisher Bay Resort with our guide, Peter Meyer, at 9 am to make the most of our time to explore all that the world’s largest sand island holds. The size of K’gari is hard to grasp until you arrive here. This is no sandbar. Stretching 120 kilometres, unique lakes, mangrove systems, rainforest, 75 Miles of beach, historic shipwrecks, small townships and even one of Queensland’s best bakeries are all hidden within its bounds.

    But first, one of the island’s most iconic sights: the pure silica sand and crystal clear waters of Lake McKenzie.

    Laying eyes on it for the first time, I’m finally able to confirm that the photos don’t lie. The sand is pure white, without the merest hint of yellow. The water fades from a light halo of aqua around the edges to a deeper, royal blue, the deeper it gets (not that it’s particularly deep, six metres at most). The surface remains surprisingly undisturbed, like a mirror.

    Arriving with our guide before 10 am means that no one else is around when we get here. Which means we have the pleasure of breaking the smooth surface with our own ripples as we enter. As a self-confessed wimp with chilly water temperatures, my fears are quickly assuaged. Even in the morning, the water stays around 23 degrees – perfect for lazing about all day. But we have more sights to see.

    Exploring K’gari

    ariel of in lake mckenzie on k'gari fraser island
    Relax in the warm waters of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Ayeisha Sheldon)

    This was the Personalised 4WD tour offered by Kingfisher Bay Resort, and my absolute top pick of experiences. Over the course of the day, we had the freedom to create our own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who had plenty of stories and local expertise to give context to what we were looking at. From the history of the SS Maheno shipwreck, which survived the First World War only to be washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935, to a detailed description of how an island made of sand could sustain such diverse flora.

    If it’s your first time to K’gari, the Beauty Spots Tour is another great option. Departing daily from Kingfisher Bay Resort (you’ll start to notice a trend, as many of the tours do start and end here), an air-conditioned, 4WD bus takes guests to the island’s most iconic locations, including the best places to swim, like Lake McKenzie and Eli Creek. The latter offers a gentle current, perfect for riding with a blow-up tyre out towards the ocean.

    The next day, for a look at a completely different side of K’gari, I joined one of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Immersive Ranger-guided tours to kayak through the mangroves of Dundonga Creek. This long, snake-like stretch of creek winds its way inland from the ocean outlet we entered by, at times too narrow for three kayaks to be side-by-side. Small insects buzz from leaf to leaf, while birds call overhead. Occasional bubbles indicate we’ve passed some fish that call this place home.

    kayak tour through the mangroves at k'gari island
    Learn about the island’s mangroves from your Ranger. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)

    If kayaking isn’t for you – or if, like me, you simply want more – other ranger-led experiences include nature walks and a dedicated Junior Eco Ranger Program for kids ages five to 12 (these run every weekend, and daily over the peak December holidays). Just ask for a timetable of upcoming tours when you check in.

    While during whale season, Hervey Bay Whale Watch & Charters operates tours from the hotel’s jetty to get up close to the famous Humpback Highway of Hervey Bay, from 7 November to 31 May, attention turns to the Aqua Oasis Cruise. Departing from the resort every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for resort guests, adventure along the island’s remote western coast, pointing out wildlife like dolphins, turtles, flying fish and eagles along the way.

    The cruise drops anchor so guests can jump into the water using the boat’s equipment – from SUP boards to inflatable slides and jumping platforms. Then refuel with a provided lunch, of course.

    Unwind at sunset

    two people drinking cocktails at sunset bar, kingfisher bay resort
    Unwind at the Sunset Bar. (Image: Sean Scott)

    As much as days on K’gari can be filled with adventure, to me, the afternoons and evenings there are for unwinding. Sunsets on K’gari are absolutely unbelievable, with Kingfisher Bay on the west side being the best spot to catch the colours.

    The Sunset Bar, located at the start of the resort’s jetty and overlooking the beach, is the ultimate location for sundowners. Let chill beats wash over you as you sip on cool wines, beers and cocktails in a relaxed, friendly vibe. Personally, a cheese board was also absolutely called for. As the sun sinks, the sand, sea and horizon turn a vibrant shade of orange, with the jetty casting a dramatic shadow across the water.

    When the show is over, head back to the hotel for dinner at the Asian-fusion Dune restaurant, or the pub-style Sand + Wood. But if your appetite is still whetted for more lights and colours, the evening isn’t over yet.

    Settle into the Illumina stage for Return to Sky, an immersive light and sound show leading viewers on a captivating journey through K’gari’s stories and landscapes.

    Indulge and disconnect

    woman setting up massage room at kingfisher bay resort Island Day Spa
    Find bliss at Island Day Spa. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

    Of course, there is a type of traveller who knows that balance is important, day or night. While Kingfisher Bay Resort offers more than one pool for guests to spend all day lounging by (they’ll even serve you food and drinks while you do it), you’ll find me at the Island Day Spa.

    The masseuses could match the magic hands of any big city spa, and I felt the warm welcome as I walked into the light, breezy reception. Choose from a range of botanical facials, beauty treatments and soothing massages using traditional techniques (obviously, I couldn’t go past a relaxing massage). All products used contain organic, native botanical ingredients with nutrient-rich plant extracts to soothe skin and mind. To really indulge, try out one of the packages, couples treatment or even a pre-wedding day offering.

    Getting there

    kingfisher bay resort 4wd tour driving passed ss maheno on k'gari island
    The world of K’gari awaits. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

    Getting to K’gari is shockingly easy. Find daily flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a shuttle bus between the airport, their headquarters in Hervey Bay and the ferry to take you to K’gari.