Best B&Bs in Queensland

Australian TravellerBy Australian Traveller
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Our guide to the best B&Bs in Queensland

GLASS ON GLASSHOUSE

One of the new breed of B&Bs, Glass on Glasshouse has a sleek, modernist edge. Accommodation consists of three purpose-built contemporary pavilions with two floor-to-ceiling glass walls, offering views of the Glasshouse Mountains just 6km away. Foregoing the rustic look entirely, the interiors are chic with a minimalist, Japanese twist. A two-sided fireplace warms the lounge room and bathroom, where there’s a freestanding double spa bath. There’s a fully equipped kitchenette complete with espresso machine, but unlike many self-catering stays, this one provides breakfast for you.

SOMETHING SPECIAL

Local wildlife comes to visit, including kangaroos, black cockatoos and kookaburras. The fact that you can sit inside, nice and snug in winter, and still watch the animals out of the massive windows, is wonderful.

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

Take a ferry to Bribie Island; go shopping in Maleny or Noosa; visit the Irwins’ Australia Zoo.

 

CONTACT: Bill and Misao Rogers.

182 Glass House-Woodford Road, Glass House Mountains.

(07) 5496 9608; glassonglasshouse.com.au

THE SPOTTED CHOOK FERME AUBERGE

Possibly the cutest B&B on our list, the Spotted Chook is also in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. While the pairing of lime green and powder blue in the Snowpea Suite might be a bit too lairy for some, the suite known as Amelie’s Petite Maison is more classically decorated. Amelie’s is a French-inspired, freestanding cottage with a balcony spa bath that overlooks beautiful hilly pastures. Inside, predominantly white decor features chandeliers, a king-size bed, overstuffed sofa and fireplace for winter snuggling.

SOMETHING SPECIAL

The food! French-Australian fusion abounds here even at breakfast, with homemade croissants and granola, French toast and French waffles. Dinner is extra and must be booked in advance, but if you do stay it’s worth planning to dine in one night. The hosts basically find out what the guests do and don’t like, then plan a menu around that. A past dinner menu was homemade duck and fig tortellini with goat’s cheese and walnuts with burnt butter and sage sauce. Told you so.

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

Explore Montville township’s shops and galleries; visit the region’s wineries.

 

CONTACT: Jane and Leeroy Hutton.

176 Western Ave, Montville.

(07) 5442 9242; www.spottedchook.com.au

WITCHES FALLS COTTAGES

Queensland’s oldest national park is right on the doorsteps of these cute gabled cottages in the Gold Coast hinterland, less than an hour from Brisbane. Each cottage is completely private, with a verandah, courtyard, fireplace and bathrobes. Breakfast is delivered to your room and barbecue hampers are available on request.

SOMETHING SPECIAL

Witches Falls Cottages won the Hosted Accommodation category at the 2010 Queensland Tourism Awards. Packages include the Seashell Massage package or a Visit Mt Tamborine tour, which includes pick-up from the Gold Coast or Helensvale train station.

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

Visit the glow-worm caves; go on a hot-air balloon ride over Lamington National Park; stroll along the Tamborine Mountain Rainforest Skywalk; visit the thunder-egg mine; trawl the village antiques shops.

 

CONTACT: Daniela Kuratli and David Kennedy.

Cnr Main Western Rd and Hartley Rd, North Tamborine. (07) 5545 4411;

www.witchesfallscottages.com.au

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8 secret places in Western Australia you need to know about

    Kate BettesBy Kate Bettes
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    WA might be enormous, but the right insider knowledge brings its mysteries a whole lot closer.

    “Western Australia is a land of record-breakers,” says Carolyn Tipper, a Travel Director working on AAT Kings Western Australia tours. “It has the second-longest fault line, the second-largest meteorite crater, the second-fastest flowing river—it just keeps surprising you. And every area has its charm.”

    From tropics to deserts, Australia’s largest state is a land of extremes. You can’t see all of Western Australia in a lifetime, but with the right guide, you can discover its hidden pockets of magic.

    Carolyn wishes to reach her guests’ hearts. “I want them to enjoy and be in awe,” she says. “I want them to have the holiday of a lifetime.”

    1. Mimbi Caves

    You wouldn’t expect a Great Barrier Reef in the outback – but that’s what you’ll find at Mimbi Caves. Once part of a 350-million-year-old reef, these caves hold marine fossils, ancient Indigenous rock art, and Dreamtime stories shared by a Gooniyandi guide.

    “That’s when the real connection happens,” says Carolyn, who has taken guests through on the AAT Kings Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour . “When guests connect, not just with the land, but with the people who have called it home for tens of thousands of years.”

    Eye-level view of traveller exploring Mimbi Caves.
    Walk through ancient limestone passages. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

    2. Kalbarri National Park

    Nothing prepares you for the Kalbarri Skywalk: a 25-metre platform jutting over Murchison Gorge, 100 metres above the red cliffs and river below. From July to October, join the AAT Kings Untamed Pilbara and West Coast tour to see over 1000 wildflower species paint the park, and listen as an Indigenous guide shares their uses, bush foods and medicine plants.

    “I want our guests to have an emotional experience,” says Carolyn. “It’s not just about seeing the land, it’s about stepping into the stories.”

    An aerial view of the Kalbarri Skywalk, one of the secret places in Western Australia, with visitors on the edge.
    Stand on the Kalbarri Skywalk in Western Australia. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

    3. Hamelin Bay Wines

    Margaret River isn’t just a top wine region – it’s a winner in every category. Where the Indian and Southern Oceans collide, granite cliffs rise, limestone caves sprawl and Karri forests tower. It almost distracts from the world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

    Almost.

    Out of over 100 cellar doors, AAT Kings pick Hamelin Bay Wines as a favourite. Hosted tastings of small-batch wines on the Western Wonderland tour end with a group meal. The menu shifting with the seasons.

    “Get off the beaten track to one of WA’s most relaxed venues for some amazing red and white signature wines,” explains Carolyn, “accompanied with upmarket pub food.”

    Spectacular views.

    A person raising a glass of Chardonnay against a glowing Western Australia sunset.
    Sip world-class wines at Hamelin Bay in Western Australia. (Image: Getty)

    4. Wildflower Guided Walk, Kings Park

    Western Australia is home to 12,000 native plant species – 3000 bloom in Kings Park’s Botanic Garden. Stroll past Kangaroo Paw, Banksia and blooms from the Goldfields, Stirling Ranges and Kimberley. “The diversity of Western Australia is immense,” says Carolyn, who leads guests through on the South Western Escape tour .

    Couple enjoying the view from the Lotterywest Federation walkway at Kings Park and Botanical Garden.
    Wander among thousands of native plant species. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

    5. Hoochery Distillery

    Did you know that between Kununurra and Emma Gorge lies the state’s oldest continuously operating distillery? Well, the oldest legal one. Set on a family farm, Hoochery Distillery was hand-built using materials found on the property, conjuring up award-winning rum from local sugarcane, wet season rainwater and yeast.

    Today, visitors can sample a hearty nip of rum, along with whiskies and gins – all crafted using traditional, labour-intensive methods. It’s the ideal way to soak up the ‘spirit’ of the Kimberley on the AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour .

    People enjoying a rum tasting at one of the secret places in Western Australia.
    Sample award-winning rum. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

    6. Geraldton

    The wildflowers of the Midwest will make your heart blossom. In Geraldton, the Helen Ansell Art Gallery brings the region’s botanicals to life in vivid colour and intricate detail. In nearby Mullewa, wander bushland trails lined with everlastings and native blooms. Further afield, Coalseam Conservation Park bursts into carpets of pink, white, and yellow each spring. Do it all on the Wildflower Wanderer tour with AAT Kings.

    woman walking through Wildflowers, Coalseam Conservation Park
    Chase vibrant wildflower trails. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

    7. El Questro

    Wake up after a night under the stars at Emma Gorge Resort, ready to explore the mighty beauty of the El Questro Wilderness Park. With deep gorges, thermal springs, and cascading waterfalls, time slows here.

    Join the AAT Kings’ Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour to drift through Chamberlain Gorge, where sheer sandstone walls glow burnt orange in the sun, archer fish flick at the surface, and rock wallabies peer down from ledges above. Then, step into Zebedee Springs, a secret oasis of warm, crystal-clear pools among prehistoric Livistona palms – a moment of pure, wild stillness.

    Emma Gorge Resort at El Questro.
    Wake to adventure at Emma Gorge Resort. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

    8. Lake Argyle

    Once vast cattle country, Lake Argyle now sprawls like an inland sea – Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake, created by the damming of the Ord River. Scattered with over 70 islands, its glassy waters teem with life, like freshwater crocodiles, barramundi, bony bream, sleepy cod and over 240 bird species. That’s nearly a third of Australia’s avian population.

    Glide across the lake’s surface on a cruise as part of AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour , where the silence is only broken by the splash of fish and the call of birds. For Carolyn, this place is a perfect example of how WA’s landscapes surprise visitors. “Lake Argyle is a big puddle of water that became a game-changer,” she says. “Seeing it from a boat, coach, and plane is mind-blowing. It puts time, isolation and the sheer scale into perspective.”

    Aerial View of Triple J Tours on the Ord River, near Kununurra.
    Glide past islands on Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake. (Image: Western Australia)

    Discover more of Western Australia’s hidden gems and book your tour at aatkings.com.