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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Mornington Peninsula’s storied past: war, shipwrecks and a runaway convict 

    Kellie FloydBy Kellie Floyd
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    The Mornington Peninsula is a coastline of contrasts, where convict and military history meets shipwrecks, wild seas and adventures above and below the surface.

    The Mornington Peninsula can be the kind of place where salt-tangled hair feels like a badge of honour – proof you’ve been somewhere wild, raw and real. Peel back the layers and you’ll discover stories that anchor this region to something other than its famed food and wine.

    This land is the traditional Sea Country of the Bunurong/Boon Wurrung people. Long before grapevines were planted and artisanal goods were crafted, the Bunurong Traditional Owners lived in deep connection with the land and sea. Today, places such as Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary echo that tradition, with families exploring its rockpools in search of colourful sea stars and crabs at low tide and learning how these fragile ecosystems have been cared for across countless generations.

    a group of people visiting the Port Nepean National Park
    Take in the rugged coastal landscape at Port Nepean National Park. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    A visit to Point Nepean National Park feels like stepping back through time. The fort, built in 1882, protected the narrow entrance to Port Phillip Bay until the end of the Second World War. It was here that the first Allied shot of the First World War was fired – at a German cargo ship trying to escape just hours after war was declared. Nearby, the old Quarantine Station, one of Australia’s first permanent quarantine facilities, established in 1852, still stands. Walking through the hospital and disinfecting complex evokes stories of those who arrived from faraway shores.

    Not far from here is a story of survival that inspired the Aussie phrase ‘you’ve got Buckley’s chance’. In 1803, escaped convict William Buckley vanished into the bush near what’s now Sorrento. Everyone thought he had no hope of surviving, but he reappeared 32 years later, having lived with local Aboriginal people.

    Even the waters here hold history. The infamous stretch known as The Rip, just three kilometres wide at the entrance of Port Phillip Bay, is among the most treacherous waterways. Countless ships were lost here in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and in 1967, Australia’s own Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared while swimming off the coast, never to be found.

    a seal swimming in Port Phillip Bay
    A seal swimming in Port Phillip Bay. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

    But for all its danger, the sea here also holds extraordinary beauty. Dolphins are often seen near Sorrento’s cliffs, while below the surface, seagrass meadows and rocky reefs teem with life. Marine tours offer a viewing to this underwater wonderland, while back on terra firma, walking trails lead along beaches, through coastal scrub, and over rock pools.

    And if you think you’ll forget about the Mornington Peninsula once you’ve left? You’ve got Buckley’s chance.

    A traveller’s checklist

    Staying there

    the suite interior at InterContinental Sorrento
    Luxury interiors at the historic InterContinental Sorrento. (Image: Greg Elms)

    Point Nepean Discovery Tents is immersive glamping beside the historic Quarantine Station. Or upgrade to luxury at the 1875-built InterContinental Sorrento .

    Playing there

    an aerial view of Cape Schanck Lighthouse
    Make your way to the Cape Schanck Lighthouse. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

    Bayplay Adventure Tours offer eco-adventures from snorkelling with sea dragons to kayaking with dolphins and cycling Point Nepean. Cape Schanck Lighthouse is fascinating to explore on a guided tour, which takes you into the lighthouse and keeper’s cottage.

    Eating there

    Portsea Hotel is a beautifully restored 1876 Tudor-style pub right on the beach, serving seasonal local fare.