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The most indulgent Mudgee glamping spots

For those who love the great outdoors, just from a reasonable distance and with a little luxury, these stunning Mudgee glampsites are the best of both worlds.

Immersion in nature needn’t require being rough-and-ready. If you love the idea of syncing with the landscape, but prefer to do so from a position of comfort, these incredible glamping spots nestled in the most jaw-dropping locations around the Mudgee region will have you clicking ‘book’ in seconds.

From the ultra-luxe to the laidback, and most with some kind of outdoor bathing set-up, these glampsites unzip the canvas to reveal a refined way to camp.

Evamor Valley

Evamor Valley eco tents
Relax into nature, with all your creature comforts.

Elevate the idea of camping at Evamor Valley , where six luxury eco tents ensure immersion in nature from a comfortable and slightly pampered distance. Each adults-only tent is positioned to take in a different vantage of bushland beauty, from a misty sunrise to treescapes around the property’s dam.

Settle on the deck to soak up the scents and sounds of nature or retreat within to relish the plush, king-size bed. A generously proportioned ensuite and heating make it extra comfortable. Mudgee is only minutes away, but there’s plenty to occupy you on the 34-hectare farm, such as enjoying strolls by the river or dam and slipping into your outdoor hot tub.

Address: 109 Tinja Lane, Mudgee

Blue Wren Farm

Blue Wren Farm Glamping tent
Sleep amongst vineyards and cherry orchards.

Set amongst vineyards and cherry orchards, Blue Wren Farm offers five glamping tents with uninterrupted rural sunset views, just minutes from the centre of Mudgee.

Each tent is equipped with a private bathroom stocked with premium Salus products, a bar fridge, kettle, Nespresso machine and a selection of T2 teas and split system air conditioning. On the bedding side, expect a comfy queen bed made with premium linens and electric blankets for winter.

Of course, if you need a little extra space or luxe, you can always opt for Blue Wren Farm’s on-site self-contained farmhouse, for up to ten guests.

Hideaway Domes

Hideaway Domes Mudgee under the starry night sky
Sleep beneath the stars. (Image: Destination NSW)

A minimal footprint stay in a striking geodesic, solar-powered dome , this little ball of luxury is positioned for pondering the sky. If you’re after a couples retreat away from the intrusion of the daily hustle and bustle, this bush-set beauty places the endless and ever-changing horizon within reach.

There’s no wifi or television, but who needs it when you have the pantomime of celestial beings above you and panoramic views wrapping around you. You will, however, find hot water in your private ensuite, as well as a queen-size bed, kitchenette, indoor fireplace and outdoor fire-pit. Set on a 1000-acre property, ‘Belbourie’, you’ll feel away entirely from it all, but you’ll only be 15 minutes from Mudgee.

Address: Details are emailed upon booking.

Glenayr Farm Mudgee

tents of glenayr farm mudgee on a misty morning
Simplicity is beauty here. (Image: Glenayr Farm)

Set on an idyllic working sheep and cattle farm 25 minutes from Mudgee, a stay in one of the four bell tents at Glenayr Farm bridges the gap between camping and cabin. While the tents may not have all the amenities other glampsites do, they’re stylishly comfortable with queen beds and lovely linens, an outdoor table and hot water bottle, as well as other small luxuries.

You’re welcome to book one or all of the tents and share the communal area, which includes hot showers and change rooms, a modern kitchen, a lounge and games room, and a hot tub (for an additional $100). If your group spills out of the four tents, you can also book the bunkhouse, which sleeps up to 16 people.

Address: 1257 Windeyer Road, Windeyer

Piambong Tops

Piambong Tops glamping mudgee
Get off-grid in country style.

An architecturally designed cabin tucked into a hillside at the top of a ridge in the middle of a picturesque rural property, yet only 20 minutes from town? Book us in. Taking design inspiration from original Australian shearer’s quarters, Piambong Tops offers rugged luxury. Add high-end finishes and designer touches to its rustic look. Then top it off with a full bathroom, kitchenette, queen bedroom and living room (which can be converted to a second bedroom).

Spend your days relaxing with a good book and maybe some morning yoga, or lace up your boots and explore the creek and rock formations around you.

Wildnest Farmstay

tent at Wildnest Farmstay mudgee region
Soak in views over the widest canyon in the world.

Folded into the achingly beautiful Capertee Valley –  which happens to be the widest canyon in the world – the glamping experience at Wildnest Farmstay enables guests to hastily abandon any tethers to daily life. It’s easy to do amid the astonishingly vast and sweeping landscape, as well as the country chic stylings of the tents that gaze beyond to the dramatic escarpment of Pantones Crown.

Complete with a king-size bed, a slow-combustion fireplace, a bathroom, a kitchen and an outdoor bathtub on the deck, it’s a diversion into nature, gilt with a touch of bush luxury.

Address: 1800 Glen Davis Road, Capertree

Sierra Escape

Sierra Escape Elouera Tiny House mudgee
Sierra Escape has added a unique tiny house to its glamping options. (Image: Sierra Escape)

Balancing raw bush beauty with luxury, Sierra Escape invites guests to meditate on the magnanimity of nature while relishing creature comforts. Perched on a 113-hectare property, there’s ample room to roam the undulating paddocks.

Choose from one of five well-appointed safari tents, or the newer tiny home option (all fit two people). In each tent, you’ll find an indoor and an outdoor bath, a fireplace and fire pit, a king-size bed and a kitchenette. The tiny home, dubbed Elouera, is crafted from a shipping container to create something truly special. It adds all the same luxuries of the tents, plus magnificent floor-to-ceiling windows to soak up the view and a designer kitchen.

If you’d like to swing from nature to nurture, you can book an in-tent massage or, for more hedonistic pursuits, spend the day wine-tasting in the Mudgee region before returning to your deck to relish your favourite new bottle.

Address: 1345 Lower Piambong Road, Piambong

Bubbletent Australia

woman in outdoor bathtub at Bubbletent Australia Capertee Valley
RElax in your outdoor wood-fired bathtub. (Image: Destination NSW)

The double-XL beauty of the New South Wales landscape is ripe for ogling at the five domes of Bubbletent Australia . Each tent is lofty enough to feel as though you could almost touch the night sky. Bring the heavens into sharper focus with the telescope provided or, during the day, watch the wildlife of the Capertree Valley using the in-tent binoculars.

You can star-gaze from the warmth of your cosy bed with the translucent tent offering 24-hour screenings of the sky. Each bubble is complete with an outdoor wood-fired bathtub and hot shower, a firepit and, happily, an inside toilet, but you’ll need to bring all your food and drink for your stay, including water.

While located in the Mudgee region, you’ll find these tents on a property named Bubbleland, which sits halfway between Mudgee and the picturesque town of Lithgow.

Address: Details are emailed upon booking.

Lara Picone
Working for many of Australia’s top publications, Lara Picone has had the distinct pleasure of writing, editing and curating content about the finer things in life for more than 15 years. Graduating from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, her editorial foundation began at Qantas: The Australian Way magazine, before moving on to learn the fast-paced ropes of a weekly magazine at Sunday Magazine and picking up the art of brand curation at donna hay magazine. Pivoting a near-problematic travel lust into a career move by combining it with storytelling and a curious appetite, her next role was as Deputy Editor of SBS Feast magazine and later Online Editor of SBS Food online. She then stepped into her dream job as Editor of Australian Traveller before becoming Online Editor for both International Traveller and Australian Traveller. Now as a freelancer, Lara always has her passport at-the-ready to take flight on assignment for the Australian Traveller team, as well as for publications such as Qantas Magazine, Escape and The Weekend Australian. As ever, her appetite is the first thing she packs.
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Dive into summer with hikes, great bites and wellness in The Tweed

Warmer days call for slowing down and relaxing in nature. Discover why The Tweed is the ultimate destination to do just that.

As the end of the year draws near, the need for rest and restoration grows ever more prominent. For many, that means heading into nature – and there’s plenty of science to back up the benefits of doing so. It quite literally makes us happier as it reduces stress hormones, lowers our blood pressure and more. And what better place to lean into this feel-good effect than during summer in The Tweed (in the Northern Rivers region of NSW)? Blending sparkling beaches, riverside towns and hinterland villages, this area has nature covered, while also offering top activities and dining options.

Slip, slop, slap.

And of course, pack your SPF. We Are Feel Good Inc’s Ultra-Light Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 is a lightweight and fast-absorbing formula that keeps your skin hydrated and shielded, thanks to nourishing Coconut Oil and Vitamin E. But it’s also helping preserve the natural beauty around you on your Tweed vacation, thanks to 30 per cent ocean waste packaging.

Discover eight experiences that make The Tweed the perfect place for summer.

1. Underwater worlds

two people swimming after turtle on the tweed
Get a chance to swim with the locals.

There’s something about the ocean that calls to us as humans, and what’s below the surface is even more magical.

Green, hawksbill and loggerhead turtles (not to mention an abundance of other marine life) all use the protected waters around Cook Island, near Fingal Head, as their foraging ground, making it the perfect place to dive and snorkel to spot these adorable creatures.

Join Cooly Eco Adventures on a guided snorkelling tour that combines unforgettable turtle encounters with an inspiring look into marine conservation.

2. Farm-to-table dining

table spread at Potager restaurant
Treat your taste buds at Potager. (Image: Cara Sophie)

Respecting the land and nature also means appreciating its abundance of food. From farm-to-table cafes and boutique breweries to river cruises and restaurants championing local produce, dining around The Tweed often means engaging with the best local producers.

The award-winning Potager Restaurant , part of The Hinterland Collection , is the perfect example; beginning life as a kitchen garden, the passion to champion local producers is woven into every dish. Vegetables, fruit and herbs are picked from the garden or sourced from other local producers, the seafood comes from the Northern Rivers, and meat is sourced from ethical local producers. Even the cocktail list features local distillers.

Extend your stay with a night (or several) at boutique on-site accommodation, Potager House . This French-inspired country four-bedroom retreat boasts stunning views of the surrounding hills and nearby ocean, as well as a large pool, outdoor entertaining area and infrared sauna.

3. Water wellness

Waterguru Mindfulness in the Mangroves summer on the tweed
Find mindfulness in mangroves. (Image: Matt Johnson)

You’ll find mindfulness while floating around the mangroves of Kingscliff’s Cudgen Creek at any time, but Watersports Guru offers an immersive experience to help guests do so with more intent. Join a 90-minute guided session on a stand-up paddleboard to reconnect with nature and relax through breathwork, gentle movement and sensory awareness.

If you’re feeling more adventurous, Watersports Guru also offer Kayak fishing adventures or join a Sea Turtle Odyssey experience.

4. Restorative seaside stays

woman relaxing in spa at Halcyon Wellness, halcyon house
Unwind at Halcyon Wellness.

The Tweed encourages locals and visitors alike to slow down. To really indulge, a seaside stay is a must. Halcyon House has understood the assignment, blending a wellness philosophy centred on balance and self-discovery with luxurious surrounds. Stay in one of 22 rooms and suites (each individually designed by eclectic interior designer Anna Spiro) right on the beachfront. Book restorative treatments at the onsite spa, Halcyon Wellness, relax by the pool, dine at the hatted Paper Daisy restaurant and just let The Tweed work its magic.

While Blue Water Motel offers a relaxed coastal escape, just steps from Kingscliff Beach. Settle in stylish rooms, recently restyled by Jason Grant, nodding to the cool of Kingscliff with a fun retro vibe. Hire a bike from reception to explore the surrounding area.

5. Tasty drops

Husk Farm Distillery
Join a Farm to Bottle tour. (Image: Salsingh Photography)

The owners at Husk Farm Distillery aren’t just about creating high-quality rum: they’re also farmers themselves. In fact, they create one of the world’s only single estate, farm-to-bottle spirits. Join a Farm to Bottle tour to discover the sustainable ‘full circle’ distilling practices used here, and even get hands-on with your own cane knife to help harvest and juice your own stalk of cane. And, of course, a welcome drink plus complimentary tastings along the way.

6. Rail trail adventures

Cycle the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.
Cycle the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.

Exploring the rolling green slopes and historic towns of the 24-kilometre Tweed section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail is one of the best ways to connect with the region’s lush hinterland and interesting heritage. In this section of the trail, discover the area’s railway history at heritage-listed Murwillumbah Railway Station, and traverse by 18 railway bridges and through two railway tunnels.

Linking vibrant towns and villages with the larger hub of Murwillumbah, this section of the trail is covered in asphalt or compacted gravel, making it accessible for all ages and abilities, from prams to adaptive bikes. 

7. Linger longer

surfer at fingal heads the tweed
Enjoy beachside locations, like Fingal Heads.

Linger longer at one of the seven idyllic beach, river and creekside locations of Tweed Holiday Parks – including at Tweed Heads, Kingscliff Beach, Hastings Point and Pottsville South. All just steps from the water’s edge, they make the ideal base to unwind, or head out for exploration of The Tweed. Choose from luxury waterfront cabins, accessible cabins, surfari tents (yes, they are basically glamping tents) or spacious sites for caravans, motorhomes and campervans or tents.

Tweed Holiday Parks
Stay for longer and indulge in plat at Tweed Holiday Parks.

Find your feel-good summer in The Tweed at visitthetweed.com.au .