Gaze at the Milky Way from bed at NSW's new lakeside glampsite

Rethink your campground standards at these luxurious new glamping tents in the breathtaking New England region of New South Wales.

Eight commanding safari-style canvas tents sit high on the hill near the dam wall at Lake Keepit, halfway between Tamworth and Gunnedah on Kamilaroi Country in Central New South Wales, their camel-coloured walls a soft contrast with the peachy orange sunset that explodes behind them. Their guests are currently sitting on the deck of the Gilay Lounge, the central meeting place and communal kitchen for Wilderluxe, a new glamping concept by NSW campground operator Reflections Holidays.

Take in sights of the Milky Way from the private deck or through the retractable skylight while snug in bed. (Image: Supplied)

Camping is a favourite travel pastime for Australians and NSW tops the nation as the most popular destination for camping and caravanning with over 5 million trips recorded last year, but soggy tents and bug bites are nowhere to be seen here. Instead, it’s all decadent details (the complimentary bath bomb next to the deck-bound private outdoor bath, fluffy robes and record player with a curated selection of vinyls come to mind) beneath a star-studded sky.

So what is Wilderluxe?

The glampsites overlook the Warrumbungles and Lake Keepit. (Image: Supplied)

Wilderluxe is the newest offering from Reflections Holidays, the NSW camping outfit that operates on Crown Land (and reinvests all profits back into their campgrounds, which are in some of the most desirable locations across the state). The first Wilderluxe operation – located on a ridge above Reflections’ 102-site Lake Keepit property, overlooking the Warrumbungles and the nearby Soaring Club – is the first of five locations to roll out over the next few years.

Wilderluxe offers a refined approach to the nature-centric camp experience while elevating it with luxurious hotel-style details including kitchenettes, daily housekeeping, curated furnishings and region-specific amenities. That includes binoculars for spotting local herons, pelicans and corellas; complimentary stand-up paddleboard and bike use to explore the lake and surrounds; daily continental breakfast in your room (delivered the night before so you can partake before or after the sun spills over the horizon and onto your private patio); and a nighttime gathering of First Nations knowledge, bonfire and drinks with your fellow guests.

Gather with fellow guests of an evening to hear stories shared under the night sky. (Image: Supplied)

The Lake Keepit location is pretty equidistant between rural hubs Tamworth and Gunnedah, but far away enough to avoid the noise, the hoopla and – wonderfully – the light pollution, making this location a dream destination for star-chasers and fans of the cosmos.

What’s it like?

Inside the Star Tent at Wilderluxe Lake Keepit. (Image: Supplied)

There’s only eight Australian-made canvas tents at the Lake Keepit location, lined up on the hill overlooking the glittering, cod-filled irrigation dam. After you meet your fellow guests during each evening’s sunset drinks and local canapes, you can opt to settle in for a screening of Big Sky Dreaming, a film by local Kamilaroi Elder Uncle Len Waters, and – after that – a bonfire accompanied by marshmallow toasting and mugs of hot Milo. You likely won’t see those folks again, such is the delicious seclusion of this property.

The stylish, spacious tents – which are designed and made in Western Australia – contain a king bed, two oversized lounge chairs, a kitchenette, a bathroom with mirror-flecked counter, and a dresser packed with board games, records and binoculars. Out on the private deck there’s a soaking tub, two sitting areas and a trusty Weber Baby Q to cook beneath the stars, camp-style. When you crawl beneath the sheets and look up with darkness-adjusted eyes, you’ll see a square of the Milky Way through the retractable skylight.

Enjoy an early breakfast on the deck to watch the sun rise. (Image: Supplied)

Mornings are spent watching the dawn break over the lake while sipping on steaming mugs of tea and that sets the mood for the day, the echo of birdsong and the occasional splutter of a faraway boat engine the only backing beats to your personal glamping soundtrack. (The view from up here on the ridgeline is what inspired Nick Baker, Reflections CEO, to turn Lake Keepit into the first Wilderluxe location: “It’s camping, reimagined,” he says. “Our ethos is still about bringing nature to life. It’s bringing place to life, and that’s what I think we do best.)

In crafting these spaces, and considering the broader impact of the tents on the surrounding landscape, Reflections consulted with the Kamilaroi community, liaising with local storyteller and stargazer Uncle Len. The sky and stars serve as inspiration across the project. Each room carries a Kamilaroi name and its translation and meaning is inscribed on the walls. I stay in Baiame, which means “god or sky father”: the creator of all things. The landscaped path to the rooms undulates like a river, the sandstone around the fire pit is etched with Indigenous symbols of gathering – women, men, community cocooned together – and was designed with Uncle Len’s guidance to reflect a traditional campfire meeting space. The energy of something bigger looms large, and it’s not just the 10,800-acre surface area of the lake or the endless expanse of Liverpool Plains sky.

The patio bathtub gives guests the luxury of soaking in the serenity of nature . (Image: Supplied)

A stay here means you have access to 7500 hectares of pristine Crown land, shared only with bouncing kangaroos, gliding cod and your fellow campers. Borrow a fishing rod and head out to the dam bank, cycle along private roads, bushwalk between towering endemic Lake Keepit hakea, or cook up local lamb supplied in dinner packs for in-your-own-time evenings. Down the road at Carroll Gap Farmhouse, owner Jan Ducks runs cooking classes, after which you can recline in the gardens of what was once the local schoolhouse. Between here and there, expansive golden plains house roaming sheep and black cattle. The quietness of the landscape is luxurious.

Where to from here?

Wilderluxe takes the nostalgia of camping and imbues it with luxury. (Image: Supplied)

In the year ending December 2024, NSW welcomed 5.1 million visitors to campgrounds, caravan parks and camping experiences for a combined total of 18.9 million nights. It’s also the top destination for domestic overnight campers, with the majority of travellers between 35 and 54 years of age. In other words, active, passionate and engaged travellers who are keen to get outside.

Don’t get us wrong: most cabin stays at Australian campgrounds and caravan parks are pretty fantastic these days, but Wilderluxe expands the brief to include the nature-centric seclusion, solitude and when-you-want-it camaraderie of camping with the finer considerations we’ve come to anticipate at modern hotels or luxury accommodation. It’s meeting Australian travellers where they are right now, combining nostalgia with fashionable nous and a desire to engage more deeply with the places we explore. Brunswick Heads, Lake Glenbawn, Eden and Lennox Heads are next.

“It’s not just stargazing; it’s not just paddle boarding or kayaking on the lake,” says Baker. “It’s not just modern luxury in the bush… It’s about giving people these moments across a sort of two- or three-night stay that really make it feel like a much bigger experience, and something that sort of serves every part of who they are.”

Wilderluxe is the perfect romantic retreat. (Image: Supplied)

Tents at Wilderluxe Lake Keepit start from $1100 for a two-night minimum stay for two people, including breakfast boxes.