The best glamping spots in Victoria

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A handful of the most unique glamping (that’s glamorous camping) stays in Victoria where a bottle Bollinger or a boiling billy is equally on the cards.

If you’re looking to go glamping in Victoria, you’ve come to the right place.

 

From wilderness retreats and zoo safaris to seaside valleys, here we give you the top locations for glamping in Victoria.

1. Cosy Tents, Daylesford

Cosy Tents glamping Daylesford
Cosy Tents nestled in the rarefied bushland surroundings of Daylesford.

Nestled in the hills of the Hepburn Shire, in a wide, open paddock encircled by Australian bush and a dam, the five ‘Cosy Tents’ for hire here are just too cute for words. Linen of 1200 threads, duck-down quilts, wood-fired stoves, mood-setting lanterns and Bose Bluetooth speakers to play a bit of Paul Kelly: they’ve thought of everything. Except who you’re going to bring. From $185 a night.

 

Address: 6A Kanga Rd, Yandoit

2. Pebble Point, Great Ocean Road

Pebble Point glamping, a suitable night's accommodation on the Great Ocean Walk.
Pebble Point glamping, a suitable night’s accommodation on the Great Ocean Walk.

Doing the Great Ocean Walk? (You should, it’s spectacular… just saying.) At the end, just three kilometres from the Twelve Apostles, in between three national parks, you’ll find this hidden bush retreat with five luxury tents.

 

Each tent at Pebble Point has all the glamping ‘usuals’ – king-sized beds, spacious ensuites with full-sized shower and toilet, and a private deck with stretching views of the peaceful valley – as well as a shared lounge/dining tent, with fridge, microwave, toaster and tea/coffee facilities to refuel and get out exploring again. From $140 a night.

 

Address: 20 Old Coach Rd, Princetown

 3. Wilderness Retreats, Wilsons Promontory National Park

Wilderness Retreats glamping, Wilsons Promontory National Park
Wilderness Retreats glamping, Wilsons Promontory National Park – So much more than your usual ‘two-minute noodle’ camping trips.

Spend a day walking through rainforest, snorkelling at Norman Bay, or swimming in the azure waters of Squeaky Beach, then come back to your safari-style tent and be lulled to sleep by the sounds of the boundless nature in Wilsons Promontory National Park.

 

Add in the well-equipped communal kitchen, to cook up a gourmet feed, and your usual ‘two-minute noodle’ camping trips will just be memories in the dust. From $182 a night; visitvictoria.com

 

Address: 32 Ring Rd, Tidal River

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4. Werribee Open Range Zoo, Werribee

In with the animals, Slumber Safari, Werribee Open Range Zoo.
In with the animals, Slumber Safari, Werribee Open Range Zoo.

For little people, sleeping at Werribee Open Range Zoo just might be the best thing since sliced fairy bread – but this one’s for big people, too. The zoo’s ‘Slumber Safari’ package includes zoo entry for two days, exclusive wildlife viewings and an overnight experience in one of eight family-sized tents.

 

Enjoy a sunset drink on your deck overlooking the ‘savannah’, feast on African-inspired cuisine then head out on a night walk and toast marshmallows on the fire. $300 per adult, $145 per child.

Giraffe Slumber Safari Werribee Open Range Zoo
Meet your giraffe neighbours at ‘Slumber Safari’, Werribee Open Range Zoo.

 

Address: K Rd, Werribee South

5. Happy Glamper, Mornington Peninsula

Happy Glamper at Mornington Peninsula yurt style glamping
Happy Glamper at Mornington Peninsula hires fitted-out yurt-style tents and, luckily, does all the hard work for you.

Want a bit more flexibility with your location? Happy Glamper is your company: they hire out bell tents and yurt-style tents with beds, fresh linen, rugs, lighting and any other homey essentials you may need, to be set up at your chosen seaside location in the sparkling Mornington Peninsula.

 

We know what you’re thinking: setting up your own tent isn’t very glamporous, is it? Don’t worry, they do all the work for you. They’ll even tow a vintage Airstream to your chosen site if that’s more your style. From $290 for two nights plus site fees.

Happy Glamper's 'Lotus Belle' interior - this one suits a family of five.
Happy Glamper’s ‘Lotus Belle’ interior – this one suits a family of five.

6. Phillip Island Glamping, Phillip Island

If it’s views of a pristine sand and beaches you seek, rest your head at Phillip Island Glamping.

 

With three sites on offer (each as breathtaking as the next), you really will be spoiled for choice.

Phillip Island luxury

Fall asleep to sounds of the ocean and wake up just steps from the sand. You will also be right in the thick of all island activities, including the Penguin Parade and the Cowes Farmer’s Market.

 

Equipped with a Queen size air mattress, heaters, crockery and card games, these tents come with the 5-star treatment you deserve.

 

Address: Cowes Caravan Park, 164 Church Street, Cowes

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7. Into the Woods, North East Victoria

The glamping concept from Into the Woods involves picking the luxury tent that suits (all are decorated in a cosy Scandi style) then choosing between campsites at Yackandandah Holiday Park and Discovery Parks Lake Hume, both in the Albury-Wodonga region.

 

Or for something different, Into the Woods will bring glamping to you, setting up camp on your property.

8. French Island Glamping, French Island

If you’re keen to truly go off-grid, what could be better than a glamping island adventure?

French Island interiors

A short ferry ride from Stony Point on the Mornington Peninsula lives French Island National Park – the state’s largest coastal island.

 

You’ll feel completely removed from crowds, truly immersing yourself in the famous natural landscape.

 

Adding to this is the lack of, well, services. There’s just one grocery store on the island, which means guests are encouraged to pack their own food to cook in the communal kitchen and barbecue area. As for everything else, well French Island Glamping takes care of it…

 

Address: 59 Barge Access Rd, French Island

9. Mornington Peninsula Glamping, Rosebud

New to the accommodation offerings on the peninsula is Mornington Peninsula Glamping. The first glampsite to pop up on the peninsula, it’s located on the Blue Range Estate Winery, run by the Melone family.

Mornington Peninsula Glamping
Blue Ridge Estate Winery now have their own glamping site

An adults-only retreat, each of the glamping tents accommodates two people maximum. Within the five-by-five-metre tents is a queen-size bed, two lounge chairs and a coffee table. You won’t need to go device-free either, with solar power to ensure you can remain connected if you desire. Within easy walking distance is a shared cooking and dining area (barbecues, hot water and boutique coffee and tea) plus bathroom facilities, which are just as snazzy and chic as the tents.

 

Between Friday and Sunday, you can eat at the winery’s restaurant if embracing the great outdoors as your kitchen doesn’t appeal to you.

 

Address: 155 Gardens Road, Rosebud

 

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Megan Arkinstall
Megan Arkinstall is a freelance travel writer who you’ll often find at the beach, bushwalking or boating with her young family. She loves reliving travel memories through writing, whether that be sipping limoncello in a sun-drenched courtyard of Monterosso or swimming with green turtles in the aquamarine waters of Tropical North Queensland.
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How a $1 deal saved Bendigo’s historic tramways

The passionate community that saved Bendigo Tramways has kept the story of this city alive for generations.

It was an absolute steal: a fleet of 23 trams for just $1. But such a fortunate purchase didn’t happen easily. It was 1972 when the Bendigo Trust handed over a single buck for the city’s historic collection of battery, steam and electric trams, which had transported locals since 1890.

inside the historic Bendigo Tram
Bendigo Tramways is a historic transport line turned tourist service. (Image: Bendigo Heritage)

The city’s tram network had been declared defunct since 1970 due to post-war shortages in materials to upkeep the trams and declining passenger numbers as motor vehicles were increasing. However, determined locals would not hear of their beloved trams being sold off around the world.

The Bendigo Trust was enlisted to preserve this heritage, by converting the trams into a tourist service. The Victorian government approved a trial, however news spread that the Australian Electric Tramways Museum in Adelaide had acquired one of the streetcars for its collection.

a tram heading to Quarry Hill in 1957
A tram on its way to Quarry Hill in 1957. (Image: Bendigo Heritage)

An impassioned group rallied together to make this physically impossible. Breaking into the tram sheds, they welded iron pipes to the rails, removed carbon brushes from the motors, and formed a blockade at the depot. The community response was extraordinary, and a $1 deal was sealed.

A new chapter for the city’s fleet

the old Tramways Depot and Workshop
The old Tramways Depot and Workshop is one of the stops on the hop-on, hop-off service. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Today, Bendigo Tramways welcomes some 40,000 passengers annually, operating as a hop-on, hop-off touring service aboard the restored trams. Fifteen of the now 45-strong fleet are dubbed ‘Talking Trams’ because of the taped commentary that is played along the route. The trams loop between Central Deborah Gold Mine and the Bendigo Joss House Temple, which has been a place of Chinese worship since 1871, via other sites including the old Tramways Depot and Workshop.

a Gold Mine Bendigo Tram
The fleet comprises 45 trams that have been restored. (Image: Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn)

Keeping things interesting, throughout the year visitors can step aboard different themed trams. Tram No. 302 becomes the Yarn Bomb Tram, decorated both inside and out with colourful crochet by an anonymous group of locals.

During the festive season, Tram No. 15 operates as a tinsel-festooned Santa Tram, and the big man himself hides out somewhere along the route for excited children to find. And on selected dates, the adults-only Groove Tram runs nighttime tours of the city, accompanied by local musicians playing live tunes and a pop-up bar.

the historic post office turned visitor centre in Bendigo
Visitors can hop on and off to see the city’s sites such as the historic post office turned visitor centre. (Image: Tourism Australia)

As well as preserving the city’s history, however, the continuation of the tram service has kept the skills of tram building and craftsmanship alive in a practical sense. Bendigo’s Heritage Rail Workshop is world-renowned for restoring heritage trams and repurposing vehicles in creative ways.

Locally, for example, Tram No. 918 was transformed into the Dja Dja Wurrung Tram with original Aboriginal artworks by emerging artist Natasha Carter, with special commentary and music that shares the stories and traditions of Bendigo’s first people. You can’t put a price on preserving history. Nonetheless, it was a dollar very well spent.