Find Glamping Destinations in Queensland
Australia is one of the top places in the world that is most ideal for camping. The country has an array of wildlife, rainforests, beaches, farmland, and a vast outback that is unique in nature. Camping has been a popular holiday activity for couples and families for a long time, but that doesn’t mean that everyone enjoys it.
Even though some people love getting back into nature with traditional camping, glamping is for people who appreciate their vacations more if they can relax and they don’t have to worry about creature comforts during their stay. And, you know what? That’s okay. You can appreciate nature and still be luxurious and comfortable at the same time!
Camping vs Glamping in Queensland
Glamping came about when wealthier people travelled to Africa and found accommodations there to be lacking. They started requesting for beds and other amenities to be included in their tents. The idea was brought to other countries and, today, the glamping market is worth a pretty sizable amount.
The idea of glamping is to bring people closer to nature and let them enjoy the wonders of the earth without sacrificing the luxuries that they are used to. There are city folks who prefer to go camping and enjoy roughing it out. They see it as an escape from the concrete jungle. However, there are people who also enjoy the flora and fauna that is away from the city, but have difficulty with the traditional camping setup. This is where glamping comes in. You get full hotel and resort amenities while being fully immersed in the natural landscape of your choice.
For Queensland in particular, camping is a popular holiday activity because of the beautiful weather. It’s rarely cold here and the temperature ranges around 29 degrees Celsius. In addition to that, Queensland’s landscape offers a variety of options for glampers to immerse themselves in and enjoy. Glamping is certainly one of the best options and today we’ll help you decide your next travel destination by showing you some of the best glamping holidays in Queensland.
- Alure, Stanthorpe
- Habitat Everglades Ecocamp, Noosa
- Nightfall Wilderness Camp, Gold Coast
- Ketchups Bank Glamping, Scenic Rim
- Sanctuary By Sirromet, Mount Cotton
- NRMA Lake Somerset Holiday Park, Hazeldean
- Murphy’s Creek Escape, Upper Lockyer
- Rivershore Resort, Diddillibah, Sunshine Coast
- Maleny Springs Farm, Maleny
Alure, Stanthorpe
Alure describes themselves as the “most luxurious and romantic glamping in Queensland”. They are one of the first in Queensland to bring people the level of luxury that they do.
Alure boasts of 3 x 56 square metre African safari tents that sits atop a timber deck. These are air-conditioned and fully insulated, which means you can glamp there during the humid summer days and during the cooler winter nights. It features an Ecosmart fireplace, which uses ethanol, therefore, there’s no smoke, soot or ash.
The interior design of the tents are by John Glynn, a popular interior designer from Brisbane. Each tent has its own four-poster king size bed in the bedroom where you can unwind and really relax during your glamping getaway. The bathroom has a standard hair dryer, hair straightener, but the shower is a Hansa Clear Lux Duo and the complimentary toiletries are from L’Occitane. These are testaments to the company’s commitment to a luxurious experience.
In the tent also is a 50-inch plasma TV (with Netflix). There’s free Wi-Fi and you also get a stereo for your iPod. The kitchen is fully equipped with European appliances, should you wish to cook your own meals. Outdoors there are decks out front and back where you can have your morning coffee just soaking in the view and the peace and quiet.
The owners provide their guests with an open pantry and a continental breakfast, but you can opt for gourmet breakfast platters, in-villa meals, and other romantic or celebratory packages. The glamping site is also located 5 minutes away from the main town and the owners are always happy to recommend good dining options. There are a lot of good local bakeries and amazing pubs and vineyards.
Alure is surrounded by bushland and open fields. Waking up each morning to this while having your morning coffee or winding down each night just watching the stars is already a relaxing, immersive experience. However, if you want to be more in touch with nature, the Girraween National Park is only 15 minutes away. There are many hiking trails available that vary in difficulty.
Habitat Everglades Ecocamp, Noosa
Situated in the National Park, Habitat Noosa is a glamping site that gives you a few options between the levels of luxury that you want. Its 65 acres of land within 500 metres of the Noosa River beach gives you the chance to have a riverfront campsite. Habitat Noosa is home to a huge kangaroo population and campers have the chance to spot these lovely animals during their stay there.
You can choose between 5 types of accommodations. Paperback tents are en suite accommodations with fresh linen, bar fridge, coffee and tea facilities, access to power and a private deck. Wilderness tents, which are 24 square metre tents with shared accommodation and shared ablution facilities, linen, light switch, tables and chairs.
Powered campsites are places where you can park your motorhome or RV; an electric BBQ is provided along with a commercial fridge, microwave, electric kettle, and a hot water washing area. Unpowered sites are situated within 35 acres of manicured landscapes and 500m of river bank. You can choose to camp by the waterfront as well and the same amenities as the powered campsites are provided. Cabin accommodations are available for groups of at least 30. Their cabins are air conditioned and have PWD access. You may also opt to have a group escort or tour leader.
Habitat Noosa has the CootharaBAR which has a gelato bar and Eco Brewing Co., a boutique brewery in addition to their dine-in and take-away selection. Their brewery has a decent artesian beer selection which is 100% natural, preservative-free and has no additives and flavours.
Nightfall Wilderness Camp, Gold Coast
The most impressive thing about this camp is their beautifully worded vision which is to “touch the earth lightly while creating a genuinely sustainable business”. During the building phase of the campsite, the area saw a record amount of rainfall. This made it impossible for the machines to go uphill to transport their equipment. Volunteers, family, and friends banded together to carry tent frames by hand. The property is connected to the neighbouring Lamington National Park. It is home to a wide variety of wildlife.
The tents at Nightfall have canvas walls which are hand sewn by one of the co-founders. When you roll up those canvas walls, you’ll reveal a mesh wall which makes the “inside blur with the outside”. You get a 360 degree view of nature from inside your tent and really lets you be one with nature. That’s not to say that the luxurious glamping experience is compromised. The tents have wire-brushed timber floors that are soft on the feet, a hand-carved stone basin, rain head shower, organic beddings and woolen blankets. You also get a complimentary basket of Australian sparkling wine and gourmet platter. Guests may opt for a fully catered stay at the camp. The owners serve a carefully curated and locally-sourced organic selection of food.
Only 8 adults at a time are allowed to stay at Nightfall to ensure a private, peaceful, and personalized experience. Among the activities you can do are hiking to historically significant landmarks, including a hike to the famous Stinson crash site. You can also rock hop to pools (the owners can teach you how to spot the elusive platypus) or relax in a swirling bubbling natural spa in the middle of the creek. The campsite is also a good spot for bird watching.
Nightfall Wilderness Camp also offers massages and facials, and yoga classes. You can book a romantic dinner with your partner, as well as enjoy communal nights gathered by the lounge fireplace with other guests while watching the stars and having a drink.
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Ketchups Bank Glamping, Scenic Rim
Unique to Ketchup Banks is that they are located along the Scenic Rim. Their campsites give a spectacular view of the chain of mountains around the valleys between Brisbane and Tamborine Mountain, including those World Heritage-listed national parks. The vision of Ketchup Banks is to “provide glamour of luxury accommodation with the romance of camping under the stars in an eco-friendly way”.
Their Luxury Eco-tents have bedrooms equipped with a queen-size bed with a Seally pillows, linen, heated blanket, fans, Bluetooth music player, TV/DVD, a selection of DVDs, water, bar fridge, coffee and tea bar, yoga mats, hiking sticks, umbrellas, spotlight, LED lantern, wallaby food and bird seed. The bathroom has a shower, a toilet with flush, hot water, bathrobes, and towels. The kitchen has a 5 burner barbecue grill, portable lighting, billy, cooking utensils, complimentary condiments, firewood, and a private campfire.
They also offer dishwashing services. You can also bring your own food or you can order from their selection of hampers online. The hampers will depend on the seasonally available items during your stay, but among those available that are listed on their website are the DIY Damper Hamper (complete ingredients for camping damper), The Board (cured meats, cheese, sourdough, and you can add wine for an additional cost), BBQ Dinner Hamper, Country BBQ Breakfast Hamper, and the Pantry Breakfast Hamper.
Activities you can engage in around the area are hot air ballooning at the Scenic Rim, gliding and aviation at the Boonah Airport, rock climbing at Mount French National Park and Mount Barney, hiking to the Queen Mary Falls and other national parks, and visiting nearby vineyards.
Sanctuary By Sirromet, Mount Cotton
This campsite is located on the grounds of the Sirromet winery with 500 acres of land and views of Moreton Bay. It has a large population of wallabies which occasionally visit guests during their stay.
Sanctuary’s accommodations are pavilions that have private ensuites, a floating balcony, along with standard hotel inclusions, such as free Wi-Fi, complimentary breakfast, air condition, heating, microwave, mini bar, coffee maker, and shower and toilet.
Guests can choose between 4 different pavilions: Laguna Suite (most ideal position for seclusion, also the most spacious), Family Pavilion (ideal for families with 2 king beds since Sanctuary allows kids 10 years old and above), Premium Pavilion, and the Wheelchair Accessible Pavilion.
They also offer in-house dining options. First is Restaurant Lurleen’s, which offers modern Australian cuisine with views of the Moreton Bay and Stradbroke Island. They have fresh Queensland produce, local seafood, organic fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. Lurleen’s can also be booked for weddings and corporate events. Second is Tuscan Terrace. This dining option showcases traditional home cooked Tuscan style meals, with their signature being the Tuscan Long Table Feast. Lastly is the Cellar Door, which has award winning wines, light lunches, coffee and cakes.
Among the activities one can do at Sanctuary are wine tastings and winery tours since, as mentioned, it’s located within the Sirromet winery. For the children, they have Supa Golf, where you use oversized golf clubs and oversized golf bags. Fun for the whole family!
NRMA Lake Somerset Holiday Park, Hazeldean
The NRMA or the National Roads and Motorists’ Association is a group that offers roadside assistance, motoring advice, and car servicing, among other benefits to its members. You pay an annual membership fee to avail its benefits, and among those benefits is access to all their parks and resorts.
The NRMA group is popular, with 6 parks located across Queensland: Atherton Tablelands Holiday Park, Bowen Beachfront Holiday Park, Cairns Holiday Park, Capricorn Yeppoon Holiday Park, Lake Somerset Holiday Park, Palm Cover Holiday Park, Treasure Island Holiday Resort, and Woodgate Beach Holiday Park. The Lake Somerset park is set on 45 hectares, located centrally between Brisbane, Toowoomba and Sunshine Coast.
NRMA has the standard resort accommodations such as cabins and villas, but they also have powered and unpowered camping sites. You can bring your tents, caravans, RVs or motorhomes. These sites feature an amenities block, water, camp kitchen, barbecue area, free Wi-Fi, laundry, and LPG refill.
NRMA Lake Somerset offers comfortable glamping facilities in their Somerset Dam Safari Tents. These tents sleep up to 4 people, and are located in the park overlooking the water. Each tent sleeps up to 4 people, with a queen size bed and a single bunk. Glamping tent facilities include a shared bathroom, camp kitchen and dining facilities.
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Murphy’s Creek Escape, Upper Lockyer
This campsite was founded by a couple in 2009 but it had to be rebuilt in 2011 after floodwaters washed away the camping area by the creek. It was sold to a new owner in 2019 and it continues to welcome campers and guests today.
Murphy’s Creek Escape have the standard powered and unpowered camp sites. They also have remote sites which are accessible only by four wheel drive vehicles. There are no amenities available at those remote sites. They also offer family sites, army tents, and permanent sites. Creek campsites or beach campsites are available, depending on the weather and the rainfall during your stay.
Murphy’s Creek also offers glamping. Their glamping tent features a king-sized bed, private ensuite, claw foot bath tub, luxury linen, and bathrobes. The tent comes with a barbecue and complimentary condiments, a day bed, a rain showerhead, heater and air conditioning, as well as a spectacular view since the tents sit atop a ledge that overlooks Murphy’s Creek. One of the glamping tents has been designed specifically for people with disabilities, so no one has to miss out on the fun!
Some of the activities offered at Murphy’s Creek include ropes course, abseiling, giant swing, hiking, archery, and mountain biking. You can also go bird watching since there is an abundant amount of species that live within the grounds of the campsites. There is also bird feeding at Murphy’s Creek every afternoon. Campers can go swimming at the swimming hole and the creek, depending on the amount of rainfall each year.
Rivershore Resort, Diddillibah, Sunshine Coast
This campsite is situated by the Maroochy River, which gives guests a comfortable resort-like experience while enjoying water activities in the river. You can opt to bring your own camper van or tent and check in at their powered sites. These sites are pet-friendly and they meter the power that you use so you only pay for what you consume.
As part of their glamping offering, they provide 2 types of safari tents. The Family Safari Tent is a self-contained tent which has 2 bedrooms (one has a king-sized four poster bed and the other room has 2 twin beds), ensuite bathrooms, kitchen with complete appliances, a smart TV with Netflix, alfresco dining area with a Weber Q grill, Wi-Fi, heater, and a fan.
The other type is the King Safari Tent. This is an 80 square metre tent which has basically the same necessities as the family safari tent except that there’s only 1 bedroom with a king sized bed. The tents at Rivershore are designed to weather extreme weather conditions and all the furniture that can be found inside are all locally handcrafted, which is a testament to how the resort supports local businesses.
Activities and amenities within the resort are the kids’ pool, kids’ playground, resort pool, kanga jumper (trampoline), and mini golf. You can also rent recreational equipment such as paddleboards, kayaks, canoes, and bikes.
Rivershore has in-house dining called the Driftwood Restaurant and Bar. It is open to resort guests and locals and offers affordable takeaway and dine-in options. You can also have a drink or two at the bar while enjoying the tranquil view of the river. Rivershore also has Tim Adams Specialty Coffee and Tea Café where you can choose cakes and other desserts.
Maleny Springs Farm, Maleny
This property isn’t really a campsite, much less as it is a glampsite. The farm is 100 acres of hills and fields where you can take long walks, take in the views, and just be away from the city for a little while.
The house has 3 double bedrooms, lounge, dining area, kitchen, and veranda. There are cattle and horses grazing in the fields and there is an abundance of birds to be spotted in the area. Maleny Springs also offers self-contained cottages with more luxurious interiors, which are more perfect for romantic getaways with your special one.
Within the farm itself, one can take long, leisurely walks on idle days, just to unwind from the stresses of city life. If you are looking to do more on your vacation, however, the farm’s website lists options for more activities. This includes shopping at the weekend country markets nearby. Guests can also visit nature stops such as Gardeners Falls, Obi Boardwalk, Mary Cairncross Rainforest Reserve, and Hinterland Walks, among others. The Australia Zoo is also near the farm, as well as the Maleny Golf Club. There is also a list of nearby dining options.
Maleny Springs Farm may not be a glamping site but it offers the experience of being away from home and immersed in nature, which is what glamping aims for. You get to soak in views of endless green fields, breathe in fresh air, and have picnics by the creek. Not too different from what you would do on a glamping trip.
Choosing The Perfect QLD Glamping Vacation
A domestic Queensland holiday is a great and healthy vacation choice, especially for people from the city. It’s a great chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of Brisbane or the Gold Coast. It gives you the opportunity to see what nature has to offer right in your own backyard. You can experience a greater appreciation of what this beautiful state has to offer.
A few days of peace and quiet with your glamping getaway, without the sounds of vehicles and other city noises, is a great way to unwind and release any stress or tension. Queensland is the perfect destination to enjoy the idyllic beaches and rivers and forests especially if you lead a fast-paced lifestyle.
All the best glamping holidays in QLD listed above are just a few hours’ drive away living in the city. Imagine a weekend completely surrounded by the sounds of nature and the fresh breeze, while lying in a luxurious king-sized bed sipping wine with your loved one, maybe spend a few soaking in the sun or the natural pools nearby. There’s something here to suit everyone’s travel needs and budget.
