The best glamping spots
<p>There’s a lot to love about camping; getting away from the city, being close to nature, enjoying the simpler things. But it’s also nice to have a few creature comforts that you would normally find in a hotel. A new breed of campsite is springing up around Australia that blends the best of both worlds. Welcome to glamping.</p><p><strong>Tandara, NSW (pictured above)</strong></p><p>This a great way to dip your toes into the glamping experience. Tandara is in the Lane Cove National Park, just 10 kilometres from the centre of Sydney, and is a romantic couples’ retreat secluded from the main park campsite. There’s a king size bed, an ensuite with a huge double shower, outdoor barbecue kitchen, a raised deck and a manicured garden (complete with iPod speakers to pipe out your favourite music). Guests have the use of two mountain bikes to explore the park or you can walk down to the river and hire a paddleboat or canoe. Rates start from around $200 per night.</p><p><strong>Huon Bush Retreats, TAS</strong></p><p>This campsite an hour south of Hobart has a range of accommodation options, but it’s the deluxe tipees that are really special. Made of sturdy canvas and wood, the tents have a double sofa bed, carpeted floor and cosy wood fire, perfect for cool Tasmanian evenings. Bathroom amenities are shared with the main campground and there’s also a shared kitchen if you want to do your own cooking. The campsite even has a private outdoor bath for two that you can reserve for the evening. Rates start from around $100 per night.</p><p><strong>Pebble Point, VIC</strong></p><p>Six spacious tents sit on a headland just three kilometres from the 12 Apostles on the Great Ocean Road and at the end of the Great Ocean Walk. There are five accommodation tents and one shared lounge/dining tent with a fridge, microwave and barbecue. The tents have king size beds (with hot water bottle and woollen blankets) and a stylish ensuite just steps away. The tents are surrounded by bushland, so you might end up having your morning coffee with a shy swamp wallaby. Rates start from around $140 per night.</p><p><strong>Kooljaman at Cape Leveque, WA</strong></p><p>This is one of the most remote accommodation options in the country, sitting on the tip of the Dampier Peninsula more than 200 kilometres north of Broome. The camp is owned by two surrounding indigenous communities, traditional owners of the land who have developed the camp in line with their knowledge of the area. There are a range of campsites and cabins, but the glamping safari tents make for an unforgettable stay with their private balconies, barbecues, ensuites and comfy beds. Rates start from around $275 per night.</p><p><strong>Nightfall Camp, QLD</strong></p><p>This luxury three-tent camp is in the Scenic Rim region of southern Queensland, just beside the Lamington National Park. The tents here are huge – over 60 square metres – and all come with unique features like rotating woodfires, vintage tin baths, rain showers and basins carved from rock. You can sleep in the plush king sized bed with organic linen or you can roll out a swag on the deck to sleep under the stars. Each tent has a mini kitchen if you want to bring your own food, but the camp does offer delicious organic meals that you can enjoy by the main campfire, in your tent or in a private spot around the campsite. Rates start from around $450 per night.</p>
