Australia's Queensland Offers Mix of Wilderness and Luxury
Published 05/08/2010
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| O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat |
(Queensland, Australia) - Queensland is home to some awe-inspiring World Heritage rainforests, with the wet tropic Daintree Rainforest in the north and the magical sub-tropical rainforests on the southern border.
A new and striking travel trend in the region is its retreats, which offer a mixture of the wild and luxurious – of pampering spas in the middle of untamed territory.
Experience nature at its beautiful best in these special rainforest retreats.
Escape to O'Reilly’s. For more than 90 years the O'Reilly family has been welcoming visitors to their mountain home in World Heritage Lamington National Park. At O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat bird calls replace phone calls and stunning rainforest views replace television screens. Situated in the hinterland between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, O’Reilly’s guest rooms include luxury Canopy Suites and Mountain View rooms and the aptly named Lost World Spa. www.oreillys.com.au
Luxury on the Mountain. Songbirds Rainforest Retreat offers a luxurious rainforest experience less than an hour’s drive from Brisbane at Mount Tamborine. Guests stay in one of six luxury villas hidden away among 51 acres of pristine rainforest surrounded by the sounds of Australia’s songbirds – the kookaburras, whipbirds and lorikeets. Each villa has a king size bed, double spa bath, cosy lounge with gas-ember fire and a large private verandah. Dine at the multi-award-winning Songbirds in the Forest Restaurant and explore the walking tracks meandering through kilometers of rainforest. www.songbirds.com.au
Relax, Refresh and Renew at Binna Burra. Relax your mind, refresh your thoughts and renew your spirit at Binna Burra Mountain Lodge. Breathe in the crisp clear mountain air at this cozy mountain retreat nestled in the spectacular Lamington National Park. Binna Burra caters for singles, couples and families offering rustic style lodges and heritage guesthouses boasting panoramic mountain or rainforest views. www.binnaburralodge.com.au
Pure magic at Witches Falls Cottages. Offering an intimate rainforest experience for couples, Witches Falls Cottages at Mount Tamborine is the ideal romantic getaway. Soak in your own double spa and watch the stars through the glass roof of your cottage, pamper yourself and your partner with a massage treatment in your own private rainforest or discover local wineries, amazing rainforest walking trails, antique galleries and coffee shops all within walking distance. www.witchesfallscottages.com.au
Retreat to the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. The Falls Rainforest Cottages offer six spacious “Queenslander” style cottages for couples to unwind and rediscover the simple pleasures of life. Located outside the charming mountain village of Montville in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland and only 400 meters from Kondalilla National Park, this is the perfect spot to discover the great outdoors. Enjoy a gourmet picnic or barbecue hamper, bushwalking in the national park, or relaxing in the double spa looking out over beautiful natural surrounds. www.thefallscottages.com.au.
Cozy and comfortable in Tropical North Queensland. Set in secluded tropical gardens rich in birdlife and butterflies, Red Mill House Bed and Breakfast is within easy reach of the Daintree National Park and Great Barrier Reef. Renowned for its personalized services and fabulous breakfast, the eco B&B combines an historic Queenslander home with modern additions to provide a cosy and comfortable setting amongst ancient rainforest. www.redmillhouse.com.au
Iconic Oasis in the Daintree. Let the sights and sounds of the ancient Daintree Rainforest surround you at Silky Oaks Lodge. Featuring 50 Treehouses and Riverhouses with wide verandahs, polished timber floors, elegant interiors and spa baths, this rainforest retreat is in complete harmony with its lush tropical environment. Take a relaxing stroll along lush riverbanks, paddle a canoe on the Mossman River or relax in the Healing Waters Spa. www.silkyoakslodge.com.au
The Daintree at its best: Combining nature, nurture and culture, Daintree Eco Lodge and Spa is the perfect rainforest hideaway. With only 15 rainforest villas occupying secluded positions amongst the world’s oldest living rainforest, the Daintree, innovative cuisine with a native twist, authentic Aboriginal culture and an internationally award-winning spa, Daintree Eco Lodge and Spa offers a unique rainforest experience in Tropical North Queensland. www.daintree-ecolodge.com.au
Remote luxury in Tropical North Queensland. Bloomfield Lodge, one of Australia’s most remote luxury retreats, provides an exclusive and truly unique way to experience Tropical North Queensland’s World Heritage rainforest. Carefully designed to blend into the rainforest while still offering views of the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef, Bloomfield Lodge offers 32 intimate colonial-style rooms. The journey to the lodge involves a scenic flight over coastline and reef, a river cruise and rainforest drive, making arriving half the fun at Bloomfield. www.bloomfieldlodge.com.au
Tropical North Queensland’s Mungumby Lodge, on Cape York just south of Cooktown, is a boutique wilderness retreat boasting 10 spacious wooden bungalows with ensuites and private patios surrounded by lush tropical rainforest. The retreat also features a large homestead with open plan living areas right on the edge of spectacular Mungumby Creek. Within walking distance are opportunities to swim in jungle waterfalls, observe wildlife, visit a famous old pub or simply enjoy the bird songs. www.mungumby.com
Heaven in the Cairns Highlands. Rose Gums Wilderness Retreat is 93 hectares of pure paradise in the Cairns Highlands boasting six private elevated tree houses in the beautiful rainforests of Wooroonooran National Park. The secluded luxurious pole and timber tree houses all feature large spas, cosy fireplaces, fully equipped kitchen and balconies with stunning mountain views. There are pristine rainforests to explore, nine kilometres of water tracks, abundant birdlife to discover and you can earn your carbon credits with tree planting. www.rosegums.com.au
Retreat where the rainforest meets the reef. At Cape Tribulation Resort & Spa, guests unwind in one of the most incredible natural environments in the world, where the rainforest meets the reef. Located 90 minutes north of Port Douglas, this seasonal retreat is open from May 1 to November 30 each year. Free-standing eco-retreats are nestled in the rainforest offering guests spacious, stylish and private accommodation in lush tropical surrounds, close to pristine Coconut Beach. Take an interpretative rainforest walk, snorkel the reef, embark on a 4WD safari, discover jungle surfing or relax and pamper yourself in the Ocean Spa. www.capetribulationresort.com.au
Back to nature at Cape Tribulation. Situated on almost three hectares of absolute beachfront and with direct access to the Great Barrier Reef, Cape Tribulation Beach House Resort is a truly wild, unique and private rainforest experience. Nestled within the Daintree Rainforest only 140km north of Cairns, this resort offers a vast range of accommodation options, from budget dormitories to spacious family rainforest cabins and an exclusive romantic beachfront house. www.capetribbeach.com.au
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