Glamping, or glamorous camping and caravanning, takes your holiday to the next level by injecting luxury into the accommodation, locations and services.
Where to glamp
Many glamping sites offer semi-permanent eco-tents that are a cut above your typical tent and A-grade facilities – not a long drop in sight. Much like a B&B, all furniture and linen is taken care of, and some even look after your food and drink. Here are some of our favourites:
- Pebble Point, Twelve Apostles, Victoria: Just 230 km southwest of Melbourne, Pebble Point Accommodation is nestled amongst three national parks, a few short kilometres from the Twelve Apostles. You’ll stay in some of the ritziest tents we’ve ever seen with A-1 facilities and gorgeous views over the Otway Ranges.
- Ocean Breeze Airstream, Byron Bay, NSW: What better way to glamp it up than in a genuine Airstream caravan? The Ocean Breeze Airstream has all the features you’d expect in a caravan: kitchenette, bathroom, TV and it sleeps three. The machined aluminium walls and wooden deck complete the experience.
- Ketchup’s Bank Glamping, Boonah, Queensland: 90 minutes west of the Gold Coast, the award-winning Ketchup’s Bank Glamping offers luxury, adults-only, eco-tent accommodation on 100 acres of pristine bushland. Their Knapps Eco-tent has views of the stunning Knapps Peak and surrounding valleys.
DIY glamping
You don’t have to rely on resorts to go glamping. A glam camping or caravanning experience can be achieved by adding premium accessories.
Luxury tents
Nothing says glamping like a Serengeti gable tent – a prime example of just how ritzy tents can get. They’re no walk in the park when it comes to pitching and taking down, but you’ll be the envy of your friends at the campsite.
Bedding
The OZtrail Anywhere queen airbed with frame is the closest you’ll get to a real bed while you’re out on the road. While a Thermarest LuxuryLite Ultralite Compact Stretcher Cot will enhance your glampsite by adding a more casual lounging option.
Kitchen
Real glamping extends to the food too. Top kitchen accessories are a must. A cast-iron stove is a necessity for gourmet stews, baking and roasting. So too are premium ingredients – two-minute noodles won’t do here. The knock-on effect is that you’ll need either a decent esky or a refrigerator. Lay it all out with a proper kitchen – the Drifta Pull Out Short offers great bench space, a three-burner stove and heaps of storage.
Ambience
Glamping is more than accessorising – it’s about creating ambience. The easiest way to achieve this is with lighting and soft furnishings. Items such as a cowhide, sheepskin and layered curtains will add warmth and reduce airflow in winter. Candles are generally a bad idea in Australia, certainly during bushfire season, but small LED lights such as the Mini Hozuki LED light will add charm to your campsite. Hang them in and outside your tent and on surrounding trees.
With just a few additions to your camping kit, a glamorous camping experience is within easy reach.
If glamping isn’t your scene, perhaps roughing it is!
Image: Courtesy of Ketchup’s Bank Glamping
