Forget staid old hotel rooms and run-of-the-mill roadside motel chains and take to the treetops Tarzan and Jane style with a canopy bed in one of Australia's best barky beds.
Branch out on your next holiday — literally:
Where: Olinda, Victoria
Tucked snugly into the lush rainforest and fern gullies of Olinda in the Dandenong Ranges just outside of
Melbourne, Lochiel's contemporary stone and timber cottages are luxurious treetop havens. The three tri-level one-bedroom cottages all feature king-sized bedrooms on the top level with expansive windows and balconies that look out onto the rainforest canopy. Even the two-person oval spas in the bathrooms offer magical forest views! The cottages have open fireplaces for cooler times, warming jarrah wood floors and fully equipped stainless steel kitchens. For those who want the ultimate Tarzan and Jane treetop loft there's also a spacious one-level treetop cottage which sits higher up in the canopy where you can revel in nature's gifts from your own private jungle hideaway.
Find out more at the
Lochiel website.
Where: Atherton Tablelands, Queensland
Just 10 minutes from Lake Eacham, Rose Gums Wilderness Retreat is a unique eco-friendly holiday hideaway worth going out on a limb for. Set on 93 hectares of private tropical rainforest bordering the World Heritage-listed
Wooroonooran National Park, it's the ideal getaway for anyone who wants to get back to nature with a great bush experience. In a sensitive combination of comfort, ecology and privacy, the nine luxury handcrafted pole timber tree houses feature large spa baths, cosy fireplaces and verandas with stunning mountain views. Guests who can extract themselves from their treetop haven, can spend their days exploring pristine rainforest streams and discovering the property's more than 160 species of wildlife while trekking along kilometres of walking tracks. For the budding ornithologist, guided bird-watching tours are also available.
Find out more at the
Rose Gums Wilderness Retreat website.
Where: Rydal, NSW
It must be said that an eagle's nest certainly is afforded one of the best views out and that's exactly what you'll get at Eagle View Escape. Set high in the mountains above Lake Lyell, you'll be dazzled by the panoramic widescreen views. Just two hours' drive from
Sydney, this fabulous couples-only retreat is ideal for wannabe Tarzan and Janes who don't want to forego the luxuries of modern life. The property's five charmingly rustic wilderness spa cabins, constructed of recycled Oregon and corrugated iron, feature private verandas that look out through the trees towards the lake. Modern touches include comfy queen bed, double spa, kitchenette, large flat-screen LCD TV, DVD/CD player, and ensuite bathrooms. It's really enough to make Tarzan and Jane turn green with envy.
Find out more at the
Eagle View Escape website.
Where: Malanda, Atherton Tableland, Queensland
An hour's drive from
Cairns, the 40-hectare Canopy Rainforest Treehouses and Wildlife Sanctuary is part of one of the largest untouched tracts of rainforest on the Cairns Highlands. Perched high in the rainforest canopy on the banks of the flowing Ithaca River, the five award-winning tree houses are perfectly positioned for complete privacy — there's nothing up here but wildlife and peace! Melting into the rainforest, the eco-friendly timber tree houses feature full-length glass windows that allow you to watch the rainforest's ever-changing parade of native wildlife without even having to venture out. Each of the tree houses has a king bed, double spa, wood fireplace, a self-contained kitchen, and a balcony where you can enjoy breakfast while keeping a lookout for the rare Lumholtz's tree kangaroo, the endangered green possum or perhaps spy a cassowary.
Find out more at the
Canopy Treehouses website.
Where: Bruny Island, Tasmania
This very habitable abode at Alonnah on the north-west side of South Bruny Island is the perfect setting for a great Robinson Crusoe meets Tarzan style holiday. Set high atop poles on a hillside surrounded by a forest of twisted eucalyptus, the aptly named Tree House offers commanding views straight across the historic D'Entrecasteaux Channel towards the snow-capped Hartz range on the Tasmanian mainland. Accommodating up to four adults, the stylish yet humble home features high ceilings, a modern kitchen, a wood-burning heater, cosy lounge with sound system and TV and two queen-sized bedrooms — one reached via a unique internal wooden ladder. With three large outdoor decks you can enjoy an outdoor barbecue and soak up the atmosphere as you sit back and admire the ocean views that stretch to the horizon. Or set out to explore nearby coastal tracks or go bushwalking in
South Bruny National Park.
Find out more at the
Tree House website.
Where: Jervis Bay, NSW
Set on 36 hectares of stunning bushland just five minutes drive from Jervis Bay, Paperbark Camp brings new meaning to the idea of "roughing it" outdoors. The camp's aim is to create a low-key, eco-friendly camping experience that is not only nestled in the bush, but also spares nothing in terms of five-star luxuries. Surrounded by a veil of gumtrees, you'll wake each day to a chorus of singing birds from the comfort of your bed in a luxury safari-style tent. There are 12 elevated tents in all (eight originals and four deluxe), with the deluxe tents featuring divinely-deep traditional claw-foot bathtubs complete with stunning bush views, as well as the camp's renowned Gunya restaurant — an oversized tree house with wide verandas and cosy log fireplace. Tarzan and Jane never had it this good!
Find out more at the
Paperbark Camp website.
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Know any other tree houses around Australia? Have your say below.
