9 heavenly places to go glamping on the Gold Coast

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Reconnect to nature in spectacular fashion with the best glamping on the Gold Coast.

High-rise hotels and sizable resorts offer pretty views, but nothing plunges you into all-consuming beauty quite like glamping on the Gold Coast. Lovebirds, adventure seekers and kid-heavy families are all catered for in luxuriously tented stays that offer instant access to natural wonders, unique foodie experiences and a level of comfort typically reserved for the Gold Coast’s most luxurious accommodation.

1. Tamborine Mountain Glades

a 4WD outside the glamping tent at Tamborine Mountain Glades, Gold Coast
The off-grid accommodation is nestled in the middle of nature. (Image: Tamborine Mountain Glades)

Where: Tamborine Mountain

Breathe in the dewy subtropical rainforest air of Tamborine Mountain’s resident glamping site, Tamborine Mountain Glades. Enveloped in lush bushland, the site is actually home to awesome Gold Coast tent and caravan camping, self-contained cabins and The Vistas, hotel-like stays that share a huge communal fire pit, but its Woodlands glamping is the star of the show.

Found over in a remote corner of the remarkable 114-hectare property, right next to a small creek that trickles out the front of all 11 spacious tents, the Gold Coast glamping experience starts simple with a king-size bed, flat-screen TV, ensuite with an open-air shower and underfloor heating, outdoor dining table, barbecue and bar fridge and private fire pit. Climbing up the scale a step is the Woodlands Luxe Tents, which add a private outdoor jacuzzi to the equation, before the Woodlands Family Tents drop a roomy bedding configuration for up to five guests and the mac daddy, the Woodlands Family Luxe Tent, offers a private three-metre plunge pool.

Natural textures and tones complement their bush surroundings, but the mood is luxe safari inside as fluffy bedding dial up the indulgence. Plus, there’s in-room dining if you’re good with antipasto platters, grazing boards and jam-packed hampers featuring ingredients plucked from the team’s kitchen garden.

There’s also the Rainforest Restaurant & Lounge Bar offering locally sourced meals, plus a range of activities at the adjacent Thunderbird Park (a kids’ ultimate playground) including ziplining, treetop challenges, crystal panning, mini golf, laser tag and more. If you’ve got a budding demolition expert in your family, don’t miss Dig IT, too, a mini excavator park that your little one will rave about for months, even years (speaking from experience) beyond exiting the grounds. Glamping starts from $349 per night.

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2. Reset Tallebudgera Valley

a luxe glamping tent at Reset Tallebudgera Valley, Gold Coast
Each glamping tent is complete with every creature comfort you need. (Image: Reset Tallebudgera Valley)

Where: Tallebudgera Valley

Like a spacecraft sent from another planet, Reset Tallebudgera Valley is a semi-transparent dome situated amid lush bushland right next to a freshwater creek. Even crazier, the interior is Instagram-perfect, styled with creams and timbers and dotted with green plants while a kitchenette, pristine bathroom, plush double bed, bathrobes, air-con, a dining area, coffee machine and curtains that close the transparent section of the dome, offer every creature comfort you could possibly expect from glamping.

There’s also an outdoor bathtub, fire pit and barbecue facilities to help you soak up the beauty that envelopes you, while an additional lounge setting, set right against the creek itself, provides prime real estate for indulging in scenic nothingness.

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3. Binna Burra Lodge

an aerial view of Binna Burra Lodge, Lamington National Park
Binna Burra Lodge is perched 800 metres above sea level. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Where: Binna Burra, Lamington National Park

Soaring high over mountain at 800 metres above sea level, Binna Burra Lodge is treated to some of the region’s dreamiest views. Its location, however, fell right in the path of destruction caused by Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, so in June 2025, the hot spot was closed for repairs and renovations with a reopening date yet to be confirmed. When this Gold Coast glamping hot spot does get back on its feet, guests can definitely expect ultra-serene stays about an hour’s drive from Burleigh Heads.

Most of the original iterations featured private verandas, double beds, USB charging ports, dining tables and internal lighting — so they were very basic, to be fair — while the largest offered a private fire pit. Bathrooms and kitchen facilities were shared (watch this space on whether this key booking factor changes), plus you had to either bring your own linen or hire out a set. The price tag was the real MVP, offering overnights from under $100 per day.

When it’s time to eat, the on-site Binna Burra Tea House offers generous breakfast, lunch and dinner, and various barbecue packs filled with meat, veg and condiments should sort out every meal in between.

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4. Nightfall

a glamping tent in the middle of a forest at Nightfall, Lamington National Park
Hit reset in an exclusive eco-tent. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Where: Lamington National Park

Switch off and unwind at arguably the most exclusive glamping on the Gold Coast, Nightfall, located 90 minutes inland on the fringes of Lamington National Park. This is luxury immersed in astounding natural scenery, with just five tents situated within the entire property (it equates to no more than eight people staying on-site at once).

Ideal for couples, the 62-square-metre structures are fitted with timber flooring, vintage bathtubs, private fireplaces, kitchenettes stacked with snacks, rain-head showers, flushing toilets, and an abundance of plush boho-inspired bedding to keep you extra toasty in the cooler months.

The spoils just keep coming as all meals and beverages are catered for. Once the sun begins to sink, pre-dinner drinks are presented as cooks prepare organic meals utilising locally foraged ingredients and fresh produce from Brisbane, in a wood-fired oven housed within the camp kitchen. Best of all, dishes are completely customed to each guest’s particular tastes. Additionally, creek-side spa treatments can be arranged, as can private yoga sessions in the comfort of your tent. Phenomenal. Rates start from $985 per night.

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5. BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park

Where: Helensvale (near the Gold Coast theme parks)

Holidaying with the kids but keen to step up the fancy? BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park is the answer to family prayers, offering glamping on the Gold Coast accompanied by all the typical holiday park amenities children delight in. Located right near some of the Gold Coast’s best theme parks, the tents sleep up to six guests and feature kitchenettes, air-con, living and dining areas, private bathrooms and best of all, private decks with bathtubs overlooking a river.

When you step outside, extend your adventure at the insanely huge water park, swimming pool with daybeds, remote-control car track, frisbee golf, jumping pillow, licensed poolside cafe and more. Prices start from roughly $420 per night.

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6. Paradise Country Farmstay

a family arriving at Paradise Country Farmstay, Gold Coast
Paradise Country Farmstay offers a premium glamping experience for families. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Where: Oxenford

Make it a family holiday for the ages with a stay at Paradise Country Farmstay, offering eco tents from the team at Paradise Country, the coast’s epic Aussie farm experience. Glamping on the Gold Coast is rarely this kid-indulgent as full access to Paradise Country and its wildlife park is on offer, plus exclusive experiences like egg collecting, cow feeding and milking, campfire complete with marshmallow-topped twigs and unique animal encounters. The tents themselves, which also cater to couples, are beautifully appointed via polished timber furniture, deluxe bedding, private balconies and a refrigerator.

There’s also the Farmhouse Restaurant, a charming eatery housed within a converted shed, dishing up breakfast, pub favourites for lunch and a buffet dinner. The Burrow Café is also on hand for coffee and snacks. Glamping starts from $235 per night for couples and the price climbs for varied family options.

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7. NRMA Parks & Resorts’ Treasure Island Holiday Resort

Where: Biggera Waters

Another top-notch option for families hunting down kid-friendly activities is NRMA Parks & Resorts’ Treasure Island Holiday Resort, offering fun-filled glamping on the Gold Coast. Once again benefiting from holiday park facilities, including a massive splash zone, the park houses three playgrounds, four swimming pools with one featuring a waterslide, a giant bouncing pillow, daily kids’ club, go-kart and e-bike hire, a games arcade, mini golf and the Bear Grylls Survival Academy, which rivals the theme parks for thrills.

The tents themselves, which sleep up to four people, are great, offering large front verandas with dining tables and a barbecue, private bathrooms, kitchenette, lounge area and TV, and it’s extremely tidy and clean. Galleons Bistro, selling pizzas, burgers, and other hearty mains, is located right near the splash zone, so lunch and dinner are a cinch. Rates start from $166 per night.

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8. Ketchup’s Bank Glamping

the al fresco kitchen at Ketchup’s Bank Glamping, Gold Coast
Knapps Luxury eco-tents offer cosy lodgings with private al fresco kitchens. (Image: Supplied)

Where: Cannon Creek

Tucked high in the hills of the stunning Gold Coast hinterland, Ketchup’s Bank Glamping is a secluded oasis, 90 minutes from the Gold Coast, offering two glorious glamping tents. You’ll feel lightyears away from civilisation as views across the region’s lush rolling hills take your breath away and the sound of birds chirping and spectacular wildlife provide a soulful soundtrack.

Both the Ironbark Luxury and Knapps Luxury eco-tents offer comfortable, stylish lodgings with private al fresco kitchens stocked with utensils, plus private campfires, ensuites, internal bar fridges, dishwashers, Wi-Fi, and TVs. Various food hampers and charcuterie boards filled with seasonal produce can be purchased, providing romantics with the perfect accompaniments to sensational sunset gazing. Rates start from $319 per night.

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9. Southern Sky Glamping

Where: Mount Tamborine

Set in the lush tranquillity of Mount Tamborine, Southern Sky Glamping features luxury tents (including ones large enough to accommodate families up to five), each with its own flat-screen TV, dining table and private bathroom – not to mention a fully equipped kitchen so you can cook up your own meals.

You’ll have your own private seating area, but a large, heated pool (open outside of winter) and outdoor fire pit will likely draw you out of your cosy stay. Or, head a little further afield and discover the many hiking trails around this glamping experience on the Gold Coast.

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Discover the best things to do on the Gold Coast

Kristie Lau-Adams
Kristie Lau-Adams is a Gold Coast-based freelance writer after working as a journalist and editorial director for almost 20 years across Australia's best-known media brands including The Sun-Herald, WHO and Woman's Day. She has spent significant time exploring the world with highlights including trekking Japan’s life-changing Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage and ziplining 140 metres above the vines of Mexico’s Puerto Villarta. She loves exploring her own backyard (quite literally, with her two young children who love bugs), but can also be found stalking remote corners globally for outstanding chilli margaritas and soul-stirring cultural experiences.
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What it’s really like to stay on the world’s largest sand island

Exploring the world’s largest sand island starts with the perfect K’gari homebase.

The morning light is still soft, but it’s already a perfect sunny day. We left our K’gari homebase at Kingfisher Bay Resort  with our guide, Peter Meyer, at 9 am to make the most of our time to explore all that the world’s largest sand island holds. The size of K’gari is hard to grasp until you arrive here. This is no sandbar. Stretching 120 kilometres, unique lakes, mangrove systems, rainforest, 75 Miles of beach, historic shipwrecks, small townships and even one of Queensland’s best bakeries are all hidden within its bounds.

But first, one of the island’s most iconic sights: the pure silica sand and crystal clear waters of Lake McKenzie.

Laying eyes on it for the first time, I’m finally able to confirm that the photos don’t lie. The sand is pure white, without the merest hint of yellow. The water fades from a light halo of aqua around the edges to a deeper, royal blue, the deeper it gets (not that it’s particularly deep, six metres at most). The surface remains surprisingly undisturbed, like a mirror.

Arriving with our guide before 10 am means that no one else is around when we get here. Which means we have the pleasure of breaking the smooth surface with our own ripples as we enter. As a self-confessed wimp with chilly water temperatures, my fears are quickly assuaged. Even in the morning, the water stays around 23 degrees – perfect for lazing about all day. But we have more sights to see.

Exploring K’gari

ariel of in lake mckenzie on k'gari fraser island
Relax in the warm waters of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Ayeisha Sheldon)

This was the Personalised 4WD tour offered by Kingfisher Bay Resort, and my absolute top pick of experiences. Over the course of the day, we had the freedom to create our own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who had plenty of stories and local expertise to give context to what we were looking at. From the history of the SS Maheno shipwreck, which survived the First World War only to be washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935, to a detailed description of how an island made of sand could sustain such diverse flora.

If it’s your first time to K’gari, the Beauty Spots Tour is another great option. Departing daily from Kingfisher Bay Resort (you’ll start to notice a trend, as many of the tours do start and end here), an air-conditioned, 4WD bus takes guests to the island’s most iconic locations, including the best places to swim, like Lake McKenzie and Eli Creek. The latter offers a gentle current, perfect for riding with a blow-up tyre out towards the ocean.

The next day, for a look at a completely different side of K’gari, I joined one of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Immersive Ranger-guided tours to kayak through the mangroves of Dundonga Creek. This long, snake-like stretch of creek winds its way inland from the ocean outlet we entered by, at times too narrow for three kayaks to be side-by-side. Small insects buzz from leaf to leaf, while birds call overhead. Occasional bubbles indicate we’ve passed some fish that call this place home.

kayak tour through the mangroves at k'gari island
Learn about the island’s mangroves from your Ranger. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)

If kayaking isn’t for you – or if, like me, you simply want more – other ranger-led experiences include nature walks and a dedicated Junior Eco Ranger Program for kids ages five to 12 (these run every weekend, and daily over the peak December holidays). Just ask for a timetable of upcoming tours when you check in.

While during whale season, Hervey Bay Whale Watch & Charters operates tours from the hotel’s jetty to get up close to the famous Humpback Highway of Hervey Bay, from 7 November to 31 May, attention turns to the Aqua Oasis Cruise . Departing from the resort every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for resort guests, adventure along the island’s remote western coast, pointing out wildlife like dolphins, turtles, flying fish and eagles along the way.

The cruise drops anchor so guests can jump into the water using the boat’s equipment – from SUP boards to inflatable slides and jumping platforms. Then refuel with a provided lunch, of course.

Unwind at sunset

two people drinking cocktails at sunset bar, kingfisher bay resort
Unwind at the Sunset Bar. (Image: Sean Scott)

As much as days on K’gari can be filled with adventure, to me, the afternoons and evenings there are for unwinding. Sunsets on K’gari are absolutely unbelievable, with Kingfisher Bay on the west side being the best spot to catch the colours.

The Sunset Bar , located at the start of the resort’s jetty and overlooking the beach, is the ultimate location for sundowners. Let chill beats wash over you as you sip on cool wines, beers and cocktails in a relaxed, friendly vibe. Personally, a cheese board was also absolutely called for. As the sun sinks, the sand, sea and horizon turn a vibrant shade of orange, with the jetty casting a dramatic shadow across the water.

When the show is over, head back to the hotel for dinner at the Asian-fusion Dune restaurant, or the pub-style Sand + Wood. But if your appetite is still whetted for more lights and colours, the evening isn’t over yet.

Settle into the Illumina stage for Return to Sky, an immersive light and sound show leading viewers on a captivating journey through K’gari’s stories and landscapes.

Indulge and disconnect

woman setting up massage room at kingfisher bay resort Island Day Spa
Find bliss at Island Day Spa. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Of course, there is a type of traveller who knows that balance is important, day or night. While Kingfisher Bay Resort offers more than one pool for guests to spend all day lounging by (they’ll even serve you food and drinks while you do it), you’ll find me at the Island Day Spa.

The masseuses could match the magic hands of any big city spa, and I felt the warm welcome as I walked into the light, breezy reception. Choose from a range of botanical facials, beauty treatments and soothing massages using traditional techniques (obviously, I couldn’t go past a relaxing massage). All products used contain organic, native botanical ingredients with nutrient-rich plant extracts to soothe skin and mind. To really indulge, try out one of the packages, couples treatment or even a pre-wedding day offering.

Getting there

kingfisher bay resort 4wd tour driving passed ss maheno on k'gari island
The world of K’gari awaits. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Getting to K’gari is shockingly easy. Find daily flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a shuttle bus between the airport, their headquarters in Hervey Bay and the ferry to take you to K’gari.