Hotel Review: Hinchinbrook Wilderness Lodge, QLD

Australian TravellerBy Australian Traveller
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HINCHINBROOK WILDERNESS LODGE is currently closed as it has been destroyed by cyclones and fire. We hope it will be reborn soon.

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Escape to Hinchinbrook Island Wilderness Lodge, an island tree house in far north Queensland for a taste of extreme arboreal luxury.

It’s to be our luxury escape, a little sanity break from the tiny caravan we’re currently calling home as we trip around the Australian countryside. No matter how much you love someone, living in such a confined space has its limits.

 

It is therefore with lofty expectations and high spirits that my husband and I board the ferry from Cardwell across to Hinchinbrook Island on the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of north Queensland. We’ve chosen Hinchinbrook over Queensland’s many other islands largely because of its reputation as a rugged wilderness area. Hinchinbrook covers nearly 400km2, all of which is national park, making it the world’s largest island national park.

 

It’s totally undeveloped except for the Hinchinbrook Island Wilderness Lodge, a small low-key resort on the northern peninsula, Cape Richards. The resort offers some older self-contained beach cabins, but it was the tree houses that caught our eye. Linked by a series of wooden walkways, these lofty cabins sit above the main lodge area, nestled among the treetops, with views over the island and pretty Orchid Beach below. Our caravan safely stored, we’re looking forward to life in a tree house for the next few days.

 

As we approach the island the sheer scale of the landmass is impressive. Steep forest-covered granite mountains rise dramatically from white beaches and mangrove-lined shores. The island’s highest peak, Mount Bowen, stretches into the overcast sky, clouds clinging to its upper slopes like white fairy floss on a stick. A brisk wind chops the water and, encouraged by our enthusiastic and informative skipper, we keep our eyes peeled for resident dugongs.

 

Our first impressions of the resort unfortunately aren’t quite as good. We’re greeted pleasantly but after the obligatory “welcome drink" the young lass showing us to our much-anticipated tree house can’t actually seem to find our cabin. We walk back and forth along the boardwalk exchanging nervous glances as she flits between the different tree houses searching for our room number. In the end my husband bolts up a rather steep set of stairs and yells down that he’s found it.

 

Upon entering our tree house, any problems we’ve just experienced quickly fade into the background. We’ve managed to score one of the best on the island and grin at each other as we climb to our high cabin through rocks and tree trunks. The tree house has been built to blend with the environment and a large boulder forms part of the bedroom wall, while the wooden balcony is shaped around the surrounding trees.

 

There are timber floors and glass windows form the front wall of both the bedroom and the comfortable lounge area, making the most of the vista. Admittedly the building is a little rundown and in need of some TLC; a few doors and windows don’t work properly and for the money we’re spending (the price of a high quality hotel room) we’d expected a little more polish. Nevertheless, the location and novelty factor make up for the shortcomings.

 

While on the island, when we aren’t playing in our tree house, we embark on some great rainforest walks which empty onto deserted beaches, watch the prolific local bird and animal life, relax in deck chairs on Orchid Beach and make the most of the resort canoes. We also take a guided hike to Nina Peak – one of the island’s lower and more accessible mountains, accessed from beautiful Ramsay Beach (reached via a boat trip from the lodge). It’s a worthwhile climb with wonderful views and a fantastic spot for a picnic at the top.

 

Our friendly guide, Wilson, adds to the experience with his extensive knowledge of the island and surrounds. In the evenings we more than replenish our energy at the resort restaurant. A full meal package at Hinchinbrook is pricey, so not wanting to totally crack the budget we’ve brought food across with us for breakfast and lunch, and indulge in meals out at night. The food is exceptionally good, from creative entrees to wonderful mains featuring freshly caught fish and, my favourite, decadent melt-in-the-mouth chocolate desserts. The meals outclass the restaurant service, which is adequate but nothing more.

 

Before we know it, it’s time to return to our more humble living quarters and we board the ferry back to Cardwell. Overall we’re glad we chose Hinchinbrook. The island is a true retreat, rich in natural beauty with plenty to offer outdoor types. Plus, if you decide to spend a little extra, you can play in a tree house designed just for grownups.

The Details:

Where: Hinchinbrook Island Wilderness Lodge. Off the coast of Cardwell, north Qld.
Best months to go: Dry season, May-Sept, the resort closes during the wet season from Jan 14 to April 1.
Cost: 1-bedroom Tree House $350 per night, 2-bedroom Tree House $410 per night.
Phone: 1800 777 021
Website: www.hinchinbrookresort.com.au

Australian Traveller
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5 of the best Sunshine Coast day trips

    Kate BettesBy Kate Bettes
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    City buzz, gourmet trails, surf breaks and art scenes are all at your fingertips.

    When it comes to planning a trip, picking a holiday destination is the easy part. The real dilemma is where to set yourself up for the night. Do you go coastal, city, or countryside? Somewhere remote and rugged, or right in the action? Luckily, the Sunshine Coast, and huge number of amazing Sunshine Coast day trips, have kindly made the choice for you.

    Ditch the hotel-hopping and suitcase-lugging. Instead, base yourself at Novotel Sunshine Coast or Mantra Mooloolaba , where big-city culture, vine-covered valleys, and theme parks are all within a two-hour drive.

    1. Sunshine Coast to Brisbane

    Drive time: 1 hour 20 minutes (105km)

    Shake off the sand from your sandals and swap the beach for the throb of the Queensland capital. Ease in gently with a bougainvillea-filled stroll through South Bank, iced latte in hand, before cooling off at Streets Beach lagoon – Brisbane’s answer to the coast (but without the waves).

    Once firmly in big-city mode, hit up the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) , home to Australia’s largest collection of modern and contemporary artworks. Dive into the past at the Queensland Museum, where prehistoric fossils of Australian dinosaurs and megafauna collide with First Nations cultural collections and interactive science exhibits.

    All this learning got you hungry? Howard Smith Wharves calls. Here, riverside dining delivers breweries with meat-forward menus, Japanese fine dining and overwater bars. If you’ve got room for more, Fortitude Valley’s shopping boutiques await you and your wallet.

    woman walking around Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA)
    Wander the Gallery of Modern Art. (Image: TEQ)

    2. Sunshine Coast to the Scenic Rim

    Drive time: 2 hours 15 minutes (170km)

    Make your way inland to the Scenic Rim for the state’s best vineyards and age-old volcanic slopes. Start your day early (like, sparrow’s breakfast early) at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat in Lamington National Park . Here, take a treetop walk through the canopy and hand-feed the wild birds who flock here.

    Next, it’s your turn to eat. Here, the food scene operates where locally sourced produce is an expectation, not an exception. Order a picnic basket crammed with regional wine and cheese to devour next to the creek at Canungra Valley Vineyards . Or perhaps a grazing platter of vegan and non-vegan cheeses at Witches Falls Winery .

    Feeling bold? Tackle the Twin Falls circuit in Springbrook National Park. Or keep the gourmet life going with a Scenic Rim Brewery tasting paddle, best enjoyed while taking in the rise of the Great Dividing Range.

    woman with cheese and wine at Witches Falls Winery
    Enjoy a cheese platter at Witches Falls Winery. (Image: TEQ)

    3. Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast

    Drive time: 2 hours (180km)

    Surf, sand and sparkling skylines might be the Gold Coast’s MO, but there’s more to Surfers Paradise and beyond. Kick things off with a beachfront coffee at Burleigh Heads, then hike through Burleigh Head National Park to look over the ocean and whale sightings (dependent on the season, of course).

    Cool off in the calm waters of Tallebudgera Creek before chowing down on the famously buttery Moreton Bay bug rolls at Rick Shores . Travelling with the kids? Then you can’t miss Australia’s theme park capital, with Dreamworld ’s big rides and Warner Bros. Movie World ’s Hollywood treatment at hand to keep the family entertained.

    aerial view of Tallebudgera Creek
    Dive into Tallebudgera Creek. (Image: TEQ)

    4. Sunshine Coast to Tweed Heads

    Drive time: 2 hours 15 minutes (200km)

    Dare to cross enemy lines? Then welcome to New South Wales. Tweed Heads blends the laid-back attitude of the Northern Rivers with high-quality dining, experimental art, and farm-fresh indulgence – a combo worth the drive.

    Start strong with a long, lazy brunch at Tweed River House , then swing by Tropical Fruit World for exotic finds like red dragon fruit, handfuls of lychees and black sapote. Next, hit M|Arts Precinct – an art deco hub of micro galleries, artist workshops and one-off boutiques.

    Round off the day with sunset drinks at Husk Distillers among the glowing cane fields, and order one with their famous Ink Gin. You’ll thank us later.

    exterior of Husk Distillers
    Taste the famous Ink Gin at Husk Distillers. (Image: Destination NSW)

    5. Sunshine Coast Hinterland

    Drive time: 1 hour (70km)

    Strap on those hiking boots and make tracks inland, where volcanic peaks, misty rainforest and hinterland townships beckon. Ease in with the Glass House Mountains Lookout Walk, or, if you have energy to burn, tackle the Mount Ngungun Summit Walk for a 360-degree sight of the surrounding summits.

    Next: Montville. This township delivers European-style architecture and old-world appeal. Nearby, settle in at Flame Hill Vineyard, where a large pour of estate-grown wine comes with encompassing views of the countryside.

    Not ready to leave the hinterland villages just yet? Of course not. Meander past art galleries and indie shops at Maleny. Nab some fudge from Sweets on Maple for a sweet fix. Or go salty at Maleny Dairies with a farm tour and a chunky wedge of their deliciously creamy cheese.

    End the day among the eucalypts and rainforests of Kondalilla National Park. Here, the Kondalilla Falls Circuit winds down through trees humming with life to a rock pool beneath a waterfall – as if designed for soaking tired feet before heading back to the coast.

    view of Mount Ngungun on the scenic rim queensland
    Take on the Mount Ngungun Summit Walk (Image: TEQ)

    Start planning your Sunshine home base at all.com.