A luxe treetop stay at Silky Oaks Lodge is drenched in serenity

Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
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Green peace: the little things mean a lot in this Luxury Lodges of Australia rainforest retreat.

High in the trees, through which the sunlight pours, is where you will find Silky Oaks Lodge. Here, it is as much an experience as somewhere to stay in the Daintree Rainforest. The property, part of the Baillie Lodges portfolio of luxury lodges , recently underwent a $20 million makeover to become one of the shiny new emerald jewels in Tropical North Queensland’s crown. There are few strikingly beautiful places in the world that offer such a connection to the landscape.

Views from the Treehouse at Silky Oaks Lodge
Rainforest views from the Treehouse Restaurant.

Silky Oaks Lodge is Australia’s original rainforest retreat , first opening its silky oak doors in 1985. The reinvention of the lodge and main open-air lobby is all about the elements and drawing the eye to the rainforest surrounds. Forget the weather forecast. The best place on Earth to be when it rains is in the rainforest. Alternatively, head to Tropical North Queensland for a winter escape when the average temperature ranges from 18ºC  to 26ºC.

View of Silky Oaks Lodge from the river
Silky Oak Lodge is the original rainforest retreat.

Location

Silky Oaks Lodge sits high in the treetops surrounded by a latticed canopy of green leaves. It’s just one hour’s drive from Cairns and 20 minutes from Port Douglas. Guests staying at Silky Oaks Lodge appreciate its proximity to both the Great Barrier Reef and World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest estimated to be about 180 million years old.

Views of the rainforest.
Views of the rainforest.

The lodge is located on Kubirri-Warra country, on the Traditional Lands of the eastern Indigenous Kuku Yalanji people, who lead tours from the nearby Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre. Visitors will also find extensive hiking trails that fork out from the lodge into the Daintree National Park . It’s like stepping into a full-sized Jeannie Baker collage. Or a scene from James Cameron’s Avatar.

Style and character

Silky Oaks Lodge is designed to encourage visitors to rest, relax, sit, talk and just be. The Kubirri Lounge is where guests gather to chill, read or play board games. As always, that perfume of moss and peat in the open-air lodge connects visitors to the forest and provides a sense of place.

Kubirri Lounge pictured with open-air setting
The open-air lounge invites the rainforest in.

You can get your fix of admiring the natural theatre of the rainforest from any number of nooks that are oriented toward the treetops. The lodge features the works of Australian and local First Nations artists. Expect warm timber tones, contemporary furnishings, and lots of leather and stone.

Indigenous Art at Silky Oaks Lodge
Indigenous art lines the walls of the property.

Facilities

Silky Oaks Lodge has a crystal-clear lagoon-style swimming pool swathed in green. There’s also a fully equipped air-conditioned gymnasium overlooking the lush, tropical garden. And complimentary classes led by a qualified local teacher in the open-air Marrdja Pavilion each day.

Aerial view of woman swimming in the pool at Silky Oaks Lodge
Luxury swims don’t come better than this.

You can soak in your surrounds in the Healing Waters Spa. Throw on a bathrobe and tip toe to the spa, which offers multiple treatment rooms. Then cue the reverberating hum of a crystal singing bowl and let the pummelling begin.

Two chairs fact the window with views of the rainforest at Healing Waters Spa
Healing Waters Spa offers serene views of the surrounding rainforest.

There’s also a media room where guests can enjoy the latest sporting match or blockbuster. Guests at Silky Oaks Lodge also have an in-suite bar that is replenished with local treats and beverages each day.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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Rooms

Curl up on the River Treehouse balcony in your hammock to watch the Mossman River rushing in its hurry over boulders as smooth as polished marble. Like all of the Baillie Lodges properties, the suites are designed to bring the surrounding landscape to life.

Inside the bedroom of the Riverhouse Suite at Silky Oaks Lodge
The Riverhouse Suite blends perfectly into the surrounding landscape.
The bath in the Riverhouse Suite is perched on the baloncy
Take a dip in the balcony tub.

All up, there are 40 guest treehouse-style suites surrounded by the dense greenery of the Daintree Rainforest.  The rooms all have ensuites and private balconies and are fitted out in colours that complement the rich tapestry of the rainforest.

Inside the Billabong Suite
Inside the Billabong Suite.

There are 14 Rainforest Retreats, 10 Treehouse Retreats, 2 Treehouse Premium suites (for four guests), 11 Riverhouse suites, two Billabong Suites and the two-bedroom Daintree Pavilion (the ultimate luxury retreat). Many of the suites have freestanding showers and open-air bathtubs.

Views from the bedroom of the Daintree Pavilion
Awake in the treetops with views from the bedroom of the Daintree Pavilion.
Pool and deck surrounded by rainforest in Silky Oaks Lodge Daintree Pavilion
The pool at the Daintree Pavilion is the ultimate luxury inclusion.
Lounge area of Daintree Pavilion at Silky Oaks Lodge
The luxe lounge area of the Daintree Pavilion.

What are the food and drink options?

A stay at Silky Oaks Lodge ensures a sensory experience. And that extends to the food and drink offerings.

Views from the Treehouse Restaurant with tables set for dinner
Dine beside the rainforest in the Treehouse Restaurant.

Sit around on a timber table in the tiered Treehouse Restaurant to enjoy dinner prepared by executive chef Edo Pitzalis who draws inspiration for the menu from his Sardinian background. Expect Indigenous flavours such as wattleseed and pepperberry as well as seasonal ingredients plucked from the onsite kitchen garden that range from passionfruit to pandan.

Close up of a dish at Treehouse Restaurant that uses local ingredients.
The menu is inspired by local ingredients.
Close up of contemporary cuisine dish at Silky Oaks Lodge Treehouse Restaurant
Find contemporary cuisine on the menu.

Join your new-found friends at the Jungle Perch Bar to enjoy a drink and chat about the day’s adventures. And quench your thirst with the complimentary cocktail and snacks served daily at sunset.

Two women sit in the Jungle Perch at Silky Oaks Lodge
The Jungle Perch wraps you in rainforest views.

Dinner in the restaurant is reserved for in-house guests only and wines are matched with dinner every evening. It would be remiss not to raise a glass to this sophisticated setting with a Queensland quencher either inside the restaurant or at the adjoining bar.

Bartender making cocktails at Treehouse Bar
Make a visit to the Treehouse Bar.

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What experiences can we have at Silky Oaks Lodge?

One of the best things to do when you are staying at the newly reinvented Silky Oaks Lodge is to sit on your balcony, close your eyes and listen. What you’re about to hear is your welcome forest fanfare. From the rippling chirp of the bridled honeyeater to the unmistakable crack of the whipbird, a stay at Silky Oaks Lodge is akin to listening to a Sound Cloud of the ancient rainforest.

The balcony set up in the Billabong Suite
The generous-sized balcony of the Billabong Suite is the perfect spot to relax.

Grab an e-bike and cycle into Mossman or Cooya Beach on quiet country roads fringed with fields of sugar cane. There are also snorkels for use for those who would like to drift down the river and find freshwater turtles and fish. Don’t worry, there are no crocodiles in the Mossman River as the water is too cool (save the croc sightings for the river cruise.). Self-guided walks to Fig Tree Rapids are also an option. One of the new immersive experiences on offer at Silky Oaks is the Rock Art Heli Tour led by a Kuku Yalanji guide to an exclusive location on the Cape York Peninsula.

A woman sits on a rock in Mossman River
Mossman River is a serene spot for a swim.

Is there access for guests with disabilities?

The eco accommodation at Silky Oaks Lodge includes a dedicated wheelchair and mobility-accessible Rainforest Retreat. The suite is located near to the main reception area and features level ramp access to reach the main central areas of the lodge.

Balcony view of Rainforest Retreat at Silky Oaks Lodge
The Rainforest Retreat features a balcony with hammock to give the illusion you’re swaying from the trees.

Wheelchair access can also be arranged during daily guided walks around the lodge but the terrain may be wet and steeply inclined in places. There are no handrails along the bush path. The lower level of the swimming pool is accessible via a couple of steps with a handrail. Those with mobility issues can be escorted to the area in a motorised golf buggy.

Is Silky Oaks Lodge family-friendly?

Children under the age of 10 are not allowed to stay at Silky Oaks Lodge due to the potential dangers associated with staying amid such a wild jungle environment. Yep it’s a jungle out there. Those who do bring their children aged over 10 tend to be more thoughtful travellers who encourage their kids to put down their devices and notice the silvery threadwork of a spiderweb. Or try and spot some of the unique wildlife of the Daintree such as the Lumholtz tree kangaroo, sugar glider or southern cassowary. Silky Oaks Lodge is also popular for multigenerational getaways and special occasions.

Details

A stay at the Luxury Lodges of Australia property starts from $1300 per night in a rainforest retreat which includes breakfast and a la carte dinners. There is also a range of packages available at Silky Oaks Lodge including the three-night Silky Escape, priced from $1170 per night.  The Rainforest to Reef package, priced from $4500 for a minimum stay of three nights, also includes two bonus adventures in the region.

Reception of Silky Oaks Lodge
Follow the boardwalk to the reception.

Getting to Silky Oaks Lodge

Silky Oaks Lodge is easily accessible from Cairns Airport with direct daily flights to and from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Uluru. The scenic drive from Cairns is also one of the most popular road trips in Australia.

For more nearby accommodation options, read our guide to Cape Tribulation accommodation.
Carla Grossetti
Carla Grossetti avoided accruing a HECS debt by accepting a cadetship with News Corp. at the age of 18. After completing her cadetship at The Cairns Post Carla moved south to accept a position at The Canberra Times before heading off on a jaunt around Canada, the US, Mexico and Central America. During her career as a journalist, Carla has successfully combined her two loves – of writing and travel – and has more than two decades experience switch-footing between digital and print media. Carla’s CV also includes stints at delicious., The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Australian, where she specialises in food and travel. Carla also based herself in the UK where she worked at Conde Nast Traveller, and The Sunday Times’ Travel section before accepting a fulltime role as part of the pioneering digital team at The Guardian UK. Carla and has been freelancing for Australian Traveller for more than a decade, where she works as both a writer and a sub editor.
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Exploding supernovas & gold fever: discover the past at this outback Qld town

    Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
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    Under wide-open outback skies, discover a fossicking gem that’s managed to slip under the radar.

    While the name Clermont may feel new to even the most intrepid traveller, its gilded history stretches back centuries. You’ll find it just off the highway, humming quietly under the hazy veil of Queensland’s outback sun. It’s here, hemmed in by mountains and perched atop soil heavy with the earth’s treasures, that one of Australia’s most accessible outback adventures awaits.

    Thanks to deposits of gold, copper and gemstones – souvenirs left by exploding supernovas and the heave of tectonic plates – Clermont became a centre point of Queensland’s Gold Rush. And now? Australia’s fossicking capital is yours to discover.

    Getting there

    car driving along Capricorn Way in queensland
    Take a drive through Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. (Image: Sean Scott/ TEQ)

    You’ll find Clermont in Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. To get here, it’s an easy three-hour drive over sealed roads from Mackay. Or, if you’re heading from the Sapphire Fields of Emerald, the drive will carve out just over an hour from your day.

    Whether you’re road-tripping through outback Queensland or just tracing your way through all that Australia has to offer, Clermont is remote but easily accessible.

    Best accommodation in Clermont

    Theresa CreekDam in clermont
    Camp by Theresa Creek Dam. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

    All accommodation comes with a generous helping of country hospitality here. The choice is yours between modern hotels, parking up the camper or pitching a tent.

    Theresa Creek Dam lies just outside town. Begin each day with crisp country air and bright outback sunrises. Spend the night under the sparkling country stars and your days out on the dam fishing or kayaking. Even if you aren’t camping, be sure to save space in your itinerary for an afternoon on the red dirt shore.

    To stay closer to town, opt for a central hotel to base yourself between exploring and fossicking, like Smart Stayzzz Inn and Clermont Country Motor Inn .

    Things to do in Clermont

    three people on a tour with Golden Prospecting
    Join a tour with Golden Prospecting.

    One does not visit Clermont without trying their hand at fossicking. There are strict rules when it comes to fossicking, so stick to areas dedicated for general permission and make sure you obtain your license beforehand. Try your luck at McMasters , Four Mile , Town Desert, McDonald Flat and Flat Diggings . To increase your odds, sign on for a tour with the expert team at Golden Prospecting . They’ll give you access to exclusive plots and expert advice along the way.

    Once you’ve tried your luck on the gold fields, head to the Clermont Township and Historical Museum . Each exhibit works like an archaeologist’s brush to dust away the layers of Clermont’s history. Like the steam engine that painstakingly relocated the entire town inch by inch to higher ground after it was decimated by flooding in 1916. See the tools that helped build the Blair Athol mine, historic fire engines, shearing sheds and all sorts of relics that make up Clermont’s story.

    The historic Copperfield Chimney offers a change of pace. Legend has it that fossickers found a solid wall of copper here, over three metres high, kick-starting Queensland’s first-ever copper mine.

    Bush Heli Services flying over clermont queensland
    See Clermont from above with Bush Heli Services. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

    For hiking, nearby Dysart is the best place to access Peak Range National Park. Here, mountainous horizons stretch across the outback as if plucked from another world. Set off for a scenic drive along the Peak Downs Highway for access to countless geological wonders. Like the slanting rockface of Wolfang Peak. Summit it, and you’ll find yourself looking out across a scene surely conjured up by Banjo Paterson. Dry scrub dancing in the warm breeze, grazing cattle, eucalypts and the gentle creak of windmills. Don’t miss visiting Gemini Peaks, either, for one of the park’s best vistas, and a blanket of wild flowers after rain.

    Then, take to the skies with a scenic helicopter tour with Bush Heli-Services . Shift your perspective and cruise above all the sights from your trip. Spots like Lords Table Mountain and Campbell’s Peak are best viewed from the skies.

    Before you head home, be sure to explore the neighbouring townships. Spend a lazy afternoon in the shade of Nebo Hotel’s wrap-around verandahs . The hotel’s 1900s dance hall has since been replaced with one of the area’s biggest rodeo arenas, so consider timing your trip to line up with a boot scootin’ rodeo. Or, stop by a ghost town. Mount Britton was once a thriving town during the 1880s Gold Rush. It’s been totally abandoned and now lies untouched, a perfect relic of the Gold Rush.

    Best restaurants and cafes in Clermont

    meal at Commercial Hotel
    Stop into the Commercial Hotel Clermont.

    Days spent fossicking, bushwalking and cramming on history call for excellent coffee and hearty country meals. Luckily, Clermont delivers in spades.

    Lotta Lattes Cafe is beloved by locals for a reason. Start your days here for the best caffeine fix in town and an impeccable brunch menu.

    For a real country meal, an icy cold beer and that famed country hospitality, head straight to the town’s iconic hotel: the Commercial Hotel (known endearingly to locals as ‘The Commie’). It’s been a staple in Clermont since 1877. The hotel even survived the flood of 1916 when it was sawn in two and moved to higher ground.

    Naturally, time spent in the outback must include calling into the local bakery. For delicious pies and a tantalising array of sweet treats, make Bluemac Bakehouse your go-to while in town.

    Discover more of The Mackay Isaac region, and start planning your trip at mackayisaac.com.