Outback luxury awaits at Mt Mulligan Lodge

Mount Mulligan might just be the most magnificent place in Australia you’d never heard of.

Explorer James Venture Mulligan described Mt Mulligan as “a mountain once seen, never to be forgotten" when he chanced upon the escarpment on a gold-prospecting expedition to Tropical North Queensland in the late 1800s.

A quick flick through the guestbook at the eponymously named Mt Mulligan Lodge suggests the magnificent conglomerate and sandstone tabletop mountain still has the power to inspire awe. The property is one of three key Luxury Lodges of Australia in Tropical North Queensland. What surprises a lot of visitors to Ngarrabullgan (Mt Mulligan) is the fact it almost 10 times the size of Uluru. And while visitors are forbidden from climbing the mountain, guests at the lodge can seek refuge here to do as little or as much as they like. Yes, the location is remote, but that’s part of the appeal. Get amongst it.

Exquisite Mount Mulligan views from the weir. (Image: Wilson Archer)

Location

The lodge sits in the shadow of the vast monolith, known as Ngarrabullgan, in the heart of Djungan country in the Tropical North Queensland outback. As well as being a place of great significance to the Traditional Owners, Mt Mulligan is the site of Queensland’s worst mining disaster, a tragic event that blew the heart out of the local community in 1921. The former mining town is about 160 kilometres north-west of Cairns in the Shire of Mareeba.

Mount Mulligan Lodge with the Mount Mulligan backdrop.

Mount Mulligan Lodge blends into the mountain backdrop. (Image: Jason Lerace)

Style and character

Building design and interior architecture firm dubois: has brought a look and feel that will wear and weather as beautifully as nature’s palette. Built around an existing weir on a 28,000-hectare working cattle station, the expansive property is rugged and rural and brings visitors in touch with the elements.

The design exudes an elevated ranch-style aesthetic. (Image: The Rambler Co.)

Facilities

The lodge features four different types of accommodation: two Outback Retreats, six Outback Rooms, two Outback Suites, and four Outback Tents.

In addition, there’s a beautifully designed main Pavilion with a dramatic exposed stone feature wall, an infinity pool and Sunset Bar designed in the Australian vernacular – all timber and tin – which dates back to our pioneering past.

Each guest is assigned an electric buggy so you can zip to and from the Main Pavilion or Sunset Bar. The all-inclusive lodge sleeps just 28 guests, including children of all ages. The low-set building surrounded by gums is exceptionally chic and a top spot to join fellow guests for a chat around the open bar of beer, wine and spirits.

Unwind and get cosy by the fire. (Image: Courtney Atkinson)

Rooms

Wood, wool, leather, linen, timber stone. It makes sense for Mt Mulligan Lodge to feature natural materials, fibres and recycled timbers that bind us to our past. Forget the chintzy excesses of a city hotel. The rooms are resplendent with considered artworks and floor-to-ceiling doors that open to the greenery of a tropical garden reflected in the mirrored surface of the weir.

The eight guest rooms have a dark and earthy colour palette. (Image: Lee Besser)

Each room allows glimpses of Mt Mulligan beyond. Bunker down in the corrugated outdoor tub on the vast deck in order to admire the generous folds of the monolith as it changes in the light. All the rooms are dotted along a grassy shoulder of land overlooking the weir.

The rooms are fitted out with iPod docks, Bose Bluetooth speakers, LaGaia bath products, a desk, air con, minibar, free bottled water, tea- and coffee-making facilities and a working fireplace (in the Outback Retreats and Outback Suites only). Want to elope? There’s a package designed for your private outback wedding.

The modern bathrooms open out onto decks. (Image: Elise Hassey)

What is the food and drink offering at Mt Mulligan Lodge?

Take a seat on custom-designed canvas folding camp chairs around a solid timber table to enjoy a superb set menu on the verandah of the Main Pavilion while overlooking the infinity pool and surrounding landscape.

Relax and diner by the outdoor swimming pool. (Image: Mt Mulligan Lodge)

Request a bespoke Dining under the Stars experience or enjoy the daily-changing menu, which pays respect to the diverse producers of the Atherton Tablelands and rich Indigenous history of using native ingredients.

Listen to the chorus of cicadas over linguine carbonara with barramundi pancetta followed by a dessert of wattleseed, coffee and banana. Dining is all-inclusive and there’s the option to pair lunches and dinners with Australian wines.

Food is served with a nose-to-tail philosophy. (Image: Elise Hassey)

Whether you need a family-friendly beach resort or a private tropical apartment by the sea, our guide to Port Douglas accommodation is a comprehensive look at the best of the best.

Port Douglas, the picturesque seaside town perfectly positioned between two exceptional World Heritage sites – the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest – offers unparalleled access to tropical splendour, great food and dining options, and leisurely afternoons best suited to beachside adventure. It’s essential to make sure where you stay fits the brief for your crew, your priorities (action-centric and budget-friendly, or resort amenities all the way?) and your holiday goals. Here’s our guide to the best Port Douglas accommodation, from luxurious hotels to cheap getaways and stunning architecturally built properties hidden in the rainforest.

Resorts/Hotels

Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort

The Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort Port Douglas puts the sleepy seaside town on the map. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

At a commanding 147 hectares, the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort is a glittering jewel in the Port Douglas crown, with comfortable, resort-style rooms and suites (many with direct pool access) situated on two hectares of saltwater lagoon-style pools. The resort is located on Four Mile Beach, with beach access via a boardwalk, so you can hear the waves crashing as you sip poolside margaritas. Expect palm-tree-shaped afternoon shadows, delectable dining options at the breakfast buffet and onsite eatery Harrison’s, and – in the Presidential suite – marble bathrooms and separate living and dining areas. 

Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa

Soak up the sparkling lagoon pool from your suite’s balcony. (Image: Pullman Port Douglas Sea Temple Resort & Spa)

This five-star resort offers apartments (in one-, two- and three-bedroom configurations), as well as rooms with their own plunge pools, villas, swim-out suites and decadent penthouse apartments. All enjoy views of the sparkling lagoon pool, full kitchens and access to the nourishing Vie Spa and Aluco Restaurant & Bar, which serves up steak tartare prepared tableside (pick your own mustard and caper amounts), pan-fried local barramundi dressed with a warm romesco sauce, and a seafood platter stacked tall with trawler prawns, bugs and oysters. 

Silky Oaks Lodge

Find freestanding showers and open-air bathtubs outside your suite. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Set within a captivating private allotment of riverside Daintree rainforest, Silky Oaks Lodge is the epitome of elegance, only 20 minutes from Port Douglas by car. Situated above the wilderness and built into the canopy, the onsite restaurant serves up crispy-skinned saltwater barramundi with sautéed mushrooms and scrolls of pickled celeriac alongside crispy potatoes and bright salad, followed by decadent coconut sago and steaming pots of Daintree black tea. Your stay includes daily breakfast, afternoon drinks, dinner and in-room bar. There’s also a selection of private watering holes and direct access to Mossman River, an on-site spa, hammocks outside each room and complimentary morning yoga – so you can start the day right, and go from there. 

Peppers Beach Club

Relax poolside with a drink. (Image: Tanika Blair Photography)

A 450-metre walk from the centre of town, Peppers Beach Club is a water-centric resort that is all bright white, deep blue and vibrant greens. Indulgent Asian-inspired dining options at Koko include a zesty green papaya salad, Korean-inspired fried chicken burgers and takoyaki with crisp bonito flakes. Spa suites have bathtubs on furnished balconies, so you can go from the beach to the pool, to your private spa in a matter of minutes, but all rooms and poolside suites have access to in-room massage facilities. You won’t find single-use amenities here or water bottles; refill your complimentary Purezza water bottle throughout the resort instead.

Niramaya Villas & Spa

The Balinese-style villa opens to a private plunge pool. (Image: NVS Media)

If wellness is a top priority for your Port Douglas adventure, then consider the Balinese-esque Niramaya, where pagoda-like self-contained villas are nestled near a 30-metre plunge pool, leafy gardens and an onsite spa. (The latter offers nurturing spa packages, including treatments such as full body scrubs, scalp therapy and soothing sun-sensitive massages.) Santi, the resort’s restaurant, serves up Indonesia-inspired spiced calamari and bowls of garden curry, which you can enjoy before retreating to your spacious, timber-toned adobe and private plunge pool.

Camping/Caravan Parks

Big4 Holiday Parks, Port Douglas

Big4 Holiday Parks Port Douglas is ideal for a rustic holiday.

Whether you’re travelling by car, caravan or camper, this well-equipped holiday park seven kilometres out of town is the ideal spot for those who like a more rustic approach to their holiday. There’s a waterpark (and six slides) on site, as well as a resort-style pool that’s heated in winter, a playground and spacious camp kitchens. You can pick from unpowered, powered or ensuited sites, but if you’re after something a bit more homely, opt for a villa. The Valley View Deluxe Villas are fully self-contained, with views out over the surrounding mountains and an outdoor barbecue to grill to your heart’s content. 

Pandanus Tourist Park

With a combination of unpowered and powered sites, villas and self-contained Queenslander-style cabins, Pandanus Tourist Park is perfect for caravan convoys, happy campers and overnight adventurers. Established palm trees provide plenty of shade, and the bright blue swimming pool offers a cool-down opportunity in warmer weather. From here, you’re a five-minute walk to Four Mile Beach and a 10-minute walk to Port Douglas’ Crystalbrook Marina – the perfect launchpad for reef adventures and more. 

Coral Beach Lodge

Take a dip in the saltwater pool. (Image: Coral Beach Lodge)

Recently renovated and right in the heart of town, Coral Beach Lodge is a budget-friendly choice for families, groups and singles. Rooms are sparse but clean, but that doesn’t really matter too much when most of your time will be spent outside of them. There’s a saltwater pool here that’s open 24 hours a day, plus a pool table, dart boards, flower-filled gardens, communal kitchen and BBQ areas, and stacks of board games and books for your perusal.

Holiday homes/Airbnbs

Azure Port Douglas

Split over two levels and epitomising the indoor-outdoor lifestyle that Tropical North Queensland is famous for, this architecturally designed villa, centrally located in the heart of Port, is surrounded by meticulously maintained gardens and tall palms. At its centre is a heated pool flanked by generous living areas suited to house up to eight guests across four bedrooms. Louvre windows welcome the evening breeze, and a spacious kitchen welcomes hungry travellers: all the better for cooking up breakfast before a big day exploring this World Heritage region.

Pineapple Pete’s Beach House

The four-bedroom house provides the comfort of hotel living. (Image: Dounya Starenko)

A little bit bohemian, a little bit eclectic and a whole lot of fun, Pineapple Pete’s Beach House – located a three-minute walk from Four Mile Beach – provides the comfort of home with the details of hotel living. The four-bedroom house (with two ensuited main bedrooms) can also provide for young ones, with cots, bouncers, prams and carriers all available at no extra charge. The kitchen even features a teppanyaki plate for excellent entertaining opportunities, and all sorts of appliances (including a smoothie blender) to make life that little bit easier. Between the fully stocked bookshelves, the outdoor bathtub and the oversized pool, it’s a slice of paradise in paradise.

Central Rental Retreat

The lush balcony sets the scene for deep relaxation. (Image: Dounya Starenko)

If you’re planning a solo getaway or a couple’s retreat, this studio apartment in downtown Port Douglas is a short walk from the buzzing Macrossan Street and all its splendour. The king bed shares the main space with a kitchenette, a living space with a couch and a Netflix-enabled TV and a cosy dining area. The balcony is where you’re likely to spend most of your time, however, with views through the lush palms, or the onsite saltwater pool, which is near the barbecue facilities.

Escape Villas Port Douglas

Each villa is elegantly decorated. (Image: Supplied)

Situated within the gated Escape Collection, which overlooks the popular Mirage Golf Course, these villas, with between one and four bedrooms each, are ideal for families and groups who want to travel in style. The meticulously decorated villas feature floor-to-ceiling windows, accordion doors that open out onto private pool decks, cavernous shared spaces and an interior palette that’s part cane, part foliage and part neutral elegance. Each villa also has a complete laundry, making family stays that little bit easier. Order breakfast, cheese, and seafood hampers with 24 hours’ notice to take the hassle out of that part, too.

Alkira

Go completely off-grid at Alkira.

Located 40 kilometres north of Port Douglas, this commanding modern holiday home can host up to 12 guests. Designed by architect Charles Wright and inspired by the perforation designs on postage stamps, the house – composed of a combination of concrete, steel and glass – blooms from a central pool out into the surrounding rainforest, and enjoys 1.2 kilometres of private coastline that’s accessed by a private timber boardwalk. It’s fully off-grid, too, befitting its World Heritage-listed location, and enjoys “green cooling” on those balmy summer nights.

Discover the best things to do in Port Douglas.