16 Apr 2025
Words
John Miller Informer
Pole Position
01
Paperbark Camp
Jervis Bay, NSW
Back in the 1980s, long before “glamping” was a word, Irene and Jeremy Hutchings’ wanderlust took them half a world away to the savannahs of Botswana and Mozambique in southern Africa. There, they were impressed by the luxury safari tents from operators like Honeyguide that put guests up close to the creatures of the savannahs without compromising their own creature comforts.
Returning to Australia after one of their sub-Saharan sojourns in the mid ‘90s, the Hutchings had the grand idea to replicate the luxe safari camps they’d stayed in on the African plains. They found a site of pristine bushland on the banks of Currambene Creek in Jervis Bay less than three hours’ drive south from their home in Sydney and named it Paperbark Camp on account of the abundant tea trees in the area. But would the concept work out of Africa?
Twenty-five years on, the answer to that question has been affirmed.
Australia’s first ever glamping business is still thriving. In April 2024, Paperbark celebrated its silver anniversary. The Hutchings, now aged in their mid-eighties, still live onsite but are effectively retired. Paperbark is now in the hands of their children Camilla and Ben. Ben is general manager, while Camilla handles sales and marketing, dividing her time between Jervis Bay and Sydney. The camp also has full-time staff who live onsite.
“Our parents were pioneering,” says Camilla. “We were Australia’s first luxury safari camp. There was nothing in the same vein anywhere in the country. The word ‘glamping’ didn’t exist for starters. There might have been some very basic safari tents in the Top End, but none were luxurious and had their own ensuites or other high-end conveniences.”
When Paperbark opened in 1999, it gave birth to Australian glamping, thus broadening the appeal of nature-based travel to a more genteel class of traveller who didn’t care to rough it.
“Paperbark opened up that close-to-nature experience for a lot of people who previously wouldn’t have considered it,” says Camilla.
“Glamping allows people who want the experience of being in nature but without the hassle. They don’t want to do the hard work of traditional camping, which requires a lot of planning."
"With glamping, you can just get in your car and go. You could arrive at Paperbark with just the clothes on your back, and we have everything here for you. You don’t even need a credit card. You can pay with your phone these days.”
Paperbark has not radically changed from its original concept. Over the years, the Hutchings family has improved the camp’s amenities, refreshed interiors and replaced tents, but have not drastically departed from their initial vision except to change the configuration of some tents to accommodate couples with children aged 10 years and over.
The site can accommodate 30 guests and has a full-service 50-seat restaurant, Gunyah, that is open to the public for breakfast and dinner.
“Paperbark is unique as you’re right in the bush,” says Camilla. “It was built before bushfire planning laws were changed, which now require a lot of land clearing.”
“Being so close to nature makes people stop to have a little think about our place in the world and our connection to it.”
“For our parents, sustainability was always their natural way of thinking. They never wanted to chop down trees or have lawns at Paperbark. Since Ben and I have been in the business we’ve pushed sustainability a little more and now have Advanced Eco Accreditation with Ecotourism Australia. We’d love to do more, but it’s always a fine balance between having a business that’s sustainable financially as well as environmentally.”
Despite its increase in popularity, Jervis Bay remains relatively undeveloped.
“It’s definitely more on the map now than when Paperbark first started, but it hasn’t changed that much,” says Camilla. “It’s still pretty low key.”
“Our parents were blown away by it, as I was when I first saw it … this incredible, natural asset so close to Sydney. When I joined the business, I wasn’t only selling Paperbark but also Jervis Bay, perhaps even more than Paperbark.”
“We hope that as Jervis Bay develops it does so with sustainability and protection of the bay at the forefront of all planning.”
Jervis Bay is 180 km or 2.45 hours’ drive from Sydney, which remains Paperbark’s key market.
“We’re within easy striking distance for weekends or short breaks from Sydney,” says Camilla. “We also have a healthy international market. We’ve been actively marketing overseas for 20 years through Trailfinders, Audley Travel and the like. The Netherlands and Germany are great markets for us.”
Paperbark’s high shoulder season is the October long weekend through to Easter. The camp used to shut every year for three months over winter but is now open on weekends.
As for the glamping industry Paperbark gave rise to, there is now a myriad of iterations across the country.
“You’ve now got tiny houses, tiny homes and the like which are the next progression of different types of luxury accommodation in remote places,” says Camilla.
“As the next generation, Ben and I hope to contribute to the local tourism landscape in our own way. But like mum and dad years ago, we have to wait for the right space to become available.”
02
BubbleTent
Capertee Valley, NSW
BubbleTent burst onto the scene in 2017 with its unique take on what glamping should be: a transparent inflatable bubble for two with uninterrupted views of Capertee Valley, one of the largest canyons in the world. Perched on the canyon’s edge in the Central Tablelands region, BubbleTent’s three tents — Leo, Virgo and Cancer — invite investigation of celestial curiosities in the night sky.
bubbletentaustralia.com
03
Marramarra Lodge
Marramarra National Park, NSW
ResortBrokers sold this stupendously decadent wilderness escape earlier this year. Accessible only by boat or plane, Marramarra Lodge’s remoteness in secluded bushland, framed by Marramarra National Park and the Hawkesbury River, gives it its allure. The lodge’s Peninsula Tents, a river-safari style experience overlooking the shimmering Hawkesbury, are the perfect getaway from the rat race of Sydney, only an hours’ drive away.
marramarralodge.com
04
Mayfield Garden
Oberon, NSW
Mayfield started life as a humble sheep farm in 1984, but has blossomed into one of the largest, privately-owned cool climate gardens in the world. Located in the Blue Mountains’ town of Oberon less than three hours’ drive west of Sydney, the 65-hectare estate’s glamping experience allows guests to take in its sumptuous gardens, which are inspired by Europe’s most significant horticultural haunts.
mayfieldgarden.com.au
05
Zoofari Lodge
Dubbo, NSW
Taronga Zoo Sydney undoubtedly has the better views, but its sister zoo in Dubbo has arguably the better glamping experience. Here, guests can experience the multi award-winning Zoofari Lodge, a safari experience with accommodation in unique lodges, 10 of which are nestled on the edge of a vast savannah overlooking herds of giraffes and antelopes.
taronga.org.au
06
The Inverloch Glamping Co
Inverloch, VIC
The Inverloch Glamping Co turned the seaside town of Inverloch on Gippsland’s coast into a glamping destination when it opened its tent flaps in 2019. Formerly a livestock paddock, the site now sports bell tents and geodesic dome tents with views over Inverloch’s estuary.
theinverlochglampingco.com.au
07
Happy Glamper
Various locations, VIC
Happy Glamper’s ingenious take on glamping is to offer a pop-up service that allows guests to choose their own site. Guests decide where they want to pitch their tent … and the folk at Happy Glamper do it for them. Launched in 2013, Happy Glamper focuses on glamping experiences on the Mornington Peninsula, about an hours’ drive south of Melbourne’s CBD but is open to pitches (literally) in other parts of Australia.
happyglamper.com.au
08
Cosy Tents
Daylesford, VIC
The twin towns of Daylesford and Hepburn Springs, five minutes’ drive from each other, comprise Australia’s premier spa destination. Cosy Tents’ glamping experience is a great base for guests to luxuriate in these therapeutic mineral waters and some of the best fine dining, wineries, art galleries and boutique shops in regional Victoria.
cosytents.com.au
09
Peninsula Hot Springs
Finga, VIC
Founded in 1997, the inspiration for Peninsula Hot Springs came from onsen, the hot springs and traditional inns around them that have been a Japanese cottage industry for centuries. The property’s glamping tents offer luxury, cosiness and private decks with views of the lake and bushland in Fingal on the Mornington Peninsula, which has established itself as a wellness destination for stressed-out Melburnians.
peninsulahotsprings.com
10
Alpine Nature Experience
Hotham, VIC
Just because it’s frigidly cold, doesn’t mean you can’t glamp. Alpine Nature Experience offers luxury geodesic “hypedomes” and teepees on the slopes of Mount Hotham for one of the most unique snow glamping experiences in the country.
alpinenatureexperience.com.au
11
Spicers Canopy Luxury Tents
Maryvale, QLD
This Spicers Retreat in South East Queensland’s Scenic Rim includes a wilderness adventure by way of a bush walk (two to six days, depending on your fitness) and a glamp to crash at night. Add to this, a plunge pool with mountain views, a chef-curated dinner and glass of vino in front of a crackling fire.
spicersretreats.com/bushcamps/spicers-canopy-luxury-tents
12
Alure Stanthorpe
Stanthorpe, QLD
This rural refuge in Queensland’s High Country boasts rolling farmland, wide open skies and down-home hospitality with a touch of glam. Only five minutes’ drive from the Granite Belt’s unofficial capital, Alure Stanthorpe’s luxury tents are the perfect base to explore what The Australian’s wine critic called “one of the most exciting wine destinations in the country.”
alurestanthorpe.com.au
13
Nightfall Camp
Lamington National Park, QLD
Located on the edge of Lamington National Park, Nightfall Camp’s five safari tents offer five-star luxury by way of fireplaces, deep baths and plush furniture and fittings. Opened in 2013, Nightfall Camp is spread over 100 hectares of lush tropical forest with its own freshwater creek and birdsong as a soundscape.
nightfall.com.au
14
Sanctuary by Sirromet
Mount Cotton, QLD
Another Granite Belt stalwart, Sanctuary by Sirromet is a family owned and operated winery in magnificent Mount Cotton, a rustic retreat just over 30 minutes’ drive from Brisbane. Sanctuary by Sirromet’s accommodations are as permanent as they come but have enough canvas walls to qualify as glamping.
sanctuarybysirromet.com
15
Mitchell Grass Retreat
Longreach, QLD
You’d be hard up finding a tree on the Mitchell Grass Downs, but that’s part of the attraction of this glamping retreat in this eccentric ecoregion. Mitchell Grass Retreat consists of 15 glamping tents, each with a private deck to soak in the savanna.
mitchellgrassretreat.com.au
16
The Billi Resort
BROOME, WA
Tucked behind the dunes of Broome’s Cable Beach, The Billi Resort offers glamping decadence by way of luxury queen tents, complete with ensuites that have rain showers, alongside deluxe king/queen tents and more permanent two-bedroom villas. ResortBrokers’ Western Australia agent Blair Macdonald sold this 18-key jewel in 2022 to its current owner.
thebilli.com.au
17
Mile End Glamping
Yelverton, WA
Located 20 minutes’ drive from Margaret River, these futuristic geodesic domes in the middle of the Australian bush are as out of place as a kangaroo in a tux at a BBQ. Strangely, they still manage to impress. The view from the domes is classic bushland, but it’s the view of the domes at night when they’re lit up like Christmas baubles that really makes them a standout.
mileendglamping.com.au
18
Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef
Cape Range National Park, WA
UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef is the world’s largest fringing coral reef, and an undoubted natural gem in Western Australia’s crown. Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef offers its guests this aquatic attraction via eco-friendly tents where you can luxuriate in a hammock while taking in one of the most blissful beachfront views in the state.
salsalis.com.au
19
Eco Beach Resort
Broome, WA
Located about 1.5 hours’ drive south of Broome, Eco Beach Resort was a sustainable tourism trailblazer when it opened almost three decades ago in 1996. Today, this iconic wilderness retreat offers 30 safari-style eco tents, alongside 25 eco villas — all powered by the Kimberley sun.
ecobeach.com.au
20
Discovery Parks Barossa Valley
Tanunda, SA
The glamping industry was pioneered by small family operators who wanted to offer nature-based experiences that preserved the nature on display. Now, the big players are in on the act. Discovery Parks entered the glamping space around 2018. Our pick of their many glamping experiences is their offering in the Barossa Valley, the world-renowned wine region around 90 minutes’ drive from Adelaide.
discoveryholidayparks.com.au
21
CABN X Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island, SA
CABN has carved out a niche for itself in South Australia with minimalist-inspired accommodations at over a dozen locations across the state, including this one at Cape St Albans on Kangaroo Island. CABN keeps it simple with prefabricated, no-nonsense cabins, which look like the offspring of a tiny house and a shipping container. It’s not technically glamping but close enough.
cabn.life/cabn/cape-st-albans-kangaroo-island
22
Ikara Safari Camp
Flinders Ranges, SA
Wilpena Pound — “Ikara” in the local indigenous language — is a majestic natural amphitheatre of mountains in the heart of Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park about 430 km north of Adelaide. Visitors can enjoy this magnificent spectacle by way of the camp’s 15 luxury safari tents, all with views of this ancient arena.
greengetaways.com.au/property/ikara-safari-camp
23
Victor Harbour Beachfront Holiday Park
Victor Harbour, SA
Victor Harbour, the Fleurieu Peninsula’s unofficial capital, scooped the state’s Top Tourism Town award in 2024 for the second year in a row. Alongside its regular accommodation offerings, this NRMA park has glamping tents with direct access to the beach and views across the water to Encounter Bay.
nrmaparksandresorts.com.au/victor-harbor
24
Bamurru Plains Lodge
Bamurru Plains, NT
Crocodiles and luxury often pair up in the form of patent leather shoes, but Bamurru Plains Lodge offers a less exploitative arrangement. Located on the edge of Kakadu National Park, the lodge’s 12 luxury bungalows enjoy exclusive access to the floodplain and savanna woodland of the Mary River, home to one of the largest croc pops in the world, who you can smile at from the perfect safety of a tour boat.
bamurruplains.com
25
Longitude 131
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, NT
Longitude 131° takes its name from the meridian of the world’s most famous rock, the timeless Uluru. Opened in 2002, and under the stewardship of Baillie Lodges (of Southern Ocean Lodge fame) since 2013, Longitude 131° offers its guests luxury safari-style tents, all with views of the mesmerising monolith.
longitude131.com.au
26
Kings Creek Station
Petermann, NT
Established in 1981, Kings Creek Station is a working cattle ranch about 35 km from the magnificent Kings Canyon, aka Watarrka, about three hours’ drive from Uluru. The station’s 10 luxury “Drovers Dream” tents offer spectacular outback scenery with all comforts built in.
kingscreekstation.com.au
27
Cubby and Co
Mount Majura Vineyard, ACT
The machinery of our nation’s capital is routinely lubricated by vino sourced from one of the most underrated wine regions in the country: Mount Majura. Cubby and Co offers a glamping getaway at Mount Majura Vineyard by way of three ‘cubbies’ that provide the perfect escape only 15 minutes’ drive from the political madness of Canberra’s circus.
cubbyand.co
28
Domescapes in the Vines
Sidmouth, TAS
Geodesic domes are to regular tents what hexagons are to triangles — a little cooler, a little funkier. They’re all the rage right now in the glamping space. Domescapes in the Vines is nestled in the heart of the Tamar Valley Wine Route at Sidmouth, about 40 minutes’ drive from Launceston.
domescapes.com.au
29
Port Arthur Holiday Park
Port Arthur, TAS
Glamping meets history. Located near one of Tasmania’s most famous historical sites, the 19th-century Port Arthur convict settlement, this NRMA park on the Tasman Peninsula about 90 minutes’ drive from Hobart has glamping tents with private outdoor baths and views of Stewarts Bay.
nrmaparksandresorts.com.au
30
Little Beach Co
Chain of Lagoons, TAS
Read about it in here.
littlebeachco.com.au
