This article originally appeared on travel2next
Fall asleep to the rhythmic chorus of insects buzzing in stereo and wake naturally to the sun streaming on your face. Nature’s alarm clock is the star at Habitat Noosa, which is set beside Queensland’s largest natural saltwater lake, Lake Cootharaba.
Habitat Noosa Everglades eco-camp is an eco-tourism escape north of Noosa set on 26 ha of natural bushland. It’s a place to go for a nature experience where you can go camping, glamping or stay in cabins or rock up in your motorhome.
The 10km long and 5km wide lake provides a natural playground for families and is a lovely spot for swimming, paddling and fishing. It’s a great place to go to get up close to eastern grey kangaroos and close enough to Noosa to enjoy all it has to offer.
The camp is in the Great Sandy National Park and about a half-hour’s drive from Noosa, with a 500m lake frontage.
The region has two UNESCO Biosphere Reserves that are part of a collection of 669 biosphere reserves spread over 120 countries.
Both Noosa Biosphere Reserve and the Great Sandy Biosphere Reserve are protected area that can show a balanced relationship between the natural world and human beings.
There are a number of accommodation options available, including powered and unpowered camp sites, glamping tents and cabins.
If you’ve always wanted to go camping but couldn’t be bothered to set up your own tent, sleeping in a Paperbark tent is the way to go.
It offers the comforts of a hotel room while being close to nature.
Glamping at Habitat Noosa is a chance to go swimming, hiking and enjoy the sunshine with family and friends.
You get all the benefits of camping without the inconvenience of having to lug camping equipment and set up your own tent.
The tents are a few steps away from the lake and come with large ensuite bathrooms with a shower, toilet, vanity basin, fresh towels and designer toiletries.
Tents have comfortable queen-sized beds with fresh linen, where you can lie in bed and watch the kangaroos through the zippered ‘window’ in the canvas wall.
In some tents, beds are set up as two singles and there’s enough room for a bunk bed for the kids in the sleeping area.
Furnished with bedside tables with reading lamps, mirrors and a set of drawers, the tents offer everything you’d expect in a hotel.
There’s a bar fridge, kettle and coffee plunger, and sockets to charge your devices.
One of the highlights of staying in a Paperbark tent is relaxing on the deck with a drink in hand while watching the kangaroos nibble on the lawn.
The kangaroos love munching on the grassed areas around the tents and they are fascinating to watch.
Paperbark Tents cost from $239 a night.
Wilderness tents are similar to the Paperbark tents without the ensuite bathrooms, but there’s a toilet block nearby.
Tents come with beds, linen, power, electricity, tables, and chairs but bring a towel.
The set up offers the feeling of being close to nature without the hassle of having to put up a tent.
Wilderness tents for four-, five- or six-people cost $150, $165 or $180 a night.
DINING AT HABITAT NOOSA
The onsite bistro dishes up hearty meals and has an artesian microbrewery where preservative-free beer is made using water filtered in the Cooloola sand mass.
The setting is lovely and an outdoor table with a view of the water is a fine setting for an evening meal.
Opening times are a little inconvenient for weekday glampers as breakfast starts at 8.30 am during the week and the restaurant closes at 7 pm.
CootharaBAR and Bistro serve lunch and dinner every day. Menu highlights are:
Habitat Noosa is not far from some of the best restaurants in Noosa.
There’s a range of water experiences to choose from, including a wilderness canoe experience and cruises along the Noosa Everglades.
Cruising the Noosa River system offers an opportunity to see lots of birds as at least 44% of Australia’s bird species are found here.
Canoe, kayak, wave ski, stand-up paddleboards and motorboats are available for hire too.
Other outdoor activities at Habitat Noosa are bushwalking and take a walk to the historic sawmill town of Mill Point is a doable walk from Habitat Noosa.
Read this post for more things to do in Noosa.
Habitat Noosa is at Lake Flat Road Elanda Point, Cootharaba, Queensland.
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