For the first time, Parks Victoria will welcome glamping to two of its parks.
The alpine region of Lake Catani at Mount Buffalo, and Devil Cove at Lake Eildon will host campers as part of a small-scale trial that begins in October and runs for 12 weeks.
“We wanted to showcase two of Victoria's most stunning locations while highlighting different landscapes,” says Simon Talbot, chief operating officer of Parks Victoria. “These are two of our most secluded camping locations, so it made sense to trial glamping here.”
Lake Catani campground is a substantial drive from Melbourne (four hours), but when road trippers are rewarded with more than 90 kilometres of walking trails through spectacular snow gum forests, waterfalls, wildflowers and 360-degree views over the alpine region.
The site will have 10 bell tents, managed by Under Sky, the same company that popped up in the Grampians last year. The accommodation has queen-size beds, rugs, furniture, towels and gas cooking facilities. Housekeeping visits daily to spruce up rooms.
At Devil Cove you can kayak across Lake Eildon, take a cooking class, and then fall asleep under the stars. The site will be managed by the nearby Yea Peppercorn Hotel, which is also offering wellness retreats with tai chi and personal-training sessions. Devil Cove is around two and a half hours’ drive from Melbourne.
Both locations will offer local food and drink packages. If the trial is successful, there are plans to extend the glamping set-up to new sites.
“We're keen to see how different offerings can work,” Talbot says. “We'll see how strong the appetite for a glamping offer is.”
Lake Catani glamping will be available from October 6 to December 23. Accommodation starts at $195 per night.
Devil Cove glamping will run from September 23 to December 12, with tents available from $130 per night.
