11 off-grid and slow stays in Queensland where you can truly unwind

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By Celeste Mitchell

They say slow and steady wins the race, and if the momentum of slow travel as a trend is anything to go by we might just be inching towards a sustainable finish line.

Whirlwind round-the-world trips are out and languid breaks in one spot are the holiday mode du jour. We get enough anxiety-inducing deadlines, hustle and speed in our daily lives so when it comes to sustainable getaways, we’re craving a place to slow down, disconnect from the busy-ness, and spend time with those who mean the most to us.

Read on for a collection of the best slow travel accommodation options found across Queensland, from glamping tents and tiny homes to rammed earth villas and Mongolian-style yurts.

Unyoked | Brisbane

Purveyors of barefoot dreams and wilderness adventures, Unyoked set their Queensland cabin – called Remy – free in a secret location 1.5 hours south-west of Brisbane in 2019. With completely-off-grid credentials as standard, this tiny home will appeal to sustainable travellers looking for a private getaway with just a dash of basic survival skills required.

Once you find it and enter your pine-lined snug, you can switch to ‘offline’ mode by pouring yourself a Negroni, popping on the (literal) mix tape and bundling up in the window seat/bed with a book. Then venture outside to swing in the hammock, gather kindling and make yourself a fire to cook one of Sarah Glover’s campfire-perfect recipes. Oh, it’s dog-friendly too.

They’ve since added three digs in Mount Maroon, around 2 hours south-west of Brisbane. Nestled away amongst towering gums at the base of a rugged cliff face you’ll find Kojey, Selina and Dante (the latter two are dog-friendly).

Mayan Farm | Kin Kin, Sunshine Coast

Mayan Farm

Proving sustainability is sexy, the rammed earth villas at Mayan Farm were constructed from the earth dug for a new dam and adorned with beautiful reclaimed timbers. Perched on the hill of a 109-acre working farm in Kin Kin, 30 minutes from Noosa, the two villas can be booked separately or combined for up to eight to enjoy the three alfresco living areas – hello, hammock, pizza oven and plunge pool.

Thermal design means you won’t find any air conditioning, insulation, paint or carpet here. Just beautiful handcrafted doors, gates, tables, and seats constructed from old railway sleepers and polished concrete floors. Pick some herbs from the garden to cook with during your stay or pre-organise catering from the owner’s nearby Black Ant Gourmet cafe. Five of the eight Noosa Trails pass right by here, so don’t forget your hiking boots.

Palmer & Gunn | Gold Coast Hinterland

Everything about this off-grid, upcycled cabin, tucked away by a stream in Austinville – 35 minutes from Broadbeach – has been carefully considered, collected, sanded, built and styled by its owners in a true labour of love. Made for two, Palmer & Gunn is the ideal spot to escape for a weekend and reconnect, with nothing for you to do but BYO food (and wine).

Whether you’re playing cards in front of the antique cast iron fireplace on the deck, soaking in the cedar hot tub, or catching up on sleep in between French linen sheets, it’s hard not to be completely overwhelmed with gratitude for places – and moments – like this.

Mist Cape Tribulation | Cairns & Great Barrier Reef

There’s something magical about the Daintree Rainforest and now there’s three off-grid, luxury pavilions where you can retreat in style. Mist Cape Tribulation was created by brother and sister team Paul and Mary Martin who left behind life in the big smoke for a slower, more meaningful existence.

Set on eight acres and surrounded by lush gardens and hammocks for two, it’s a 30 metre stroll from bed to the rainforest. Inside you’ll find Belgian flax linen, solar powered air conditioning, and a coffee maker so you don’t have to fret about finding a local barista. Good news for pet owners; it’s dog friendly (on-lead).

Noosa Eco Retreat | Pomona, Sunshine Coast

If there’s an antidote to our hyperconnected, endlessly busy lives, it’s found by slowing down and sitting in nature somewhere just like Noosa Eco Retreat. You’ll find these six Mongolian-inspired yurts huddled at the base of Mount Cooroora in the Noosa Hinterland on a 130-acre Land for Wildlife reserve.

With walking trails outside your door, a canoe for paddling on the dam, and fire pit and picnic tables to enjoy Mother Nature’s live stream you might find it hard to tear yourself away from the adults-only retreat. If you go anywhere, make it the few minutes into town for a gin flight at Pomona Distilling Co.

Camp Island | The Whitsundays

Camp Island Lodge

Sync yourself with the sun’s schedule on this secluded private island, engineered for slow living. You’ll find Camp Island Lodge just off the coast of Bowen in The Whitsundays, available for exclusive hire for you and up to seven others. You set the agenda in this private playground, whether you’re into fishing, snorkelling, kayaking, hiking, or just chilling out with a book.

Powered by solar (with generator back-up) and rainwater, you won’t find any single-uses plastics on the island but you will find a composting system for any of your food scraps and stringent recycling systems. There’s no need for air conditioning with eco-friendly Haiku ceiling fans, and fire pits on either side of the island are far more enticing than TVs.

Secret Cabin Society | Eerwah Vale, Sunshine Coast

Go bush; go wild and free. Go shower outdoors and lose yourself in the beauty of nature instead of a screen. You can almost hear these instructions whispered from some higher place when you hike into this magical cabin, secreted away yet only 15 minutes from Eumundi.

Secret Cabin Society is a completely bespoke hideaway, filled with high-end touches like Pony Rider blankets, Shackpalace Rituals towels, and linen sheets, yet feels completely humble and pared back with vintage furnishings and recycled building materials. Climb the ladder to the loft bedroom, read by the fire, nap in the hammock. Don’t worry, phone reception can’t find you here.

Wilson Island | Gladstone

Wilson Island

When an island closes from 1 February to 1 April to allow birds to breed, you can bet it’s the type of place where you’ll be able to drop down a few gears and recalibrate. Sitting pretty in the Southern Great Barrier Reef, Wilson Island is an adults-only eco glamping resort accessible from Heron Island that is 100% solar and battery powered, with turtle-friendly lighting and organic bamboo and cotton beds and linen.

It’s impossible not to be in the moment when you’re snorkelling or diving with turtles amongst vivid corals just footsteps from your safari tent. And since WiFi isn’t on the menu, you can ditch the devices and deadlines without a hint of guilt.

Looking for more getaways to the simple life? Try these farm stays in Queensland.

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