Outdoor tubs and telescopes at Australia’s newest glamping retreat

The sun’s sinking fast and I don’t know where to look. To my right, the rolling countryside and flat open lands known as Big Sky Country are bathed in golden light. To my left, synchronised pelicans gracefully land on Lake Keepit. The sky morphs into fairy floss hues while a rising full moon casts a gilded moonglade over the vast body of water.

Tonight, we sleep beneath a blanket of stars at Wilderluxe Lake Keepit, Reflections Holiday Parks’ foray into glamping. Hemmed by the Great Dividing Range, home for two nights is Gunagala (“sky” in Kamilaroi), one of eight luxuriously appointed Star Tents perched above the lake between Tamworth and Gunnedah.

The deep Lake Keepit (at least 30 metres) supplies water, mostly to cotton farms, in the Namoi Valley. Locals from nearby Tamworth, however, treat it as their beach.

With a sunset martini in hand, I step onto our deck as showers give way to a rainbow arching to the clouds. True to its Big Sky moniker – so named due to north-west NSW’s vast open lands and low levels of light pollution – the sky stretches endlessly before me.

Melding glamping with the feel of a boutique hotel and designed with a small footprint in mind, Star Tents feature plush interiors, solid, insulated walls, king-sized beds, kitchenettes and fully enclosed ensuite bathrooms.

There’s a skylight above the bed for stargazing, Hunter Lab amenities and artworks by local Kamilaroi artist, Letitia Barty. Outdoor baths allow for long soaks while guests can drink tea, read, or play board games at the communal Gilay Lounge. Kangaroos and wallabies make a regular appearance, especially at dusk.

We join the signature Big Sky Dreaming evening that night, blending Indigenous and Western astronomy in an experience narrated by local Kamilaroi man, Uncle Len Waters. We learn about the land’s ancient stories, followed by night sky gazing by the campfire.

The stars aren’t as clear as usual due to the full moon; however, we can see the moon’s surface in detail through telescopes. We toast marshmallows and chew the fat with general managers Katie and Dan Toney, later drifting off to sleep amid the silence.

Carroll Gap Farmhouse is where guests can hone their cooking skills using seasonal produce or enjoy a meal cooked on an 80-year-old Aga stove by owner Jan Dircks. We’re warmly welcomed into Jan’s magnificent country kitchen, where a table is set for dinner by a roaring fire.

The former home economics teacher shares the history of the former schoolhouse while rustling up a three-course dinner. We get to know her kitten, Pepper, and cattle dog, Rusty, warming themselves by the Aga. Jack’s Creek steaks are cooked to perfection over an open fire and are complemented by crusty homemade bread and a mushroom tart with fig and goat’s cheese salad.

Back ensconced in our tent, we spin Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon – all vinyl is aptly astronomy-themed – on the Crosley record player and gaze up at the inky night sky. We rate our stay a million stars.

The details

Stay
From $550 a night midweek; $700 on weekends. A minimum two-night stay includes continental breakfast pack, daily service and hosted drinks (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays) as part of the Big Sky Dreaming experience. Guests can either BYO supplies or purchase barbecue packs. See wilderluxe.com.au

Eat
Lunch or dinner at Carroll Gap Farmhouse costs $55 a person for a two-course meal; $70 for three courses. Cooking classes from $120 a person. See carrollgapfarmhouse.com

Visit
Lake Keepit is a 5½-hour drive from Sydney or fly direct with Qantas to Tamworth Regional Airport. From there, it’s a 40-minute drive. Car hire or transfers available.

The writer was a guest of Wilderluxe.