Dave and Lea Barnes shares plans for glamping retreat at Tanby, Yeppoon

A Capricorn Coast couple is building a couples glamping retreat which will also have a marquee for weddings and functions and a coffee shop open to the public.

A glamping retreat is set to be built on the historic site of the original post office station for the Tanby area on the Capricorn Coast.

Owners of the Tanby Post Office Road property, Dave and Lea Barnes, have ambitious plans for the facility, including eight bell style tents, a marquee for weddings and functions, a magnesium pool, woodfired pizza oven and a coffee shop open to the public.

The property runs along a former train line dating back to the 1880s that used to travel to Yeppoon, out to Kinka Beach and Emu Park.

At the front of the property is the former post office box station where trains used to stop to drop off mail.

The couple plans to build a deck off the post office building and turn it into a coffee shop, serving coffee, cake and sandwiches and customers can eat outside under the mango trees.

It is also believed the army used the land at some point as the couple has found pieces of military items like hat badges and coins from the World War I and II eras.

“It just washes up in the rain,” Mr Barnes said.

A previous owner also found an American machine gun.

With a background in working on Fraser Island, being in the army and having owned a camping shop in Hervey Bay plus being a chef for various restaurants over the years, Mr Barnes had the idea for a glamping retreat.

The history of the place along with the tranquillity led the couple to buy the property in 2018.

“I had been looking for a long time to do something like this for a glamping retreat,” Mr Barnes said.

“We just kept striking out and came here and put an offer on the first day and got it.

“We love it, it’s a beautiful area.”

The retreat, named Bush to Beach Couples Glamping Retreat, will be aimed at couples and for weddings.

The bell tents have a plastic screen on the top for stargazing, but can also be closed if desired.

The tents will be located on the open grassed area of the property and there will be a shared amenities block.

A 15 x 10 metre marquee tent is also planned for weddings and functions, and there is a building nearby to be used as a bar and for catering and coldrooms.

The aim of the retreat is to “offer the full rustic luxury of the glamping experience, including campfire cooking and animal feeding but more exclusively bathing under the stars, massage, yoga and an outdoor cinema experience”.

“We are looking at a couple of times a year we might get some cancer kids to stay, we will look after veterans … that kind of thing to help out a bit,” Mr Barnes said.

The glamping retreat would be a first for the region.

Mr Barnes said the demand for this type of business was very popular and was growing rapidly.

“This industry is only growing stronger because people that would love to camp but don’t have the equipment and don’t like to rough it have the opportunity to have the experience without the hassle,” he said.

The retreat is now subject to Livingstone Shire Council approval.