Gold Coast Getaways: The fairytale treehouse at Austinville that love built

It’s the picturesque treehouse getaway that is a far cry from the “decrepit house and rusty old shed” that it once was. We look at the perfect places for your next Coast getaway. SEE THE STUNNING PHOTOS

A COLLECTION of fairytale treehouses hidden in the hinterland stand as a love story to their creators.

Three storeys balanced on stilts, they float in a canopy of gums with a foliage-framed view of the city skyline sparkling in the distance.

Guests climb spiral staircases to sleep above the clouds or survey the scenery from a giant, hand-carved stone bath.

Gold Coast Tree Houses in Austinville is a far cry from the “decrepit house and rusty old shed” that greeted Michael and Jessica Milgrom when they first set eyes on the 54-acre property nine years ago.

Three storeys capture views from every level of these one-of-a-kind treehouses Gold Coast Tree Houses in Austinville.

“My husband and I met in Brisbane and we were living in a 115sq m little apartment on Roma Street,” Jessica says.

“He was commuting to Bond Uni on the Gold Coast so we wanted to move down.

“There was a property that fell through due to a little thing with council, so I feel like we were meant to find this place.

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“We never thought we’d go so big with so much work to do, but the view was fantastic, it was beautiful, biodiverse land and we saw the potential.”

It was a fitting setting for Jessica to realise a childhood dream: treehouse accommodation for grown-ups.

“People say, ‘How on earth did you think this up’?” she says.

Each individually designed treehouse makes the most of its leafy outlook Gold Coast Tree Houses in Austinville.

“I never got my treehouse when I was a kid – we had palm trees in our yard – but I always wanted one.”

The Milgroms’ rural romance was off to a flying start, but fate dealt them a cruel blow.

During the application stages of the project, Michael was diagnosed with glioblastoma, also known as GBM.

“He had a grade four brain tumour when he was officially diagnosed, the most aggressive tumour you can get,” Jessica says.

“He was in the top one per cent for just being alive at that point, but he kept his humour and his personality.

“Even when we faced so many challenges physically and cognitively, he was the nicest, most understanding man.”

Plan a soak session in a copper bath with canopy views Gold Coast Tree Houses.

The couple forged ahead, adapting the treehouse designs to be disability friendly.

“We wanted them so you could bring your wheelchair in and have everything you need on that first level,” Jessica says.

The finished product is also a statement in sustainability, operating off the grid with solar and battery electricity and an electric vehicle charger for guests.

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Furniture was handmade using local timber by WWOOFers (farm volunteers) and rainwater collected on the property fills the showstopping tubs, including a 1.2 tonne solid stone bath.

Jessica says treehouse one has the best view, over the treetops to the Gold Coast city skyline, while the red treehouse frames a vista of Springbrook National Park.

“You’ve got big, 30m gum trees all around you and it’s lovely when the parrots come in and swing off the branches,” she says.

“Even when it’s not sunny you’re above the clouds, so you look down on a cloud river through the Austinville valley.

Sunbathe or stargaze, the treehouses are designed to help guests connect with nature.

“One of the best surprises was the full moon; watching it rise over the Gold Coast skyline. It’s extraordinary.”

A communal area includes a pool, spa and entertaining deck with the same vast views.

“We built the first hot tub because Michael and I loved stargazing,” Jessica says.

Michael passed away on October 21, defying medical expectation long enough to see the couple’s dream realised.

Jessica is now undergoing IVF to have her late-husband’s children, who will grow up in a natural playground as their father intended.

“It is a bittersweet scenario, but a beautiful opportunity,” she says.

“The best gift anyone could give you.”