Gold Coast Getaways: Nightcap Ridge, Byron Bay offers glamorous national park sleepover
It's possible to sleepover in a national park, feasting on campfire cuisine and spinning stories by the fire, without having to tackle a tent. FIND OUT HOW
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IT’S possible to sleepover in a national park, feasting on campfire cuisine and spinning stories by the fire, without having to tackle a tent.
Set inside the ancient World Heritage-listed Nightcap National Park in the Byron hinterland, Nightcap Ridge is a new eco-retreat pitching back-to-basics luxury.
Made up of cottages and a function space called The Argory, owners Sara and Fraser Duddy says the unique set-up offers an escape from the everyday.
“We drove into Nightcap Ridge five years ago and immediately knew it was the one,” Mrs Duddy said.
“Being in the middle of the Nightcap National Park, the flora and fauna is absolutely breathtaking.
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“It’s a 100 per cent off-grid property, but you certainly won’t see any pit toilets.
“It’s powered by solar energy and the water comes from the spring-fed Boomerang creek.”
Guests can choose from three beautifully furnished cottages, with indoor fireplaces, freestanding baths and big verandas.
“We aim to create an experience that guests feel as though they are stepping back in time but with the modern luxuries of today,” Mrs Duddy said.
“We’ve chosen vintage-look fixtures and fittings and local antiques to furnish the buildings, which goes well with our sustainable ethos.
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“The TV is behind a cupboard and we don’t have any clocks or indication of the outside world.
“Guests have access to binoculars and wildlife reference books to identify the abundant wildlife as well as bicycles to roam around the park and visit natural wonders such as Minyon Falls.”
Nightcap Ridge offers a chef-prepared heat-and-eat menu of campfire cuisine, including slow-cooked lamb shoulder pie and hearty pots of beef and Guinness stew or pulled brisket.
“A hanging pot can be brought to the campfire or oven baked pies, platters or pizzas can be delivered to pop in the oven,” Mrs Duddy said.
An organic vegetable garden and bush-tucker trees supply those who prefer to forage for their feast. ”
Guests, especially the little ones, really enjoy going in and picking their own veggies and salad greens for dinner,” Mrs Duddy said.
“We’ve just added cute labels to the different things with the nutritional benefits as we had feedback some people didn’t know what they were looking at.
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“The chooks roam around the property and many of them lay blue eggs because they’re a special breed originating from Chile called araucana.
“There’s a large orchard and numerous indigenous bush tucker trees such as blue quandong, Davidson Plum and Bunya Pines, which we use to make jams and conserves to share with our guests.
“We also have beehives and sell the 100 per cent rainforest honey.”
A historical decision is to thank for the property’s rare position inside Nightcap National Park.
“After World War 1, the land was given to an ex-serviceman on the proviso he cleared the trees – except for a couple – to make way for a dairy that would service the UK’s increasing need for milk products,” Mrs Duddy said.
“This was a common practice in the Northern Rivers.
“Many years later, the property fell into disrepair and lantana covered the land until the 1980s when a local planner regenerated the land and planted more than 10000 native trees.”
Now, Nightcap’s rainforests are part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, home to the highest concentration of marsupial, bird, snake and frog species in Australia.
While you can’t currently walk the nearby Wollumbin-Mount Warning track, there’s an ever-evolving network of walks on Nightcap Ridge’s doorstep.
“In an effort to discourage tourists from climbing the sacred Wollumbin-Mount Warning and encourage sustainable recreation experiences, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) are spending $7 million in the Wollumbin, Mount Jerusalem and Nightcap National Parks and Whian Whian State Conservation area,” Mrs Duddy said.
“The Tweed Byron Hinterland Trails Project will link Mount Jerusalem National Park and Minyon Falls in Nightcap National Park with world-leading hiking trails and lookouts. ”
There will also be an upgrade to the current visitor facilities at the Minyon Falls day use area.
SPRINGBROOK GETAWAY
A TINY home on the doorstep of Springbrook National Park is seducing soul-worn travellers with the romance of rural life.
Palmer and Gunn – Wee Tiny, as the name suggests, was a labour of love for its creators, Austinville Valley’s Fiona Gunn and fiance Clancy Palmer.
“We designed and built it ourselves based on all the things we love,” Ms Gunn said.
“Clancy is an engineer and was also lucky enough to work alongside his father Barry, who is a carpenter extraordinaire.
“I’m a vet nurse by trade and through the restoration process of our own home – an original timber slab hut from the 1930s settlement – I was forced to become a jack of all trades.
“We love all things old and have used reclaimed materials, vintage fittings, antique doors and windows, not to mention a beautifully curated collection of antique furniture and trinkets to create the most enchanting space.”
The home welcomed its first guests in August.
“They booked another stay with us before they had even checked out just so they could come back and stay a little longer,” Ms Gunn said.
“The response from guests has been amazing – turns out they love it too.”
Palmer and Gunn – Wee Tiny boasts a high-pitched ceilings, a queen bed dressed in French linen, and a veranda with an outdoor kitchen.
“My favourite features have to be the cedar wood-fired hot tub and plunge pool, the antique cast-iron claw-foot bathtub, and sitting by the fire on the veranda overlooking the creek,” Ms Gunn said.
“Our place really is all about not doing too much at all.
“You know those days filled with creek swims and picnic food, afternoon baths with a cup of tea and a good book, followed by nights by the fire with a something delicious to nibble and sip on.
“It’s the type of place that really forces you to stop and check out of the rat race. It rejuvenates the soul like nothing else.”
The attention to detail extends to just-picked arrangements of flowers grown on-property, with guests encouraged to pack a posy when they leave.
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While the couple live on the property, travellers staying at the off-grid, solar-powered hideaway are guaranteed privacy with a secluded setting and contactless check in
“We both have a love for nature and wildlife, which is why we designed and built the wee tiny with the intention of it being a sustainable space for people to enjoy without imposing heavily on the environment,” Ms Gunn said.
“We are so fortunate to be on the doorstep of the beautiful World Heritage listed Springbrook National Park.
“We recommend a walk followed by something delicious at one of the local cafes.”
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