Rest in peace at Coffin Camping in Gold Coast hinterland

It’s the creepy new trend that is not for everyone - but many are getting a great night’s sleep.

Talk about sleeping like the dead.

A Gold Coast entrepreneur better known as “the coffin confessor” for revealing the secrets of clients at their own funerals, has branched out into the accommodation sector with a B&B likely to leave guests feeling decidedly DOA.

Launched by Bill Edgar only a few weeks ago, Coffin Camping is already making a killing, with the venue booked solid through until August.

Coffin Camping, new homestay accommodation in the Gold Coast hinterland. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Consisting of four genuine coffins in shipping containers perched high above the Gold Coast on Mount Tamborine, the morose motel has attracted international interest, with a number of celebrities among the VIPs to have spent the night.

Mr Edgar said the response to the venture, which cost about $35,000, had taken him completely by surprise.

“It’s been insane,” he said.

“The feedback has been incredible, people say it is a very cathartic experience and I found that as well personally.

“It’s been life-changing for some people.”

Coffin Camping, new homestay accommodation in the Gold Coast hinterland. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Guests can choose to either sleep with the coffin lid open or closed, with small gaps allowing fresh air to filter through.

While guests have given five stars to the end-of-worldly experience, Mr Edgar conceded it would not be everyone’s cup of tea.

“It’s not for the faint of heart that’s for sure,” he said.

“And I probably wouldn’t recommend coming out here by yourself.

“But we’ve had plenty of groups through and they have all had a great time.”

Coffin Camping, new homestay accommodation in the Gold Coast hinterland. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Mr Edgar would not reveal the identities of the celebrities to have caught some shut eye in the coffins, but there have been rumours on Mount Tamborine that Hollywood director Ron Howard has been a guest.

Mr Edgar leaves guests a copy of his Coffin Confessor book by the casket-side tables and has a sequel in the works called The Afterlife.

Coffin Camping has views across the Gold Coast hinterland from Mt Tamborine. Picture: Nigel Hallett

It’s a concept guests can spend plenty of time pondering as they stare at the inside of their coffin bed for the night.

Coffin Camping, which also features toilets, a fire pit, kitchen area and a fold-out sofa for anyone a bit spooked by the prospect of a night in a casket, costs $80 a night per person.

MY KIP IN A CASKET

I’ll be honest.

I was kind of hoping my date with the inside of a coffin might have been a few decades away.

And yet here I am, my eyes slowly acclimatising to the gloomy interior of a genuine casket as part of Queensland’s quirkiest B&B.

Coffin Camping has already proven a surprise hit since launching in early May, with the Mount Tamborine experience booked solid for the next few weeks.

Owner Bill Edgar has been overwhelmed by the response, but hopes to have vacancies in the coming months for the curious, the crazy, or those who just feel like they want to sleep like the dead.

Journalist Jeremy Pierce rests in peace in his coffin bed. Picture: Nigel Hallett

The coffins, I’m reliably informed, were bought brand new and not formerly occupied by any recently departed, and were transported to a picturesque paddock up Tamborine, about half an hour west of the M1 on the Gold Coast.

The view from the site is incredible and the presence of a fire pit makes for a nice, cozy evening.

But my experience is about to get a whole lot cozier.

Closing the lid on your own coffin is kind of like taking that leap of faith for bungee jumping or skydiving where your brain is telling you it’s a perfectly rational thing to do, but the body doesn’t agree.

You can sleep with the lid open if you feel too overwhelmed, but where’s the fun in that?

I’m all in on this death trip.

I’m not easily spooked or prone to claustrophobia, so the tight confines of the coffin don’t faze me, though my faithful Chewbacca doll whimpers in protest.

It is surprisingly comfortable and still has that new coffin smell.

Small openings allow air in but in summer I imagine it would be a bit stuffy.

Coffin Camping owner Bill Edgar. Picture: Nigel Hallett

At 6-feet tall and average build, I’m pretty snug in here and after tossing and turning for a while I settle into the traditional vampire resting pose with the arms folded across the chest.

Focusing on breathing (something regular coffin occupants probably don’t have to worry about), the experience is not too dissimilar to those sensory deprivation tanks and I start to relax – until I hear something going bump outside.

Whether it’s just a branch scraping against the shipping container housing the coffins, or a supernatural being intent on evil, I’m not sure, so that’s me done.

Still, it’s one for the bucket list and the Instagram generation of travel influencers are going to go crazy over this.

I’ll be back, after all, we’re all going to end up in one of these babies one day, but hopefully not for a few years yet.

Originally published as Rest in peace at Coffin Camping in Gold Coast hinterland