Ultimate Aussie staycation revealed: Why a luxury cabin at Cradle Mountain is the perfect long weekend

With a country full of amazing staycations, it’s difficult to decide what to do with a few days off in Australia. But the perfect solution has emerged.

We’ve all been there.

You’ve got a long weekend off work, and rather than the same coastal town you go to every time you’re bored of home, you’re desperate to try something … different. An adventure.

With a flight of just under two hours from Sydney, an hour from Melbourne, and even just four hours from Perth, Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain could be everything you want.

A two-hour drive from Launceston Airport, not a moment of your long weekend need be wasted, with the Northwest Tasting Trail – a specialist collection of artisan farms, wineries and foods scattered in the island’s northwest – welcoming you with stops along the way to your final destination – the $20 million revamped Discovery Parks site.

The new premium cabins at Discovery Parks, Cradle Mountain, are a secluded retreat.

The giant bed and high-quality linens give guests the perfect night's rest.

After a quick stop at Launceston’s famed Bread + Butter bakery, where you can perk up the morning with a coffee, pastries or even homemade crumpets with hand-churned butter, grab a car and drive onto the trail.

The cabins are stunning, with wooden beamed ceilings in keeping with the forest setting.

Flying into Launceston, a morning snack at Bread + Butter is highly recommended.

Hazelbrae Hazelnuts is part of the Northwest Tasting Trail.

Lunch at Meander Valley Vineyard is the perfect stopover on the way to Discovery Parks.

Hazelbrae Hazelnuts, owned by a local couple with a passion for produce, should be first up to sample some tasty, handmade treats including chocolate-y nut butters.

Further towards Cradle Mountain is the Meander Valley Vineyard, an ideal stop to taste delicious wines and sample a range of homemade pizzas.

Spending a few hours with the diligently adorable truffle dogs at The Truffle Farm is a highlight for all the family, with tours starting from $125 per person.

The dogs clearly adore their job, shuffling their well-honed noses into the soil to sniff out the delectable truffles, which are then sold to restaurants across Australia and the world.

They're not just great truffle hunters, they're also adorable.

Their skilled dogs sniff out the tastiest truffles.

The first of its kind Down Under, The Truffle Farm has a handy shop where you can taste their truffle-infused oils and, of course, take a few home.

A fruit wine tasting at Plump Berries, where the owners distil delicious single origin alcohols made from their own fruits, by midafternoon is the perfect tipple for the non-drivers before a final 50 minute drive to Discovery Parks.

Once the perfect family vacation destination, or even for adventurous couples looking for a slice of wilderness, a $20 million redevelopment of Discovery Parks at Cradle Mountain has seen it round out its offering with a series of Premium Mountain Cabins.

A slice of luxury in the Tasmanian wilderness, the cabins feature elegant open fireplaces, freestanding baths and panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows with uninterrupted views of the forest.

The Premium Mountain cabins are the perfect romantic getaway, or serene solo break, with no detail spared.

The inviting bathtub comes complete with a bath caddy for all your relaxation needs.

Starting at $392-per-night, the elegant cabins are the perfect place to unwind after a busy day out exploring, with individual, private balconies offering a serene forest view while relaxing with your favourite drink.

The fire, not to mention heated floors and elegant decor, makes the chilly Tasmanian evenings feel as cosy as a European Alpine mountain lodge.

It's the perfect way to wind down in peace and serenity after a big day exploring Cradle Mountain.

Discovery Parks has a range of cabins suitable for all the family.

And it’s not just the premium cabins guests can look forward to.

Many of the parks’ cabins have been given a reboot, with a stunning communal kitchen – complete with fireplace and pizza ovens – making it the perfect place to relax with family or friends after a busy day of exploring.

Deluxe cabins, many of which are disabled-accessible and others sleeping up to six, start at $320-a-night, with camping starting just $39-per-night.

The Premium Mountain Cabins are perfect for a romantic getaway, or even a solo retreat.

The pizza ovens are the perfect touch for family dinner.

They look a picture-perfect pink among the bushes.

Dinner at Hellyers Restaurant at the Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village is a short walk from Discovery Parks, or an exceptionally quick drive.

The Tasmanian waratahs are a stunning addition to the Cradle Mountain landscape.

If you don’t fancy cooking at the communal kitchen, or in your cabin’s own fully-equipped kitchen, there are plenty of options a short walk or even shorter drive away.

Hellyers Restaurant at the Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village next door offers delicious European-inspired gourmet dishes, including a prawn saffron fettuccine pasta, roasted cauliflower on a hummus base, or a more traditional 300g Bass Strait striploin steak.

It's the perfect place to wind down.

The bedroom of the Premium Mountain Cabin boasts luxury features.

Nearby Cradle Mountain Hotel is also a fine choice, with a series of elevated traditional meals, and a cracking wine list to boot.

The next day, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to how to spend the day – and you’ve only just arrived.

The three hour tour of Dove Lake, under Cradle Mountain, makes for the perfect minibreak activity.

The kayaks are made from reclaimed King Billy pine, a stunning tree native to Tasmania.

Even on an overcast day, kayaking on Dove Lake with Cradle Mountain Kayaks was a serene experience.

The Dove Lake circuit is a stunning 5.7km loop walking trail suitable for all ages.

For a fun-filled morning, a kayak tour with Cradle Mountain Canyons on Dove Lake, nestled under the majesty of Cradle Mountain itself, is just the ticket.

Small groups go out on the lake with a guide in one-of-a-kind kayaks handmade from King Billy pine – a tree native to Tasmania, and so precious that it is now illegal to chop them down.

The waratahs are everywhere around Cradle Mountain.

The kayaks are handmade from King Billy pine, local to the area and no longer able to be chopped down.

Luckily, local suppliers have been lovingly storing old wood from the pine for years, offering its use specially to chosen local companies – of which Cradle Mountain Canyons is one.

The sole provider of boating trips on Dove Lake, Cradle Mountain Canyons allows you to have a peaceful, tranquil, but still exhilarating morning in one of nature’s most beautiful scenes.

After a well-deserved picnic, it’s then time to enjoy a gentle, family and all-ages-friendly 5.7km walking circuit around Dove Lake itself.

If that all proves incredibly exhausting, a spa experience at the nearby Waldheim Alpine Spa will soothe sore muscles – or prove a relaxing experience in itself if you’re not a walking, rowing, wandering kind of weekend warrior.

The deluxe cabins at Discovery Parks are also a great option.

The bathrooms in Discovery Park’s premium cabins are light and bright, providing an air of luxury.

The Sanctuary Experience at the Waldheim Apline Spa is a luxurious way to spend the afternoon.

For those looking for some close interactions with the creatures of Tasmania, look no further than the After Dark Feeding Tour at Devils @ Cradle sanctuary.

The experienced handlers, who should absolutely be the only ones to go anywhere near these ferocious little creatures, talk you through their temperament, behaviours and vulnerable future – all while trying to keep their hands safe from the devils rabid eating habits.

There’s some very useful advice to help these one-of-a-kind creatures, as well the sanctuary’s spotted-tailed quolls, survive in an increasingly dangerous habitat.

The Tassie devils were more than happy to come out to eat, making some very interesting noises along the way.

If you see roadkill while driving around Tasmania, we were informed, keep some gloves in your car, stop if safe, and drag it off the road and throw it into a verge.

This stops the hungry devils from wandering into the road for a snack and being hit by an oncoming car.

The Tasmanian devils' habitat is being threatened, making it more important than ever to remove any roadkill from the road to stop them getting hit by oncoming cars when going in for a snack.

Experienced handlers at Devils @ Cradle sanctuary give a detailed and fascinating talk.

The Josef Chromy estate is an idyllic spot, and short drive to Launceston Airport.

Josef Chromy is known for it stunning sparkling wine.

But don’t worry, that wasn’t necessary on our luxury adventure weekend away.

In fact, there’s remarkably little to worry about thanks to the team at Discovery Parks, Cradle Mountain.

From a perfect, silent night’s sleep, to stunning star-gazing, last minute goodies from their on-site shop, or access to some of the country’s most beautiful sceneries, there’s very little to concern any traveller except – what time shall I run the bath?

The journalist visited Tasmania as a guest of Discovery Parks.