Review: glamping at Currajong Retreat, NSW south coast
This NSW south coast retreat has all the comforts of home with none of the responsibilities.
I’ve just finished the last bite of a warm Portuguese tart, a delicious treat delivered to our door in a generous breakfast hamper, when my husband calls: “It’s time to feed the kids.”
It’s a remark that could easily shatter the indulgent mood of a midweek getaway, but this morning I’m excited, rushing outside to meet hosts Jenny and Grant Forsdick and their baby goats, which are bleating for their milk.
Jenny laughingly tells the story of how she and Grant decided to buy the 40ha property, Currajong Common, in the rich hinterland of NSW’s far south coast four years ago as part of their retirement plan, initially unaware it came with 160 angora goats. The couple have since embraced their new family, expanding the herd to more than 400, with a fresh focus on producing high-quality mohair fibre.
It’s the same energetic passion they’ve brought to the creation of Currajong Retreat, an accommodation offering of three impressive safari tents built on the property’s ridgeline above the picturesque Towamba River.
There’s much room for interpretation when it comes to the portmanteau “glamping”. A friend recently regaled me with her story of a night spent in a freezing tent beside a busy road, an experience promoted as glamorous camping thanks to the inclusion of a blow-up mattress bed.
Lovers of luxury need have no fear at Currajong Retreat. Here the glamping is top-shelf, with each capacious safari tent featuring an enticing list of five-star comforts – from a queen-size bed dressed with crisp white linens, a warm doona and an electric blanket to an indulgent outdoor bathtub set on a large deck overlooking the river.
Spaced well apart along the ridge, the tents’ clever design is a joint effort by Grant, a former engineer, and the couple’s daughter Lara, an industrial designer. While the entry point to our tent features a wooden deck and doorway more in keeping with a cabin, the glamping element is apparent the moment we step inside to discover a pitched canvas roof reaching high above polished timber floorboards, and secured canvas walls with large screened windows. A lounge sits beside an extremely effective wooden log burner, its dancing flames adding atmosphere and warmth to the space. There’s also a small dining table, a smart kitchenette with fridge and microwave, and a bar trolley where a bottle of red wine sits next to a vase of flowers from Currajong Common’s pretty gardens.
At the rear, guests can enjoy the modern comforts of an immaculate tiled ensuite. At the front, a zipped opening in the canvas rolls back to reveal a wide deck that’s home not only to the bathtub, but a small barbecue, dining table and two sun lounges. With views filtered through gumtrees over farmland and South East Forest National Park, it’s the perfect place for an afternoon siesta, lulled by the sound of the river.
Focused on holistic farming and sustainability, Currajong Common is off the grid and there’s no television or Wi-Fi in the tents. Filtered water is on tap for drinking, and rain and river water are used throughout the property, so guests should expect their bathwater to have a natural pale tea hue.
In the peace of the evening, a gentle knock at the door heralds the arrival of dinner. An excellent cook, Jenny draws on her talents and those of local chefs to create a menu ranging from lamb ragu to Thai curry, and desserts such as poached quince panna cotta made from organic fruit grown on the farm.
We fall asleep as the fire’s embers glow, and awake to birdsong. A large breakfast basket has been delivered to our door, packed with eggs and bacon to be cooked on the barbecue, as well as granola, yoghurt, fruit and Jenny’s freshly baked Portuguese tarts.
Lunch is not provided unless requested, to encourage guests to explore the region. The pretty coastal towns of Eden and Merimbula are less than an hour’s drive away, while the river offers kayaking and swimming.
Alternatively, guests can simply take in the natural beauty of Currajong Common, discovering the property’s walking routes as finches and thrushes dart through the bush. And of course there’s always the goats. In line with the growing interest in farm tourism, Jenny and Grant are happy for their guests to join farming activities, including feeding the kids. At the right time of year, you can also watch the shearing, the start of a process to produce a mohair yarn of a luxurious grade that’s entirely in step with the rest of the Currajong Retreat experience.
In the know
Currajong Retreat is at Burragate in far south NSW, about six hours’ drive from Sydney, seven hours from Melbourne and three hours from Canberra. From $660 a night, including breakfast, dinner and a selection of beverages. Two-night minimum applies.
Libby Moffet was a guest of Currajong Retreat.
