Spicers Peak Lodge, Maryvale, Qld: it’s just two hours from Brisbane

Get away from it all at this super-luxe retreat — maximum guests, 26 — on Queensland’s Darling Downs.

No expense spared: Spicers Peak Lodge.

Morning has broken and it’s spectacular, all greens and birdsong, a gentle breeze and the sun shining high above the ever-changing face of the Maryvale Basin.

Over the past 24 hours, the multiple weather events that have broken out at Spicers Peak Lodge and the deep valley it overlooks include a moody fog, an impressive downpour at lunchtime and a drop in air temperature late in the day that sees many of the carefully stacked fireplaces around the property being happily lit.

On Queensland’s Darling Downs in late summer, the changeable weather is just another alluring feature of a stay at this exclusive mountaintop retreat. We’re only a two-hour drive from Brisbane – or, as many guests prefer, about 30 minutes via helicopter. But there’s a glorious sense of solitude, courtesy of the stillness here at 1100m above sea level and the surrounding World Heritage region, that makes it feel much more remote.

Infinity-edge pool.

Even driving down the rutted 12km private road that serves as the property’s elongated driveway, a series of quirky road signs (“10 minutes to a G&T” and “Almost there”) don’t quite prepare you for what lies at the end of this unlikely thoroughfare. By the time you hit “We’re so glad you’re here!” and pass an oversized lily pond, you know you are somewhere special.

On top of the mountain sits the main lodge, which opened in 2004. It’s surrounded by lush emerald fields, a luxurious speck in this 3200ha former potato farm. Most of the maximum 26 guests stay here in one of 10 sumptuous suites. The lodge also houses a well-stocked library, a pool table and award-winning restaurant, with an infinity-edge pool and tennis court nearby. Further away, set spectacularly on the edge of an escarpment, are two freestanding private lodges with open fires and outdoor spas.

Suite. Picture: Hamilton Lund

The suites are beautifully maintained, stocked with Appelles toiletries and complimentary minibars, and feature views so enticing it can be hard to decide whether inside or out is the best way to absorb everything.

To help settle that quandary, a solitary red telephone box has been placed in a field several hundred metres behind the main lodge. It has proven to be an ingenious way of beckoning visitors to explore the property. Having made the less-than-taxing slog over to the red box, most are bemused to open the door and discover a framed Superman T-shirt behind glass with instructions to break it in case of an emergency. Once here, and having been coaxed outside by this unlikely bait, they happily continue to explore the property, with or without assistance.

Relaxing in the lodge.

The tariff includes two activities per day. That might be a bushwalk with resident guide Mel to learn about some of the 150-odd species of local wildlife, and gazing out across to Spicers Peak, which gave the lodge, and the portfolio of luxury properties that followed, its moniker. After the walk, perhaps a pre-arranged picnic lunch, complete with white tablecloth, overlooking Spicers Gap? Or a tour of some of the property’s eclectic artworks? To end the day, options include canapés and drinks around a campfire followed by dinner and perhaps a stroll outside. If you’re in luck, the clouds will have cleared to reveal a star-laden sky.

To one side, you might also spot an unexpected glow on the horizon. That’s Brisbane, its lights beckoning in the distance, a reassuring reminder that finding splendid remoteness doesn’t always mean having to travel too far from home.

• Perfect for: Lovers of luxury in a relaxing, natural setting.

• Must do: Take a walk, long or short. And consider the two-hour Mountain Escape package (foot and back exfoliation, full-body massage, facial and soothing scalp treatment) at the in-house Spa Anise. All guests have access to the spa’s outdoor hot tub.

Rock lobster dish at The Peak.

• Dining: All meals, including an optional degustation dinner, are included as well as an extensive selection of drinks. The Peak restaurant, with its indoor and outdoor fires and expansive views, is a delight, as is the menu, from the addictive home-made sourdough to the “Not Pavlova” dessert of Swiss meringue, mousse, compressed apple and meringue shards. Guests in the self-contained cabins should consider having breakfast in their suite overlooking the valley.

• Getting there: It’s a 125km drive from Brisbane; transfers can be arranged through Limoso Limousine Services: limoso.com.au.

• Bottom line: Rates from $1299 per room per night, including all meals, most drinks, mini bar and two activities per day.

spicersretreats.com