This luxe Queensland retreat is a haven for foodies

The hotel

Spicers Hidden Vale, south-east Queensland

Check-in

About an hour’s drive west of Brisbane is Grandchester. Train buffs know this speck on the map as the western terminus of Queensland’s first railway line. Mountain-biking enthusiasts know it as the home of some very gnarly trails corkscrewing through the steep bushland of Hidden Vale Adventure Park. Sharing the same 4856-hectare property is Spicers Hidden Vale, a rural retreat that also attracts foodie day-trippers keen to linger over a long lunch-with-views at drawcard Homage Restaurant. Hidden Vale is part of the Spicers Retreats portfolio, encompassing nine retreats in Queensland and NSW, as well as the guided Scenic Rim Trail near Hidden Vale. Founded by Flight Centre’s Graham “Skroo” Turner and wife Jude, the brand is now owned by global fund manager Salter Brothers.

Spicers Hidden Vale is located on a sprawling property.

The look

If the homestead, the hub housing reception, restaurant and bar, seems more contemporary than the rooms, there’s a (heartbreaking) reason for that. In 2018, the previous iteration burnt down – almost a century after the original farmhouse on the same site suffered an identical fate. Six weeks after the latest homestead was completed in 2020, COVID lockdowns arrived. Beyond the homestead are historic cottages in heritage colours, along with contemporary cabins with soaring stone fireplaces and outdoor baths on a private deck. Accommodation is grouped around lawns frequented by grazing kangaroos. Some cottages are named after cattle breeds such as Santa Gertrudis and Belmont, a nod to the property’s ongoing history as a cattle farm.

The room

A verandah adds to the laid-back country style of the Black Angus Luxury Suite.

Accommodations range from valley view rooms (some with a shared entrance) to a four-bedroom cottage. I park my car outside Black Angus, a cottage in the Luxury Suite category. Although it features striking touches such as the oversized Kit Kemp-style headboard, the living room furnishings and bathroom tiling in particular seem bog-standard rather than luxurious. Nevertheless, I enjoy the deep verandah with its bucolic outlook, the spa bathtub’s leafy view to a small screened garden and the overall Australiana vibe. Two cabins are accessible while the Chinese Cottage, with its charming fluted awning, is pet-friendly. Children are welcome.

Food + drink

Coffee glazed pork ribs, snow peas, orange, radish with fermented chili dressing from Homage, the retreat’s restaurant.

The retreat’s star restaurant is Homage and what’s on those plates emerging from head chef Luke Wakefield’s kitchen. Menus feature hyperlocal ingredients such as the property’s own herbs, fruit and vegetables, Toowoomba beef, Grandchester heritage chicken and Marburg emu, some of which are transformed in the smokehouse, pickling and fermenting room, wood oven and fire pits. Expect a strongly Australian-skewed wine list (with the odd import). Try to nab a table on the deck overlooking the infinity pool snuggled against a mango tree, and bask in the impeccable service.

Out + about

The retreat’s lap pool is shaded and private.

While you could hit nearby Marburg (its stately Queenslander-style pub turns out steaks, schnitties and burgers), walk a llama at Pine Mountain’s The Llama Farm or learn more about the state’s rail history at Queensland Museum Rail Workshops in Ipswich, it’s likely you won’t want to leave Hidden Vale.

Splash around in the swimming pools (one infinity, one for laps), tour the kitchen garden, see more of the property on a half-day 4WD tour or visit the onsite Wildlife Centre before continuing on a koala safari. You can also rent a mountain bike and conquer the trails that are so close but out of sight. You might find little artful surprises such as the phone installed at the top of the Dialled Inn trail (pick up the handset to hear a message).

The verdict

Stressed-out city-slickers seeking a wind-down over haute wining and dining should point their wheels towards this spectacularly located retreat.

The essentials

Accommodation from $499 a night. Spicers Hidden Vale, 617 Grandchester Mount Mort Road, Grandchester, Queensland. See spicersretreats.com

Our score out of five

★★★★

Highlight

That dialled-up-to-11 night sky can be enjoyed while channelling your inner child on the fig-tree swing.

Lowlight

Interiors for some accommodation categories could be updated to add a more luxurious twist.

The writer stayed as a guest of Tourism and Events Queensland.