This fishing lodge might be Queensland’s most luxurious

The place

Noosa Sportfishing Lodge

Check-in

Fishing lodge? Well, yes. But this is the Noosa North Shore, where properties can fetch eight figures and your neighbours are occasionally celebrities (Sir Richard Branson’s private island retreat Makepeace is a mere paddle down the drink), so forget rustic cabins and log fireplaces.

Forget rustic cabins and log fireplaces – Noosa Sportfishing Lodge is high-end luxury at its finest.

With four stylish, large bedrooms, a gourmet kitchen, and a private riverfront pool, patio and jetty with exclusive boat access (skipper and deckhand included), the newly-launched Noosa Sportfishing Lodge is a dream holiday rental for die-hard anglers. But it’s a dream property for anyone, really, with luxury amenities, chef-prepared meals, and on-demand boat rides. I’m picked up at Noosaville’s O Boat Hire in “Good Company”, a gleaming custom-built powered catamaran and the pride and joy of the lodge’s young live-in hosts, Jackson Boric and Lizzie Cunnington. It’s a short ride but time enough to sip on sparkling wine and marvel at the volcano-like Mount Tinbeerwah in the distance.

The look

The decor is a charming collision of styles. The dining and living spaces, awash with blue and white tones, give off a Mediterranean feel, while bedrooms lean a little more safari-luxe with opulent rugs, grand four-poster beds and bold wallpaper prints. Fun and quirky trinkets, like globe maps and pineapple ornaments, add charm and homeliness.

The room

My room has an enormous, double-height Balinese-style four-poster bed that you quite literally need to take a jump to get into. There’s a TV with Foxtel and streaming options, air-con, a ceiling fan, spacious walk-in wardrobe, strikingly wallpapered ensuite with a rain shower, handmade Thurlby soap, and luxurious Saya skincare.

Rooms lean safari-luxe with opulent rugs, grand four-poster beds and bold prints.

Food + drink

Meals and non-alcoholic beverages are included. Seafood is the star of the show, masterfully prepared by the in-house private chef. Dinner might include crispy battered fish with homemade ginger-lime mayo, mackerel baked in brown butter, and ceviche with coconut, sesame and coriander. Breakfast is no less sumptuous, a choice of a hot or cold continental spread. I go for the cold option, with just-squeezed OJ, plunger coffee, seasonal fruit, muesli and fruit toast.

Out + about

Between fishing excursions, fancy a dolphin-watching cruise, or a trip to the Noosa Everglades, one of just two everglades systems in the world? The lodge’s zippy pint-sized vessel can access spots that are off limits to the bigger boats. A sunset boat tour with cheese and wine is the best way to get the lay of the land. You’re also a short boat ride from terrific water-adjacent venues including Noosaville’s Euro-style wine bar Apero and Tewantin’s Italian seafood mecca Lucio’s Marina.

A private chef prepares lavish seafood spreads with all the trimmings based on what’s fresh that day.

The verdict

More than a high-end stay, Noosa Sportfishing Lodge offers a premium experience unparallelled in the region. Sharing a space with live-in hosts may not be everyone’s cup of tea (though they’re as warm and hospitable as they come), but lavish meals and no washing up is quite the trade-off.

The essentials

67 Noosa River Drive, Noosa North Shore. Ph: 0408 853 591. From $2700 a person, minimum three-night shared stay; $16,200 for exclusive use, three nights. See noosasportfishinglodge.com

Perched on the Noosa River, this well-appointed fishing lodge has everything you need.

The score out of five

★★★★½

Highlight

That seafood feast blows all food expectations out of the water, though the beautiful waterfront pool also deserves an honourable mention.

Lowlight

The all-inclusive nature of the experience is reflected in the daily rate ($5400 a night, with a three-night minimum). And while the price makes sense when you factor in things like personal chefs and daily private fishing charters, it seems a shame you can’t rent the property without these lavish extras.

The writer was a guest of Noosa Sportfishing Lodge and Visit Noosa.