16 Queensland Slow Stays you need to know about

ATELIER34

Black Mountain, QLD

Looking to fill up your cup with a solo getaway? Tucked on a hillside in the Noosa Hinterland, surrounded by nothing but bush and country air, Atelier34 is the ultimate place for some serious R&R. Whether you choose to unwind in the outdoor bath under fairy lights, thumb through the huge array of coffee table books on the comfy couch or try your hand at sketching with the drawing supplies provided, it’s a given that you’ll leave feeling like a calmer, more content version of you. 

CASTAWAYS BEACH HOUSE

Castaway Beach, QLD

Try forest bathing, Queensland style, when you check into Castaways Beach House and immerse yourself in Noosa National Park – quite literally, on your doorstep. The three-level home nudges the sands of one of the most pristine stretches of Sunshine Coast beach, inspiring the curated thrift-find interiors, heavy on beach holiday nostalgia. Make use of the pool, tennis court, and the vintage bar cart for post-swim G&Ts while you watch the waves, doggo at your feet.

EH FRAME

Sunshine Beach, QLD

Taking the lure of A-Frames to a whole other level, the Mid-Century-inspired Eh Frame in Sunshine Beach is without a doubt one of the best Slow Stays in Queensland. Heavy on timber and heart, this home away from home will have you pulling out your phone to capture all of its photogenic angles. When you’re not huddled around the fire pit or dreaming the time away in the loft bedroom, lace up your sneakers and explore the many tracks throughout Noosa National Park.

BLOODWOOD CABIN

Rawbelle, QLD

Jutting out of the red dirt in Queensland’s Rawbelle (three hours west of Bundaberg), Bloodwood Cabin looks like a tin shed not out of place on the 20,000 acre organic cattle farm it calls home. But the dust-coated walls of this off-grid shack provide an unassuming cocoon for the laid back luxury inside. The ultimate couples retreat (you can bring your four-legged pal, too), the cabin is simple by design so there’s almost zero distraction from relaxation. Your decision making will only need to stretch as far as whether to soak in the sunken bathtub or plunge pool to watch the sun sink below a gum-dotted horizon to truly bliss out.

CAMP ISLAND LODGE

The Whitsundays, QLD

Camp Island Lodge is turning any dream you’ve ever had of renting your own private island into a blissful reality and we’re here for it. The northern-most island of the Whitsundays group, Camp Island is home to four environmentally-friendly villas, where you can stay with your favourite people and either self-cater or book a full chef’s service. With 25 stunning hectares and a whole ocean to explore, if spending a holiday swimming, diving, snorkelling, reading under palm trees and going for sandy strolls is your idea of perfect, then this is the Queensland Slow Stay for you! 

Head for Homeostasis Retreats in the hills of Mount Tamborine behind the Gold Coast and it feels like you’ve stepped into Opposite Land. Bringing the chill to the Gold Coast’s chaos, these two thoughtful properties – Main Haus and Wellness Cabin – both have the feel of a wellness retreat with the comfort of home. Luxury and sustainability collide to exquisite effect at Homeostasis, and the cabins have been designed to accommodate families (Main Haus) and couples or friends (Wellness Cabin). Sample from the wellness menu or simply relax in the rainforest surrounded backyard, to really amp up the reconnection to nature.

HILLVIEW DAIRY

Currumbin Valley, QLD

Pack your swimmers (or don’t!) and bob in a wine barrel-style plunge pool surrounded by mountains at the sustainably-restored, and exquisitely-curated Hillview Dairy in Currumbin Valley. Out here, a short 12-minute drive from the coast, you’ll feel a world away from the big and shiny Gold Coast you thought you knew. Rustic but packed with every kind of luxury, this dog-friendly stay sits on a working farm, so you can embrace a real country experience without actually lifting a finger. Keen to explore the valley or hunt down the rock pools nearby? Peddle your heart out on the supplied retro cruiser bikes for the ultimate, wind-in-your-hair holiday vibes. 

INTO THE WOODS

Palmwoods, QLD

If you go Into the Woods today, you’re in for a big surprise… Because nestled in the foothills of Montville (a 10-minute drive away) sits a former buddhist-owned pineapple farm that has been transformed into a stylish one-bedroom retreat. Channeling the mood of a tropical island getaway, the renovated cottage’s charms are perfect for couples seeking a hit of nature. Beyond the well-thought out and comfy interiors lies 6.5 acres of lush vegetation filled with local bird species, ready for exploration without having to hop in your car. After the day’s wanderings and bird watching are done though, you can retreat to the outdoor bath and dine alfresco thanks to a wood-fired pizza oven and BBQ under the stars.

HALE DOUGLAS

Sunshine Beach, QLD

Soak up Hawaii vibes without dishing up thousands for an airline ticket, thanks to the tropical-infused Hale Douglas. Set in a lush Noosa garden and decked out in a retro surf theme, this tiny home has been hand-crafted using loads of recycled materials. Throw open the French doors and louvers, and let the sea breeze smack you in the face. If you’ve got a furry friend who loves adventure as much as you, this is one Slow Stay where they accept dogs—just ask before you rock up. 

LITTLE RAILWAY COTTAGE

Palmwoods, QLD

The saying may be “Home is where the heart is,” but at Little Railway Cottage the adage rearranged still rings true: “Heart is what makes the home.” Because this historic 1940s workers cottage in Queensland’s Palmwoods is a Slow Stay that’s been filled with heart from the start. In fact, the owner, Life Unhurried’s very own Katie Gannon, has imbued the space with her own passion by curating (over years) the assortment of antique, handmade and reclaimed items that furnish the space. Charm of the indoors aside, the inground pool and shady back deck are an ideal spot to while away lazy afternoons over a cheese platter and a few cold drinks. Montville and Maleny, with their quaint streets and national park hikes, call too.

MAYAN LUXE VILLAS

Kin Kin, QLD

There’s nothing average about Mayan Luxe Villas at Mayan Farm. In fact, one visit to this magic slice of Queensland and you’ll be dreaming about it for the next 50 years. Sitting on a 100-acre working farm in Kin Kin, this luxurious multi-pavilion home has been built using rammed earth and recycled timbers. Laze in a King-size bed, potter around the chef’s kitchen or head outdoors and make the most of the concrete plunge pool, pizza oven and fire pit. However you choose to soak up your stay at Mayan, one thing’s for sure – the breathtaking views will find a permanent spot in your memory bank. 

ROUND HILL RETREAT

Sunshine Coast Hinterland, QLD

Pump the brakes on your hurried life at Sunshine Coast’s Round Hill Retreat, perched overlooking Mapleton National Park’s dense rainforest. Everything about life at this striking black cabin is antithetical to frenzy – luxuriating in morning rays in bed; sun-doused days by the concrete plunge pool; and drinks beneath the olive trees. Doing nothing can be your full time occupation here but if you want the complete hinterland immersion, use the supplied GPS-linked map to hit the hiking trails and explore the beauty of the verdant landscape. Focusing on the circular economy is a big deal at Round Hill, and every stay equals a donation to Trees for the Future too.

SCANDI AT MALENY

Booroobin, QLD

Wind your way along the Blackall Range, high above the Sunshine Coast, and you’ll eventually come across Scandi at Maleny. Perched on 300 acres of stunning countryside, just outside of Maleny, this light-filled modular cabin is the ultimate antidote to stress. Infused with a Scandinavian vibe, it will be impossible not to relax in this bright and breezy space. So, pull up, unpack and make sure you’re on the deck for sunset – the uninterrupted mountain views go down perfectly with a cold vino from one of the local hinterland wineries. 

WANDER IN THE SCENIC RIM

Scenic Rim, QLD

At first glance Queensland’s best attributes are its palm-fringed beaches. But a stay at Wander at The Overflow 1895 is a reminder that for every glittering beach, there’s a rugged bush vista to match. Gentle and slow guide the way at this Scenic Rim property with solar and rainwater powering the one- and two-bedroom glass-sheathed pods. The views out over Lake Wyaralong, a steaming outdoor bath and a cornucopia of Scenic Rim goodies (including low-intervention local wine) are more than enough to keep you in situ, but the chance to immerse yourself in the great outdoors will be hard to resist.

NIGHTFALL

Lamington National Park, QLD

Say goodbye to your tiny two-man tent and spongey air mattress, and hello to glamping at Nightfall. Hidden in a fairytale-like forest, complete with a picturesque creek, this once-in-a-lifetime Slow Stay features custom-design safari tents that are decked out with an endless list of luxuries – think: wire-brushed timber floors, organic bedding, free-standing baths and a wood fireplace. With only eight guests permitted at any one time, you can expect privacy and nothing but the sounds of nature during your stay, served with nourishing organic meals.    

MAGGIE A-FRAME

Magnetic Island, QLD

Sink into island time in this quirky and cute A-frame, a short 10-minute stroll from the beach on sunny Magnetic Island, just off the coast of Townsville. Maggie A-Frame is the ultimate spot to slow things down, explore untamed national park, snorkel over the Great Barrier Reef, and sip sundowners with the locals before doing it all again the next day. With two bedrooms, a reading loft, space to work on that novel, and a palm-flanked deck you’ll soon be planning that seachange for real.

Like what you see? Find more slow and sustainable accommodation in our Slow Stays directory.