Mt Barney Wilderness Retreat

We all lead busy lives. It's the nature of today’s lifestyle... so it doesn't make sense to leave home to go camping and then have to contend with a congested camp site or an over controlled environment.

So we have developed a true wilderness place to allow you to escape to the mountains without being hemmed in: a restful place, to recharge and enjoy the solitude of the bush.

We have about 130ha (300ac) of mountains and forest available to you for camping and bushwalking. We offer a small camping ground with all the basic facilities you would expect in a wilderness retreat plus some.

The Retreat is situated at 725m above sea level. The days during the summer months are generally cool with low humidity. In the winter months you need to bring warm clothing and at night stay close to the camp fire! However there is no wrong time to visit: every season shows you a different aspect of the bush and the mountains.

The travelling time from Brisbane is about 2 hours. We are accessible by AWD/4WD vehicle only: the road is rough but not beyond the capabilities of any careful driver. If you're a bit hesitant about driving on an unmade road then I am available to escort you in once you get off the bitumen.

For those who want to stay close to our main facilities we offer about 2 ha of open space in which to pitch your tent or place your camper van. This is the main camping area and it is close to the kitchen, dining hall, flushing toilets, and hot showers.

All the kitchen and cooking facilities are available for your use in the hall & kitchen. The kitchen is well provisioned: crockery, cutlery, stoves, gas rings, BBQ, wood stove, fridge and microwave. Hot water and sinks are there for washing up etc.

The hall is situated right beside the kitchen and is an ideal place to eat complete with a large table capable of seating over 15 persons. Inside the hall there is a wood heater just in case the dining gets a bit too chilly!

The camping ground is cleared of all large trees though clustered around the perimeter are numerous tall gum trees providing some shady spots during the afternoon sun. As the sun moves into the west, lengthening shadows provide ample shade. The breeze when it comes is always cool because at 725 meters there is definitely a cooling effect caused by the altitude. It also overlooks the wildlife dam deliberately constructed to attract the local fauna: birds of all types (included the endangered Glossy black cockatoo) and wallabies etc.

For those who want a complete wilderness escape we can also offer even more remote locations - hidden in the forest and ridges of the property and accessible by more experienced four wheel drivers - as the tracks get rougher and steeper.

Bushwalking tracks cover most of the property. Walks to lookouts, mountain tops, rainforest are all available to you. Further down the Yamahra Creek valley is the entrance to the Upper Portals of Mt Barney National Park – a fabulous gorge of rushing water, abounding in waterfalls and billabongs.

I look forward to showing you my little bit of paradise!