The Classy Outdoors: Glamping in Melbourne and Beyond

Tucked away on Mornington’s Bass Strait coast, just 90 minutes from Melbourne, Peninsula Hot Springs is the perfect place to relax. Ten chic tents – dotted among hot springs in the shade of eucalyptus trees – come with split-system air-con and private verandas, thermally-heated polished concrete floors, spacious ensuite toilets, and comfy beds with selectable sheets. You can slip on your robe, let twittering birds enchant you, and kick back in dozens of geothermal pools around the clock.

Prom Coast Eco Glamping is an ethereal place set on South Gippsland’s grasslands that’ll get your kids – and your – imagination running wild. Offering ocean views, the family-run business is ideal for a truly off-the-grid experience without the raw edges of traditional camping. Their 16ft (5m) lotus bell and 13ft (4m) soul-pad tents are roomy enough for a boogie – and a wood fire – and it comes with cooking facilities, electric heaters, plenty of wood, and a hammock to lounge in.

Half the hassle of camping is unpacking, but at Happy Glamper, someone else takes care of the heavy lifting. Since 2013, Jessie and Scott Curtis-Griffiths have been offering a mobile camp service on the Mornington Peninsula. All you have to do is pick from one of five sites and choose your glamping experience, and they’ll do the rest. You can choose from vintage camper vans, including the 1966 Peggy Sue, which can sleep up to four people – or the 1955 Miss Myrtle which sleeps two. If tents are more your style, Happy Glamper has cosy bell tents available in three sizes and the lotus belle tents, which can sleep up to five people. The campers and tents come complete with complimentary magazines, colourful mats, board games, chairs – and much more.

For those looking for a luxury getaway in the mountains, Wanderlust Glamping is a set up and pack down service in the Grampians National Park. Wanderlust Glamping – run by Lisa Eastick – allows you to choose from a vintage caravan named Clementine, fitted with cooking appliances and a double bed, or the four-metre bell tent which can sleep up to four people. Deluxe packages are also available for newlyweds. There are a number of extras to choose from, including a portable DVD player for those late nights, and if you prefer to camp on the Great Ocean Road, arrangements can be made for Melbourne Cup weekend.