Luxury Lodges Of Australia & World Heritage Listed Sites

Australia’s luxury lodge destinations are exclusive by virtue of their access to UNESCO World Heritage sites, unique locations, people and experiences. It’s this privilege of place that allows you to encounter a personal connection to the depth and diversity of our outstanding natural and cultural values, revered the world over. With ever-popular tourist destinations at the meniscus of capacity, location and access are key to differentiating between a run of the mill bucket-list tick and conscious travel that provides a positive impact long after you’ve left your footprints behind.

Australia holds 4 Cultural sites, 12 Natural sites and 4 dual listed sites, including Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory. Many of the Luxury Lodges of Australia are harmoniously located within or next to the broader landscape of a World Heritage site, which enhances environmental management plans for responsible tourism and offers local connections and bespoke experiences away from the crowds.

Here is your luxury passport to 11 Australian World Heritage Listed destinations…

 

Longitude 131º | Uluru- Kata Tjuta National Park

At the spiritual heart of the Red Centre lies Longitude 131º, nestled amongst the spinifex and desert oaks next to Uluru- Kata Tjuta National Park, the luxury oasis provide unrivalled views of Uluru. Established on Aboriginal land, the National Park is internationally recognised as a World Heritage Area and is one of the few properties to be dual-listed by the UNESCO. The park has evolved as we collectively grow to a greater appreciation and it was first inscribed in 1987 for its spectacular geological formations, rare flora and fauna and exceptional natural beauty. Later in 1994, the park became only the second in the world to be acclaimed for its cultural landscape as well. The international community honours and recognises the Traditional belief systems of the Anangu as one of the world’s oldest cultures.

Longitude 131º’s tented pavilions offer both a luxurious sanctuary and profound sense of place, with myriad bespoke experiences in which naturalist guides provide local introductions and connect you with Traditional knowledge.

Travel Tip: Learn a few words in the local Aboriginal Pitjantjatjara or Yankunytjatjara languages.

For further information or to book your stay at Longitude 131º, visit.

Bamurru Plains | Kakadu National Park

The luxury of Bamurru Plains is that this eco safari lodge has exclusive access to 300 km of complex of ecosystems floodplains and savanna woodland on the Mary River, giving you exclusive access to expert field guides, privacy and premium facilities on the edge of World Heritage listed Kakadu National Park. Here in the Northern Territory you’ll experience a dramatic wilderness region, home to some 2,000 plant species and prolific wildlife from saltwater crocodiles to migratory birds in their tens of thousands. Immersed in the environment, the luxury accomodation provides a thin veil between you and the wild animals just outside your tent. With no artificial lights or sounds at night, you’re left with the deep serenade of the Australian bush. By day, take a light aircraft across the river systems that separate Bamurru Plains from Kakadu National Park and explore the enormous biodiversity and unique archaeological and ethnological reserve. The park is a living cultural landscape, rock art galleries on the sandstone escarpments reveal creation stories that record the skills and way of life of Aboriginal peoples over tens of thousands of years. Kakadu National Park was first recognised as an irreplaceable legacy and inscribed to the World Heritage List in 1981, with further areas added in 1987, 1992 and 2011.

Travel Tip: Bamurru Plains is proudly without wifi or phone signal, enabling you to disconnect from technology and reconnect with nature.

For further information or to book your stay at Bamurru Plains, visit.

Sal Salis | Ningaloo Coast

Sal Salis is discreetly nestled within the sand dunes of Cape Range National Park, just 50 metres from the water’s edge on the Ningaloo Reef with special permission from Western Australia Parks and Wildlife. Although the region is most famous for the Ningaloo Reef, the 50,581 hectare Cape Range National Park is recognised in its own right as a place of ‘outstanding universal value’ by its inclusion in the Ningaloo Coast World Heritage listing in 2011. Semi-arid and rugged limestone ranges, gorges, bays, creeks, deep canyons and caves are strikingly juxtaposed against the turquoise waters, home to 450 different species of marine life including humpback whales, manta-rays, turtles, dugongs and whale sharks. Kangaroos, wallaroos, emus and perenties are regularly encountered at Sal Salis and a hike into the ranges frequently reveals the threatened black-flanked rock-wallaby – spotted on the cliffs at Yardie Creek and Mandu Mandu gorges. The Mangrove Bay Bird Hide is an excellent place to see shorebirds, mangrove fantails, mud crabs, mangrove whistlers and ospreys, a taste of the exceptional biodiversity you’ll find here.

Travel Tip: Leave your regular sunscreen behind and lather on the reef-safe sunscreen provided by Sal Salis.

For further information or to book your stay at Sal Salis, visit. 

qualia | Great Barrier Reef 

Surrounded by the natural wonder of the Great Barrier Reef, qualia is an oasis of award-wining Australian style boasting mesmerising views across the azure waters of the Coral Sea and Whitsundays. The World Heritage Listed Great Barrier Reef is the world’s most extensive coral reef ecosystem and a globally outstanding and significant entity. Home to 400 types of coral, 1,500 species of fish, 4,000 types of mollusc and some 2,500 individual reefs, the extraordinary variety and beauty covers a massive area of 348,000 square kilometres which (practically the entire ecosystem) was inscribed by UNESCO in 1981. qualia is positioned on the northernmost part of Hamilton Island, it’s lush interior protected by national park and laced with bushwalking trails that lead you to panoramic viewpoints. The Whitsunday Islands provide a magnificent vista of verdant islands and spectacular sandy beaches with private spots to take a skippered and hosted charter boat, cruise, swim, lunch to enjoy. Unsurpassable barefoot luxury experiences are yours for the taking, such as a helicopter flight over Whitehaven Beach to the private Heart Island helipad where you can jump in and snorkel around the iconic heart-shaped coral.

Travel Tip: Fly to qualia directly and touch down on the helipad or sail to qualia from Queensland’s mainland marinas.

For further information or to book your stay at qualia, visit.

Lizard Island | Great Barrier Reef 

As the northern most resort on the Great Barrier Reef, Lizard Island occupies a truly secluded patch of one of the greatest natural wonders of the world. From this naturally private luxury accomodation, the reef and all of its wonders are yours to explore straight off the beach or just a short boat trip away. From the air, the vast mosaic patterns of reefs, islands and coral cays produce an unparalleled aerial panorama and the one hour flight from Cairns allows you to take in the true majesty and scale of the reef. Beneath the ocean surface, the internationally renowned Cod Hole near Lizard Island is one of many significant dive sites, with opportunities to engage with the resident potato cod, grey reef sharks and schooling sweetlips. Time your visit with superlative natural phenomena such as the annual spawning of coral, migrating whales or nesting turtles. A tour to the next-door Research Station provides the opportunity to discover the reef’s environmental history and ways in which marine biologists are ensuring the integrity of the coral reef ecosystems in all their diversity.

Travel Tip: With a tropical climate and average temperature of approximately 27 ºC (80º F), Lizard Island offers an idyllic, year-round retreat.

For further information or to book your stay at Lizard Island, visit. 

Spicers Peak Lodge | Gondwana Rainforests

Spicers Peak Lodge offers an unforgettable journey into a place of untouched beauty along the Great Dividing Range, through World Heritage Listed Gondwana Rainforest to explore rarely seen reserves in relaxed luxury. The Gondwana Rainforests are comprised of several protected areas in Queensland High Country and north east New South Wales, encompassing Country of many First Nations peoples. The high number of rare and threatened rainforest species and outstanding geology deem this area internationally significant for science and conservation. Remnant patches of rainforest in New South Wales were originally listed in 1986, with the region extended to include rainforests on the Queensland side of the border in 1994. The World Heritage listing currently includes parts of 40 protected areas predominantly situated on the Great Dividing Range and eastern escarpment, including Main Range National Park, Great Dividing Range and the Scenic Rim. Immerse yourself in this pristine haven of flora and fauna along the 50km Scenic Rim Trail with a small group of like-minded adventurers and knowledgable guides.

Travel Tip: Ensure your hiking shoes have been worn regularly and recently for ultimate comfort.

For further information or to book your stay at Spicers Peak Lodge, visit. 

Capella Lodge | Lord Howe Island

Capella Lodge lies on the World Heritage-listed Lord Howe Island, a castaway paradise of rainforests, reefs and beaches home to hundreds of rare and endemic species. Recognised as providing enduring habitat for a remarkable range of rare and endemic flora and fauna, Lord Howe Island has been a protected marine park for more than 100 years. The outstanding example of oceanic islands formed from volcanic origins saw the Lord Howe Island Group – Lord Howe Island, Admiralty Islands, Mutton Bird Islands and Ball’s Pyramid and the associated coral reefs and marine environments inscribed in 1982. It is the world’s most southern coral reef, situated in the South Pacific Ocean, 700km north-east of Sydney, with a near perfect climate often likened to perpetual spring. This slice of paradise is a pristine natural environment with around three-quarters of the island preserved as permanent national and marine park and adding to the exclusivity and sustainability, visitation is limited to 400 people per day. Capella Lodge offers understated luxury – spectacular views from contemporary suites from which to surf, scuba dive, snorkel and explore subtropical forests, white-sanded beaches or take on Mt Gower, one of Australia’s most challenging day hikes.

Travel Tip: Bicycles are the preferred mode of transport to get around the island.

For further information or to book your stay at Capella Lodge, visit. 

El Questro Homestead | Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungles)

The Kimberley is known as Australia’s final frontier, a feather in the cap for the most adventurous of explorers. Coupled with the privileged access and luxury of El Questro Homestead, the explosive sunsets, iconic boab tress and breathtaking geology of the remote outback is at your fingertips. A short plane ride from El Questro’s private 700 000 acre wilderness park is neighbouring World Heritage Listed area, Purnululu National Park. First inscribed in 2003, the incredible sandstone formations, colloquially known as the Bungle Bungles, that date back over 350 million years and are listed under two of the natural World Heritage Outstanding Universal Value criteria; containing areas of incredible natural beauty and for its outstanding geological value. The birds eye view is a privileged vantage point to appreciate this vast, rugged beauty and is a once-in-a-lifetime experience found only in The Kimberley. Fly over the spectacular Carboyd Range and Lake Argyle before landing at Purnululu National Park, rich in Aboriginal history and home to the Bungle Bungle Range. Here you can transfer to a comfortable 4WD for a guided tour of the spectacular striped Beehive Domes and a walk into the stunning natural amphitheatre of Cathedral Gorge and negotiate the stony bed of Piccaninny Creek. 

Travel Tip: From May through to the beginning of October, El Questro Homestead very rarely gets rain and enjoys warm, sunny days.

For further information or to book your stay at El Questro Homestead, visit. 

Silky Oaks Lodge | The Wet Tropics of Queensland 

Silky Oaks Lodge sits on 32 hectares (80 acres) among the leafy canopy of World Heritage Listed pristine rainforest, where the sights and sounds of this extraordinary natural theatre are on display. Perched above the gently flowing Mossman River, you can experience the tranquil scenery from new perspective entirely by drift snorkelling, admiring both the lush canopy above and the emerald underwater world. The area supports an exceptionally high level of diversity of both flora and fauna, and with 60% of our butterfly species, something brilliant is sure to catch your eye. Inscribed as a World Heritage listing in 1988, The Wet Tropics of Queensland is a rare combination of fringe coral reefs and rainforest coastline in the Cape Tribulation region and contain an almost complete record of the ecological and evolutionary processes of plant life on Earth, containing evidence of flora 100 million years ago. Extremely important for its rich and unique biodiversity and at an estimated 180 million years old, the Daintree Rainforest, is regarded for its outstanding universal value as the world’s oldest living rainforest and is the Traditional homelands of the Kuku Yalanji people who have ongoing deep and inherent connections to the area.

Travel Tip: A guided tour with renowned local operator Walkabout Adventures through Mossman Gorge is a must-do.

For further information or to book your stay at Silky Oaks Lodge, visit. 

Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley | Greater Blue Mountains

Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley’s 2,800 hectares of raw terrain is set amongst the World Heritage Listed Blue Mountains and provides exhilarating opportunities for the adventurer in you as well as ample opportunity to unwind. Roam the private reserve by 4WD or take to the valleys on horseback for a quintessentially Australian experience. Each of the exclusive villas feature spacious living areas, along with a cosy fireplace, private pool and charming veranda framing the picturesque World Heritage Blue Mountains scenery. The Blue Mountains, named for the distinctive blue haze of densely populated Eucalyptus trees, is home to 91 eucalypt taxa – as well as significant numbers of rare or threatened species, including endemic and evolutionary relict species, including the Wollemi pine. The Greater Blue Mountains Area consists of 1.03 million ha of sandstone plateaux, escarpments and gorges. Comprised of 8 protected areas, the site was inscribed in 2000 to the World Heritage List for its representation of the evolutionary adaptation and diversification of the eucalypts in post-Gondwana isolation on the Australian continent. Its exceptional biodiversity values are complemented by numerous others, including First Nations cultural values, geodiversity, water production, wilderness, recreation and of course natural beauty.

Travel Tip: Uncover the mystery of nature by night on a nocturnal wildlife-spotting expedition.

For further information or to book your stay at Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley, visit. 

Saffire Freycinet | Tasmanian Wilderness

Tasmania is approximately 296 kilometres (200 miles) north to south and 315 kilometres east to west, with the Tasmanian Wilderness covering almost 25% of the island state. The parks and reserves listed were inscribed in 1982, and the area extended in 1989 and constitute one of the last expanses of temperate rainforest in the world. Over on the east coast, Saffire Freycinet offers beautifully appointed suites, incredible dining, relaxing spa and alluring views from which to explore the pink granite mountains, white beaches and crystal clear sea. The luxury escape is situated on the cusp of Freycinet National Park which, along with Mount Field National Park, is Tasmania’s oldest park. Freycinet contains part of the rugged Tasmanian coastline including Wineglass Bay, voted by several travel authorities as one of the world’s 10 best beaches. Saffire Freycinet provides the rare opportunity to encounter Tasmanian devils in the natural setting and refuge of their onsite enclosure, and to participate in the quest to save this endangered species from extinction. 

Travel Tip: If you choose to drive yourself, be prepared for some stunning coastal scenery along the way.

For further information or to book your stay at Saffire Freycinet, visit. 

The importance of UNESCO

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) is a specialised agency of the United Nations, formed in 1945, aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, the sciences, and culture. There are two types of World Heritage sites, Cultural Heritage; which includes historic buildings, monuments and collections of information on how people lived such as photos, paintings, stories, newspapers and books, and Natural Heritage; which includes mountains, rivers, ocean and landscape. The common feature of all sites inscribed on the World Heritage List is that they meet the requirement of Outstanding Universal Value, meaning they are an irreplaceable legacy and places of importance to everyone on Earth.