Best Romantic Getaways in Australia
When you need to spice things up in the relationship, a little romantic getaway never goes astray. A beautiful view, a roaring fire, a deep bathtub and a bed bigger than your own? We’d call that a recipe for success.
With that in mind, we’ve assembled a list of love shacks around the country, from cosy eco cabins on windswept cliffs to beachside stunners that won’t break the bank. Some have drinking and dining hubs at the doorstep, while others are more secluded, meaning one of you will have to impress in the kitchen.
There are options all around the country, and depending on how much you want to spend, a price point to suit every budget. Just don’t forget to spend quality time together – that’s the main thing.
Words by Alice Jeffery
Updated on 16 November 2023
Tasmania
Victoria
New South Wales
Queensland
Western Australia
South Australia
Tasmania
Accommodation
House of the Weedy Seadragon
With a fire pit and architectural two-seat sauna right on the beach, this restored fishing shack on Tassie’s south-east coast oozes ambience. Pick your spot and watch echidnas, penguins and other wildlife amble by with those you love most.
Accommodation
The Trig on Mount Arthur
Keep things cosy in this eco-luxe converted shipping container on the slopes of Mount Arthur. Make breakfast in bed with local sourdough and fresh eggs or relax in the outdoor claw-foot bath under the stars – there’s a lot to love about this perfect weekender.
Accommodation
Lisdillon Estate
How many places can you stay at with not only a private beach, but five kilometres of exclusive coastline? Set on a 6000-acre sheep farm and vineyard, Lisdillon Estate is one in a million.
Accommodation
Pumphouse Point
Set on a jetty projecting 250 metres into the centre of Australia’s deepest lake, Pumphouse Point is like no other hotel in the country. Indulge in the ultimate privacy, spending your stay fishing, biking, rowing, getting massages and hiking the endless tracks around the lake to spot wombats and platypuses.
Accommodation
Captain’s Rest
Be transported into a world of seaside history at this heritage-listed shack in a secluded Tassie town with a private jetty and views of the pristine still water.
Victoria
Accommodation
Cortes Cottage
A secluded farm stay on one of Australia’s oldest operating walnut farms, this is the perfect place for some “us time”. A record player in the lounge room sets the quiet country mood, and there’s a fireplace to keep toasty in cooler months – consider us seduced.
Accommodation
Log Box
The rustic exterior belies the delightfulness inside this former milking shed, where you can soak up the sunrise from a king-size bed you’ll never want to leave. But when you eventually do, some of the Mornington Peninsula’s absolute best eating and drinking is only minutes away.
Accommodation
The Wine Farm
A cosy cottage and winery set among seven acres of vines, this stay is for the natural wine lovers. Come for the renowned pet-nat and stay for the slow mornings, which are best spent watching birds nibbling at rosehips, sheep grazing just beyond the fence, and waiting for resident pup Squid to pop by for a pat.
Accommodation
Mt Ida (eco) Cabin
Lo-fi, eco-minded accommodation that’s off the grid but totally cosy, this intimate stay is perfect for those seeking to reconnect. There are no power points (only a USB port) and no wi-fi so there will be plenty of time for deep conversations about life and love.
Accommodation
Belmont at Beechworth
A renovated miner’s cottage with serious charm, book this Beechworth stay for a weekend of hibernation. Swan about in the robes provided, take a nap on the leather sofa and make the most of the movies, music and board games at hand to keep you entertained.
Accommodation
Riversdale Retreat
This private bushland retreat with Japanese-inspired touches, this is the perfect place to totally switch off. Phone reception is sporadic and certainly doesn’t stretch to internet capabilities, so put your phone down and be quietly entertained by the elements.
Accommodation
The Stables @ Heart of Gold Vineyard
A luxe retreat inside a revamped 1860’s sandstone cottage on a rural vineyard. It’s ten minutes from Bendigo, so you don’t have to go far to pull up stumps. And when you’re winding-down this close to a cellar door, you may as well taste all the wares on offer.
Accommodation
Jackalope Hotel
Jackalope, named after a mythical jackrabbit with antelope horns, features 45 glamorous rooms, a 30-metre infinity pool, countless surreal artworks and a destination fine dining restaurant named Doot Doot Doot, one of the best in the state. And the vineyard is still going strong. This is a rabbit hole you’ll want to fall down.
New South Wales
Accommodation
The Old Schoolhouse Milton
Soak up the country air at this historic, rambling property south of Sydney. Hang out with chickens, roam the vegetable garden or take the tyre swing for a spin.
Accommodation
Logan Brae Retreats
With panoramic views of the Blue Mountains, an outdoor bath set among the trees and access to 36 acres of surrounding bushland, these four separate retreats are nothing but idyllic.
Accommodation
Mona Farm
There are six historic buildings to choose from on this beautiful tranquil property. The self-contained accommodation feature full kitchen if cooking is your love language or there’s a chef on hand to make your meals for you.
Accommodation
Rosalita’s Rest
Two cabins surrounded by forests and creeks on a biodynamic farm in the Byron Bay hinterland are the perfect backdrop for a fairytale stay. Bathe beneath the stars in your own outdoor bathtub and eat produce from the farm’s edible garden.
Accommodation
Barranca
Whisk them away to this stay with its towering sandstone walls and a thick blanket of trees in dreamy Kangaroo Valley. With a firepit and an outdoor shower, it’s the perfect choice for nature lovers looking for a little bit of luxury.
Accommodation
Bangalay Villas
On the edge of Seven Mile Beach National Park, find spacious rooms with everything you need to unwind (including a kitchen). There’s also a pool, a restaurant and a beach moments away.
Queensland
Accommodation
Mysa Motel
This retro-inspired, pastel-hued boutique resort on the Gold Coast channels the glamour of Californian photographer Slim Aarons. Book it for the one who loves everything mid-century modern.
Accommodation
Qualia
Located at the northernmost tip of Hamilton Island, guests stay in individual pavilions with private plunge pools and get around in their own golf buggies. If you’re not in love when you arrive, you will be by the time you check-out.
Accommodation
Sanctuary by Sirromet
Glamp at Queensland’s best-known winery, with pavilions nestled under the trees surrounding a lagoon. It’s designed with groups in mind, but each pavilion feels relatively secluded for a couple’s getaway.
Accommodation
Haggerstone Island
This family-owned resort, 600 kilometres north of Cairns, is accessible only by chartered plane and boat. This isolation comes at a steep price, but the experience is singular. Open-air, thatched roof villas have uninterrupted views of crystalline lagoon waters. Fresh-caught fish and lobster are cooked over an open fire, and produce comes from the island’s orchard.
Western Australia
Accommodation
Windows Estate
This intimate eco-cabin in a Margaret River vineyard is the perfect down south getaway, with vistas of vines and towering gums, a soaring waterfall window above the bed and a rotating cast of avian visitors.
Accommodation
Smiths Beach Resort
While minimalist by design, there’s no scrimping on luxury at this beachside stay. One of the best features is the huge floor-to-ceiling windows that seem to bring the outside in, showcasing the location’s magnificent views.
Accommodation
Samphire Rottnest
Rottnest Island/Wadjemup's first luxury hotel expertly blurs the line between indoor and outdoor, relaxed and luxury. Wood-clad walls, sisal rugs and natural linen furnishings warm up the breezy rooms, while lagoon-like pools and beachside dining make a strong case for venturing beyond your own four walls.
Accommodation
Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef
This isolated 15-tent eco-resort is a unique base from which to explore Australia’s other great reef and, at the right time of year, swim with its famous whale sharks. At night, share communal dinners under the stars and get to know your fellow guests.
South Australia
Accommodation
Eyre Way Yambara
If you’re looking for seclusion, this is the place: “Yambara” means “away, out of sight” in Barngarla, the local Aboriginal language. This tiny off-grid home delivers on this promise and then some with its own private beach.
Accommodation
Bellwether Wines Campground
Behind this winery, in a lovingly restored shearing shed, is a back paddock open to campers and glampers. Spacious bell tents come with cast-iron beds and avian alarm clocks (i.e. birds), and the shower block includes a claw-foot bathtub.
Accommodation
Seppeltsfield Vineyard Cottage
This 19th-century cottage is a private oasis in the heart of the Barossa. The self-contained cottage – in a private, 10-acre vineyard – is for one couple only. It’s ideal for honeymoons, anniversaries and private getaways.
Accommodation
Love and Mutiny
In a town with just four residents, this pink beach shack is the perfect place to switch off, enjoy the sound of crashing waves and sip a cocktail by the sandy fire pit.
Accommodation
The Greenly Carriage
Wake up to panoramic views over the Southern Ocean, Mount Greenly, Lake Greenly and the rolling countryside of coastal South Australia from this converted vintage train carriage.
Accommodation
Nest & Nature
Two luxe villas perch atop native bushland on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula. The stay boasts panoramic views, a well-stocked wine cellar and a supreme outdoor tub.
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