Looking for inspiration for your next girls’ getaway? From outdoor adventure to spa treatments, city exploring, wining and dining, we’ve uncovered five great experiences for you and your girlfriends.
Hiking the Scenic Rim Trail
Inhale the fresh air as you walk through Heritage Listed rainforest, million-year-old mountain ranges and dry eucalypt forests while your knowledgeable guides delve into the rich history of the region and point out flora and fauna on this two-day all-inclusive hike. As part of the Great Walks of Australia Collective and currently the only Great Walk located in Queensland, the Scenic Rim Trail is based out of the Spicers Canopy glamping site near Maryvale, an hour-and-a-half drive from Brisbane in South East Queensland.
Each night, retreat to one of ten safari-style tents with king-size beds on the 2,800ha nature reserve Spicers Peak Station, beside the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Main Range National Park. Rejuvenate in the outdoor plunge pool before enjoying dinner under the stars and toasting marshmallows around the campfire or relaxing by the fireplace inside the main lodge.
Wine weekend in the Hunter Valley
Spend the weekend exploring Australia’s oldest wine region, the Hunter Valley in NSW. Established in the early 1800s, the area is home to more than 150 cellar doors including those of renowned viticulture families De Bortoli and Tyrrells. Enjoy a glass of bubbles with an oyster or antipasto platter at the Oyster Bar at Petersons Wines, which is on a hilltop surrounded by vineyards and specialises in premium sparkling drops.
Pop into the Hunter Valley Chocolate Company & Fudge Factory and the Hunter Valley Cheese Factory before returning to your accommodation at Spicers Guesthouse Retreat. This boutique luxury hotel has 45 suites plus a 4 bedroom cottage, perfect for sharing with friends. Éremo bar is renowned for not only it’s extensive wine list but it’s cocktails.
Pamper yourself at a day spa
Set in a tranquil rainforest setting at Maleny in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, Spicers Tamarind Retreat’s Spa Anise in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland town of Maleny is the ideal place to relax and indulge in a treatment – or two! It even has double rooms so you can share the luxuriously relaxing experience with a friend.
The $1m purpose-built day spa offers, a hydrotherapy pool with expansive views of the surrounding rainforest, a relaxing lounge area to enjoy a cup of herbal tea after your treatment and a foot bath room where you will begin each treatment. Treatments include an aromatherapy massage, hot stone massage, mani or pedi, facial or full body treatment, featuring Australian-made waterlily products. Find out more.
Explore the city
When it comes to exploring the city, Brisbane’s New Farm is hard to beat. Wander along James Street perusing its many designer boutiques, including Samantha Ogilvie, Sass & Bide, Scanlan and Theodore and Mimco. Just around the corner is locally grown and owned Newstead Brewing Co where you can try the brand’s six core craft beers, or the two seasonal brews they have on offer every season. Or explore the newest entertainment and lifestyle precinct, Howard Smith Wharves, the cliff lift is right around the corner from Spicers Balfour.
All this, just a short walk away from Spicers Balfour Hotel in New Farm which is a great place to return at the end of each day. The boutique Queenslander-style hotel has nine rooms and eight suites and an in-house restaurant, The Balfour Kitchen, where you can dine outside on the wrap-around veranda and sip cocktails while admiring the view of Story Bridge from the rooftop bar. Even though you’re a mere few minutes from the city, you’ll feel worlds away at Spicers Balfour.
Gourmet getaway
For the ultimate indulgent getaway, book a table at the award-winning Long Apron Restaurant The Long Apron at Spicers Clovelly Estate at Montville in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Classically-trained UK-born chef Chris Hagan delights with his innovative menu of refined and elegantly-presented dishes at this Chef Hatted-restaurant, which has a focus on fresh, seasonal produce.
The tasting menu includes everything from steamed yabby tail with strawberry soffrito, tomato jelly and bisque to slow-cooked suckling pig with roasted peaches, kohlrabi and onion reduction, with matching wines available. On a 22-acre property, the French provincial-style hotel has 10 suites and a three-bedroom cottage, a bar and lounge area, guest library and a pool.
No matter what you’re looking for, for your next girls getaway, you’re sure to be able to find it at one of the nine Spicers Retreats in Queensland and New South Wales. View our current offers and start planning your next trip.
Words by Angela Saurine
