Overview
Already one of southeast Queensland's best places for a scenic stroll, the Sunshine Coast's Cooloola Great Walk will soon boast a new attraction: tiny eco-cabins dotted along the epic 102-kilometre trek.
As part of the state government's push to turn the walk into an ecotourism trail, nature-based accommodation outfit Cabn has been awarded the tender to build its quaint, compact and cosy solar-powered homes along the picturesque Great Sandy National Park track. That means, come sometime in 2021, you'll be able to make the five-day hike from Noosa North Shore to Rainbow Beach, wander past everything from lakes and sand dunes to woodlands, and bunker down in a luxe off-grid house each night.
Forget carrying a tent with you — as already seen in both New South Wales and Victoria, Cabn's small abodes typically feature timber fit-outs, a loft with queen bed, a bunk bed, an indoor shower, a fully stocked kitchen, and an outdoor barbecue and fire pit. And, so that you can peer out over your surroundings, they also come with glass doors and windows that maximise the view.
Popping up between Noosa and Double Island Point, and created in close collaboration with with the Kabi Kabi people (the area's Traditional Owners), Cabn's new cabins will be made with locally sourced materials — and designed to complement the region's flora, beaches, rainforests and rivers. The company works to a 'leave no trace' philosophy, aiming to leave each cabin's natural surroundings untouched.
"We want to offer an authentic eco-tourism product for local and international travellers to experience one of Queensland's most environmentally significant and popular tourist areas," said Kabi Kabi representative Brian Warner in a statement. "At the same time, we want a minimal impact on the habitat that fosters cultural understanding, appreciation and conservation of the environment."
Exactly when the cabins will open in 2021 is yet to be revealed, but construction is due to both start and likely be completed by the end of this year.
For further details about Cabn — and to keep an eye out for updates on its new Queensland cabins — visit the company's website. For further details about the existing Cooloola Great Walk, visit the Queensland Department of Environment and Science's website.
Top image: Sadie Cabn in Victoria