Overview
When 2022 ends and 2023 begins, Woodfordia in southeast Queensland will host the Woodford Folk Festival for the first since 2019 gave way to 2020. Thousands of music and arts lovers will descend upon the Moreton Bay Hinterland spot, and plenty of them will be camping. It's an annual tradition — if you live in southeast Queensland and you haven't camped at Woodford to see out the year at least once, do you really southeast Queensland? — and, timed perfectly for the upcoming fest, the site's accommodation options just levelled up.
Woodfordia has already been home to Lake Gkula for the past three years, with the conservation and recreation habitat part of the event's 500-acre parkland. To take advantage of the site, it's been hosting camping beyond Woodford's usual dates, too. Adding onsite glamping tents was always in the works — and now they're here.
Twenty luxury tents are now up and running, joining Woodfordia permanently. Each one features a fully furnished room for four, complete with a queen bed, bunk beds, sofa, dining table and chairs, fixed ensuites and kitchens, and sits in the existing camping grounds around Lake Gkula — close to the General Store.
To start with, glamping will be offered at at the Woodford Folk Festival and across Easter in 2023, aka when camping at Lake Gkula is happening anyway. The plan, however, is to welcome in glampers year-round, and give holidaymakers a new getaway option.
"The glamping tents will be booked for events ranging from the iconic Woodford Folk Festival to the two-week Lake Gkula Camping period in Easter 2023," said Woodfordia Inc General Manager Amanda Jackes.
"Ultimately, these gorgeous glamping tents will be available for bookings year-round during either festivals and events, or for private functions or short-term holiday stays."
"Accommodation has always been an issue at Woodfordia, with the most recent festival selling out all our 120 premium luxury bell tents along with the 250 tent city tent motels. These luxury glamping units will bring a new level of indulgent offering for our patrons."
Upon launch, prices start at $305 per night with a three-night minimum booking. Even for Easter, some tents are already sold out — so if you're already thinking about your autumn vacation, getting in quick is recommended.
Located 75-minutes north of Brisbane by car, Lake Gkula provides quite the scenic backdrop for a holiday. The man-made spot is teeming with fish and plant life, with than 16 species of native freshwater fish and crustaceans are swimming in its waters. For plenty of greenery, over 8000 plants have been planted in and around the lake to-date.
Crucially for both the lake's biodiversity and for human swimmers, the entire body of water is chemical-free, using pumps and injectors to keep both a constant water flow and high levels of oxygen. The water is pushed through two wetlands, which act to purify the lake while also encouraging microorganisms to thrive.
For more information about glamping at Woodfordia's Lake Gkula, visit the Woodfordia website.
The 2022–23 Woodford Folk Festival runs from Tuesday, December 27, 2022–Sunday, January 1, 2023. For further details, head to the Woodford Folk Festival website.
Images: Waterscapes / Gain Ryan / Jen Quodling, Woodford Folk Festival via Flickr.