It’s different at Glass House Mountains Ecolodge.
When you turn into the driveway, you feel this stay will offer more than a night’s accommodation. Set amongst established trees and fauna, this tranquil setting somehow switches your mind to relax.
Look up and look around to see the beautiful birds, which makes it a great place to stay.
Our suggestion is to stay at least three nights at Glass House Mountains Ecolodge.
Get ready for 2024 with an Australian Bird Calendar.
What is Glass House Mountains Ecolodge?
More than most other types of accommodation.
The vision of the owner, Keith, who built the Glass House Mountains Ecolodge, has catered to the enjoyment of individuals, couples, families, and friends.
Not only are you close to the Glass House Mountains National Park, but you also get to sleep in a rainforest.
Accommodation at Glass House Mountains Ecolodge – you get to choose to stay in a:
- Victorian Train Carriage (with kitchenette)
- Queensland Train Carriage (with kitchen and living area)
- Forest Family Room
- Family suite (with a bathtub to soak after a day’s walk)
- Balinese Bungalow (with kitchen and lounge)
- Orchard Room
- Church Loft (with wood burning stove and small kitchen)
Each type of accommodation is a visual remembrance of a unique experience. Inside, you may find beautiful pieces of furniture that have been handcrafted from recycled timber.
They have thought of reverse air conditioning to keep you cool in summer and warm in winter.
And no need to bring those plastic water bottles. The rooms have urns filled with delicious rainwater.
Create Culinary Dishes in a Train Carriage
The Ecolodge encourages you to shop locally and bring your food.
You can use a fully equipped kitchen with a fridge, freezer and shelves for dry food. Tea and coffee are complimentary. Wine, beer and soft drinks are available for purchase too.
At the office on arrival, you can book an Ecolodge tropical breakfast, which includes coffee and fruit grown on the property (2022: $14 Adult and $7 for children).
Keith will leave fruit and vegetables for guests outside the kitchen carriage, depending on the season. All are sourced from the Ecolodge garden, which is also available for guests.
Local Food Outlets:
- Matilda Fruit Barn (Farmers Market signage) – 840 Steve Irwin Highway
- IGA (small supermarket) – Reed Street, Glass House Mountains village
- Glasshouse Tavern – Reed Street, Glass House Mountains village
Wander and Taste the Garden of Eaten
To learn more about tropical Queensland, refer to the Ecolodge fruit guidebook provided at the kitchen carriage. As you walk the garden, each tree or plant is referenced with a number in the guidebook.
There are 60 tropical and exotic fruits and a variety of nuts as you wander this small piece of paradise.
What makes it an Ecolodge?
It’s fair to say we are surrounded by ideas on how to make our lifestyles more sustainable.
This makes your stay at the Glass House Mountains Ecolodge a visual and active emersion in eco-tourism. As members of the International Ecotourism Club, the Ecolodge actively engages in tourism that promotes (per Glass House Mountains Ecolodge website):
- Minimises its own environmental impact
- Funds environmental education
- Funds projects that promote equality and reduce poverty in the local community
- Increases environmental and cultural knowledge and intercultural understanding
- It is affordable and open to all
During your stay, you may not see the overhead or underground activity of self-sufficient water storage and solar heating. But it is happening along with the recycling of food and waste. Even the soaps provided make a lovely change without the chemical ingredients.
And if you want to leave the car parked for a few days, it’s only 700m to the Glass House Mountains National Park.
Walk the Trails of Glass House Mountains
The Queensland Parks and Forests have excellent trail information.
Before you leave the Ecolodge, review the walking maps of Glass House Mountain National Park. In the National Park, the trails are well-marked for walkers and mountain bikers.
They advise taking plenty of water and snacks. To view the weather before starting.
Mount Tibrogargan Walks
Tibrogargan circuit
The Tibrogargan circuit is an easy 4.1km walk around the mountain’s base with views of Mount Tibrogargan rising high about the tree line.
Trachyte Circuit
The Trachyte circuit is 5.7km up to Jack Ferris’s lookout on Trachyte Ridge. The view takes in Mount Tibrogargan, Mount Beerburrum and Mount Beerwah.
The walks can be extended to include the Tibrogargan circuit.
We did deviate to walk some of the Yul-yan-man track for a viewpoint. The track is narrow, and we were constantly checking for scary predators. However, the challenge was the rock-faced up to the lookout.
Thankfully, the rock was dry, and we clambered to the top for the views. The highlight was seeing a Falcon and a Black Cockatoo.
Beerburrum Trail and Summit
If you are interested in a half-day walk, the Soldier Settlers trail is an 8.8km return walk. From the park entrance, follow the signs for the Beerburrum and Soldier Settlers trail.
The Soldier Settlers trail became the access between farm lots given to soldiers returning from WWI. The soldiers cleared the bush for pineapple farming in the 1920s. The Ecolodge originally was a 40-acre soldier block.
The trail takes you over a stony waterbed, through native bush of birds and the occasional monitor lizard. It is an easy walk to Beerburrum, where you can enjoy a coffee and slice at the local cafe.
However, the climb up Mount Beerburrum is a lung-burning experience. The mountain is 500m above sea level, but the gradient is very steep even if the way up is paved to the fire tower.
From the Ecolodge: Turn right and walk or drive 700m (no footpath) to the carpark and entrance.
Mount Ngungun Summit Walk
Near the Glass House Mountain settlement is the carpark and entrance to Mount Ngungun.
The walk up to the summit is a 2.8km return on an easy, well-maintained track.
There are plenty of places to stop and admire a ground cover of ferns, caves and views of the nearby forest.
At the summit, there is a climb up overworn rocks for spectacular 360-degree views of Mount Tibrogargan, Coonowrin and Beerwah.
From the Ecolodge: Drive to Fullerton Road, Glass House Mountains or take the cycleway walk beside the train track to the Glass House Mountains settlement.
How to Get to Glass House Mountains Ecolodge
You have a couple of options from Brisbane City:
- Drive – allow one hour from Brisbane to the Glass House Mountains Ecolodge. Take the Steve Irwin Way exit.
- Train – (1h 15 min) and $12 one way to Glass House Mountains stop on the Nambour/Gympie North line.
If arriving by train, telephone the Ecolodge a couple of days before arriving to request a pick up back to the Ecolodge.
Address: 198 Barrs Road, Glass House Mountains 4518
Nearby Local Attractions from the Ecolodge
If you have a car, some of our favourite places near the Ecolodge are worthwhile visits.
You can visit:
- Eumundi Markets – every Wednesday and Saturday (go early for a carpark)
- Australia Zoo – Steve Urwin’s zoo includes a crocodile show
- Monteville – tasty port and wine cellars
- Beerwah – lunch at the local cafes
Book a Return to Glass House Mountains Ecolodge
We would return for another stay at the Ecolodge.
It’s not often you find a unique bundle of quality accommodation in a tranquil setting at a price you can enjoy.
The atmosphere at the Ecolodge is very relaxed. You can take your time wandering the gardens or taking a walk at the nearby National Park. Or relax with a book in the library train carriage.
Even with plenty of Wi-Fi available, you can switch off your mind but not your senses.
Now, where’s that glass of wine?