Mt Mulligan Lodge

Style

Wild-at-heart cattle station

Setting

Land of gold and coal

Mt Mulligan Lodge has some pretty impressive vital statistics: 28,000 hectares and just eight rooms, meaning you get more than your fair share of the glorious outback. As if its cinematic sprawl of Queensland back-country wasn’t enticement enough, this working cattle station throws in gourmet all-inclusive dining (matched with splendid Australian wines), brilliant service from the friendly staff and a lifetime’s worth of rural adventures, from kayaking and fishing to ATV rides, hiking and helicopter tours. History-buffs will love visiting the derelict remains of Mount Mulligan’s township and mine, which have a storied past.

Facilities

Rooms

14.

Checkout

11am; earliest check-in, 2pm. Both are flexible, subject to availability.

More Details

Rates are usually all inclusive, covering gourmet meals, a selection of Australian wines, beers and soft drinks, minibar treats, a daily activity and unlimited use of the kayaks, paddle boards and fishing equipment.

Also

Communal areas are accessible; the hotel also has some rooms with wheelchair access, which are bookable on request.

Hotel Closed

Mt Mulligan Lodge closes annually from mid-January to March.

Free Internet Access

Laundry

Pool

On-Site Restaurant

Room Service

At the Hotel

Outback expanse (28,000 hectares to be precise). In rooms: iPod dock, Bose bluetooth speaker, LaGaia bath products, a desk, air-conditioning, minibar, free bottled water, kettle, tea and coffee kit, blackout curtain, working fireplace.

Our Favourite Rooms

Opt for the Outback Suite for the added boon of a sitting area. Families or groups travelling together should bed down in one of the Outback Pavilions, which come with two bedrooms.

Poolside

Notch up laps in the glittering infinity pool, at the edge of the weir.

Spa

Staff can arrange soothing therapies in their sole treatment room.

Packing Tips

Bring industrial-strength mozzie repellent to ward off those bugs.

Also

Each room comes with its own on-loan electric buggy so you can zip around the 28,000-hectare grounds in style.

Children

Little Smiths are very welcome, but don’t expect lots of family-friendly frills.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

Nab a table outside for lunch, but dine inside to avoid being nibbled by bugs.

Dress Code

Sun-loving (ATV) safari chic.

Hotel Restaurant

Meals are served in the relaxed main lodge. The ambitious chef showcases local produce and outback flavours in daring, imaginative ways: previous dishes include kangaroo tataki with miso cream, a tea-soaked egg and nori granola; red claw (caught on the property) with miso butter, roasted garlic and macadamia nut crumb; yoghurt bavarois with tamarind jelly, lemon aspen curd, finger lime and a macaroon made from Vitamin C-packed green ants. Don’t miss the biodynamic eggs at breakfast, which are farmed without chemicals. If you want to spend the day exploring, take a gourmet picnic with you and head out into the wilderness on your electric buggy.

Hotel Bar

Delightfully rustic, with bare wooden counters and walls of corrugated iron, the aptly named Sunset Bar is just a stone's throw away from the main lodge. Choose from a stellar selection of Australian wines as the golden light catches the eucalyptus trees below, and with frankly majestic views of the rugged mountain ranges, be sure to bring a camera. At the Lodge, guests can enjoy drinks in the restaurant. Toast the statement lighting, the striking rock wall and the bicycle frame on the top shelf, which was excavated from the mining township.

Last Orders

Meal times take their cues from you and your planned adventures. Generally, dinner service stops around 11pm; breakfast is available between 7:30am and 10am.

Room Service

Choose items from the day’s menu to enjoy in-room.

Planes

Fly into Cairns Airport, a three-hour drive away. The hotel can sort out heli-transfers from Cairns to Mount Mulligan (a memorable 35-minute journey).

Automobiles

If you want to drive, you’ll need a 4WD to tackle the unsealed roads. Hotel transfers in a 4WD can be arranged from Cairns; the journey takes about two and a half hours.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

This is your cue to get up close and personal with Mother Nature, Queensland-style. Get a bird’s-eye view of the majestic wilderness by embarking on a helicopter tour. Go paddle boarding or kayaking, or roam around the property on an ATV (take a chef-prepared picnic with you and enjoy it at the Branch, a waterhole on the southern edge of the mountain). Wildlife-lovers can borrow one of Mount Mulligan’s handy Naturalist Charts and go on a flora-and-fauna expedition, looking out for wallabies, rainbow lorikeets, kookaburras, chattering friar birds, rare plants, lichen, fungi and more. Fish for barramundi from the riverbank or a kayak (the chef will cook up your catch to your tastes afterwards). Hop out of bed earlier than usual to see the sun rise over the Hodgkinson Valley, a 15-minute ATV ride from the lodge, along the old railway tracks used for transporting coal from Mount Mulligan mine to Dimbulah. (Take a camera or canvas and paints to capture the scenery.) From here, set off on a two- or three-hour walk to one of Mount Mulligan’s hidden secrets. Enjoy sunset drinks at the Sunset Bar or go stargazing.

Now a ghost town, the remains of the Mount Mulligan township are rich in history. Step back in time by visiting the derelict remains of the township and mine, wander around Mount Mulligan Cemetery, explore the Tyrconnell Gold Mine on a guided tour and watch an ore-crusher demonstration.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .