Glamping With Nature at Lake Eildon

December in Melbourne means that summer is here!

The days are getting longer, we’re getting more sunshine and hotter weather and all we want to do is get out of the city and explore more of Victoria’s natural beauty.

We decided to explore a part of Victoria that I had never been to before and headed to Lake Eildon National Park for a night of glamping with nature.

Lake Eildon is almost in the centre of Victoria and is actually a man-made lake that was completed in 1956. It’s a narrow, sprawling lake that connects many different towns together, from Eildon to Bonnie Doon and around to Goughs Bay on the other side.

Glamping with Nature

Glamping with Nature offer the most beautiful glamping experience right on the lakes edge in Lake Eildon National Park. Over the last few years glamping has become more and more popular all over Victoria. This might have just been the perfect location though. Quiet, peaceful, serene.

Completely booking out Devils Cove Campground in the Fraser Camping Area, we got to experience glamping for the first time in such a secluded location, with only a handful of other tents sharing the campgrounds with us.

Because the campground is completely reserved for Glamping with Nature, we really had a lot of room to spread out. There were no other campers right next to us, if fact you couldn’t really see the other tents or campers unless you really went for a walk. It was so peaceful!

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Inside our little bell tent home for the night was so big and spacious. There was a full size double bed, as well as two single beds on the sides, and plenty of room to move around and get comfortable.

Kelly and the team at Glamping with Nature had thought of absolutely every little detail. There was a cute little welcome basket with fresh fruit, tea and coffee, and breakfast for the morning. The tents are fully stocked with plates, cutlery and cooking equipment, as well as cleaning supplies, so you literally only have to bring your own food to cook. There was a beautiful big rug at the front, giving you lots of space for an indoor picnic.

They had also gone the extra mile and supplied fresh towels, toiletries, an esky, board games, and a helpful information guide to Lake Eildon! Outside our tent we had a cute little table and chairs and even a clothes horse, honestly, the detail was amazing.

Around the campgrounds you can find a little camp kitchen, where you can cook up your lunch or dinner, as well as a toilet block with showers and hot running water. And if you’re interested in getting out on the water yourself, there are even kayaks you can take out for the day.

It was such a pretty spot to enjoy glamping for our first time. It rained all night (of course, thank you Melbourne), but inside the bell tent was so cosy and comfy, the sound of rain on the canvas just added to our peaceful night.

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In the morning we woke up to kangaroos hopping through our campground! We also spotted an echidna walking along the road near the site, so we can definitely confirm that it’s a great place to spot wildlife.

There were activities organised in the morning for anyone staying at Devils Cove, including a tai chi stretch class and a guided nature hike. Thom was super keen to hit the water though, so we headed straight down to the boat ramp for a morning fish.

Everything about our stay at Glamping With Nature was absolutely amazing. It was our very first time glamping, and it was even better than we expected! We loved every little detail that Kelly had created and it was the perfect way to explore this new part of Victoria.

At the moment, glamping at Lake Eildon is seasonal, and was introduced for the first time this year for a 12 week trial from September to December. However, before the season had even finished they were adding more tents to the site since they were completely booked up!

Even though glamping has finished up at Lake Eildon for this season, these guys have lots of new things going on over the next few months, with new locations and programs on the horizon. Check out their website for updates and to find out more about glamping around the Lake Eildon area.

Getting to Lake Eildon

Lake Eildon is approximately a two hour drive from Melbourne.

There are a few different ways to get there from Melbourne, either along the Hume Freeway and through Seymour, or through Healseville and the Yarra Valley. Both drives are very beautiful and incredibly scenic, with lots of places to stop along the way.

Check out the best deals on rental cars for your Victoria adventures HERE

Camping at Lake Eildon

Since Glamping with Nature has finished up for this season, there are still lots of great options for camping if you’re visiting Lake Eildon National Park. There are a few different campgrounds around the park that offer unpowered camping sites and are able to accommodate tents and some caravans and campervans.

Camping fees apply throughout the year in Lake Eildon National Park and bookings are required to stay. Head to www.parks.vic.gov.au/stay to book your site.

Fraser Camping Area

Made up of the Lakeside, Candlebark and Devil Cove camping areas, all the Fraser Camping Areas include toilets, hot showers, free gas barbecues, shelters and picnic areas.

The Fraser Camping Area also has several great boat ramps around the camp grounds, that have been positioned at different water levels (down to 10% capacity) to ensure access to the lake all year round.

Boat-based Camping

Remote style camping is also available around the park and can be accessed by boat or on foot at Taylor’s Creek, Mountaineer Creek and Coopers Point. At all sites except for Coopers Point there are composting toilets and fireplaces. There are no fees for boat based camping.

Things to do at Lake Eildon

In such a beautiful natural paradise, all the best things to do in Lake Eildon National Park include getting outside and enjoying the outdoors.

Walking & Hiking

There are so many walks around Lake Eildon National Park, and it’s definitely one of the best ways to explore this beautiful region. There are so many options, with walking trails to suit all ages, interests and fitness levels. Some of the most popular walks include –

Candlebark and Perfect Cure Creek Nature Walks – These self-guided walks are quite short (2km and 1.5km respectively) and are a great introduction to the park’s natural features and history. They both take about one hour to complete.

Coller Bay Walking and Cycling Track – This track follows around the lakes edge, connecting all the camping and day visitor sites from Devils Cove to Lakeside. It’s approximately 3.5km long and takes about 45 minutes to complete one way.

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Wallaby Bay Walk Track – Beginning at the Wallaby Bay car park, this easy trail follows the lake short to Cook Point (2.5km, 40 minutes one way) and Schools Point (7km, 2 hours one way).

Blowhard Spur Track – For beautiful views over the lake and surrounding bush land area, the Blowhard Spur Track starts with a steep climb through the hills to some of the highest points at the Blowhard Summit (3km, one hour one way) and High Camp. Along the track you can also check out the Perfect Cure Creek car park to High Camp walk (1.5km, 30 minutes one way) or Merlo’s Lookout Track (1km, 30 minutes one way).

Devil River Track to Skyline Road – This lovely forest walk winds through a gully and follows the old park entrance road.

Estate Spur Track – From the car park office, this track climbs steeply to the top of the hill and intersects the main spur. To the left, the track offers beautiful wide open views, before descending to Point Mibus or Lakeside (3km, 1 hour one way). To the right, the track is very shaded and descends down to Bedrock Creek (2.2km, 45 minutes one way) and the Bolte Bay Track.

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Fishing

Lake Eildon is a hot spot for fishing, with huge fish regularly being caught around the lake. Fish right off the banks into the rocky areas around the lake, or take a boat out to really explore more of the water.

Wildlife Spotting

There’s an abundance of wildlife around Lake Eildon, so always make sure you keep an eye out. Wombats, echidnas and kangaroos are often spotted in the area, especially along the walking and hiking trails and away from the main roads. To maximize your chance of spotting these furry creatures in the wild make sure you head out early in the morning or around dusk, as this is when they are most active.

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Enjoy the water

Hit the water with a kayak or paddle board to enjoy the national park from a different perspective. Many of the local holiday parks offer equipment you can rent for the day so you can get out on the water without having to bring everything yourself!

Go for a drive

Lake Eildon National Park and the surrounding area is absolutely beautiful. There are lookouts and viewpoints over mountain ranges, rugged terrain and rolling hills that I really didn’t even know existed in Victoria. Drive from Devils Cove Campground to the town of Eildon for some of the best views.

If you’d like to experience your own glamping weekend you haven’t missed out! Even though the glamping at Devils Cove has ended for the year, the team at Glamping with Nature have lots of things in the works for next year. Make sure you follow them on Instagram HERE for all the latest updates!

Thank you to the team at Glamping with Nature for welcoming us as guests for the night. All opinions are, as always, our own.

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