About In2thewild Australia
In2thewild are known for their off-grid, eco-friendly and sustainable Tiny homes located within a three-hour drive from the bustling cities of Australia. These experiences are made for people to step out of their rushed daily routine and unwinding with sunsets, campfires and rustling trees.
By partnering with local communities, In2thewild now have tiny homes in different properties ranging from privately owned farms to ultra-secluded locations in the Australian Bush (just like the Kookaburra Ridge!)
Keep reading to find out more about our time in the new in2thewild Glamping Retreat at Kookaburra Ridge in Wyee.
Kookaburra Ridge: What’s Included
The Kookaburra Ridge listing on in2thewild allows you to book the entire glamping site which includes:
- Two separate tents: Each bell tent includes its own decking area and bathtub and located approx 100m away from each other. These are called Kookaburra Chateau and Kookaburra Manor and both tents include a queen-sized bed and two single beds (fits 4 people in each)
- Kookaburra Tavern: This is the common dining/chill area which includes a BBQ, stovetop, kettle, fully equipped kitchen, fridge, bluetooth speaker and games!
- Shower and toilet area: These are separate from the tents and located in between the Chateau and Manor. These include hot shower, basin, towels, toiletries and an eco-friendly compost toilet.
- Outdoor fire pit and outdoor chairs: Inside the tavern, you’ll find the fire starter and everything you need to use the outdoor fire pit.
- BYO tent option: If there is a larger group of you staying, you can also request to bring your own tents to set-up in the area too.
Things to know before you go
- Check-in is at 3pm and check-out is at 11am.
- The closest petrol station and supermarket is about 8km away so stock up on food and drinks before you arrive
- There are some areas with mobile connectivity, but most of it is off-grid
- We recommend bringing enclosed shoes to walk around the site especially at night time
How to get there
Kookaburra Ridge is located in Wyee (a small town in the Lake Macquarie region and is approximately 1.5hrs from Sydney CBD (112 km) and it’s quite an easy drive to get there.
Prior to your booking, you’ll the exact address and Google Maps location pin to assist you with locating the entrance. The 400m of the drive is on unsealed road so prepare for a bit of a dusty/bumpy ride (don’t worry, we had a small hatchback car and drove through it just fine!)
30mins before you arrive, send a message to the owner, Chris, and he’ll be waiting for you at the gate to let you in and drive you literally ‘into the wild’ to your glamping retreat.
Getting in and out of the retreat
The drive from the entrance to the retreat site winds around the bush and is about 10-15min walking distance, so if you do need to leave the glamping retreat for any reason just prepare yourself for a bit of an incline bushwalk.
There’s a shorter route currently being built by Chris and Steve which includes a bridge and pathway straight up to the entrance, so by the time you read this there might be a shortcut ready for you!
Everything you need to know about the retreat
Kookaburra Manor
Kookaburra Manor is the first tent you’ll see when arriving at the glamping site. The deck is a bit larger than the Kookaburra Chateau and where it’s situated has a better view of the bushlands and a little more privacy for your outdoor bath.
In the image above, you’ll see that on the left of the Kookaburra Manor is another picnic table area and on the right is a walking trail. This walking trail leads you to the toilet/shower, Kookaburra Chateau, tavern, firepit which is about 100m away.
The inside of the tent is exactly the same as Kookaburra Chateau with a queen bed and side tables in the centre:
And single beds on either side of the Queen bed:
On the bedside tables, we were equipped with a USB port charger, small fans, a book and head torches to help you navigate around the site at night. The head torch is particularly important since you’re a bit further away from the rest of the campsite.
There are also extra towels, blankets and a padlock so you can safely zip up your belongings inside the tent when you’re not there.
Kookaburra Chateau
Our friends stayed at Kookaburra Chateau which is further into the campsite and a lot closer to the rest of the facilities, so it’s easier to get to and from the chateau when you need to use the toilet/shower. If you’re scared of the dark, this would be the better tent for you!
The deck is a bit smaller than Kookaburra Manor, however, it’s equipped with all the same things: Queen bed, single beds, outdoor tub, the works.
Kookaburra Tavern
The tavern became one of our favourite areas of the retreat! We spent most of our nights here cooking dinner, having a laugh and playing games. There’s a chill area next to a bluetooth speaker and USB ports to keep everyone entertained (oh and a guitar too!)
On the other side is the bar and sink area which is fully equipped with all the cooking utensils and cutlery you need including:
- Sink and dish rack, dishwashing liquids, kitchen towels, paper towels
- Fridge (a rather large fridge too!)
- Cooking oils, salt, pepper, BBQ tongs and foil
- Coffee, sugar, tea
- Cups, mugs, wine glasses
- Bowls, plates, knives, forks, spoons
- Aeroguard and insect spray
If you bring any food with you we recommend to store them inside the fridge overnight. We left some instant noodles on the counter top and woke up to nibbled noodles thanks to Mr Possum 🤣
We also brought games with us but just in case you forget there are plenty of board games like Trivial Pursuit and Monopoly to keep you occupied as well as a dartboard and outdoor games like ring toss.
In between the chill area and the bar is the BBQ and stove top for the kettle and cooking.
So it pretty much has everything you’d need in a communal area to hang out and have fun!
Campfire
Out the back of Kookaburra Tavern is a swing next to a pile of firewood.
And directly opposite that is where the firepit is. There’s a total fire ban during the Summer months, but for most days of the year, their firepit is safe to use.
The fire starter and extra chairs are also located inside the tavern. And you can see in the image above that Kookaburra Chateau is located right behind the fire pit, it’s definitely the most convenient tent to get to!
Toilet & Shower
It might sound a little daunting having to walk about 100m to the toilet and shower at night, so if this concerns you then try to get your shower in during the day. But we assure you that it is a lot safer and pleasant than it sounds!
The area is draped with fairy lights at night and you’re always with friends, so it’s not scary at all (unless, maybe, if you need to use the toilet alone in the middle of the night) but the facilities are also very modern and you’ll feel like you’re right at home.
Inside the shower room is a sink, extra towels, toiletries, a small hairdryer and running hot water for both the sink and shower.
And in the toilet room is an eco-friendly toilet that is just like a regular toilet, except you step on a pedal to flush. It’s extremely clean and safe. There’s also another sink, handwash and extra toilet paper in there too.
Best time of year to stay
Since we stayed here in Autumn/Fall at the start of March and the weather was perfect! We slept in the tents so comfortably, without needing to open the sides of the tent for extra ventilation and a light jacket was enough to keep us warm at night. We think Springtime would be another great time to stay here.
If you’re visiting during Winter it can get cold so pack thick socks, slippers, uggs, warm clothing and marshmallows for the campfire.
In Summer it can get hot, so dress appropriately and bring a lot of water with you to stay hydrated. The outdoor bath will probably be your best friend!
Perfect for couples and families
Overall, we had an amazing time at Kookaburra Ridge and it was the perfect off-grid experience surrounded by nature but with some comforts from home. We stayed here for 3 days and 2 nights with another couple and we were extremely comfortable with our tent space and spent our afternoons relaxing in our outdoor baths and reading books. Then met at the tavern for food and games.
There are also bushwalking trails and picnic spots around the area if you’re up for a bit of adventure too. All of these things were really great options for couples and we can imagine families enjoying this stay too.
If you plan to come here with a group of friends, you can also request to bring your own tents to set up more tents around the retreat to give everyone ample space and privacy.
Where to Fly Next 