Review: Scenic Rim Trail with Spicers Retreats, QLD

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We’re sitting around a large communal oak dining table in the main pavilion at Spicers Canopy — a permanent tented retreat near Maryvale on the slopes of the Great Dividing Range in southern Queensland.

The roast beef is suitably pinkish, the baked potatoes extraordinarily fluffy, the cauliflower-bake deliciously creamy, and the pumpkin pie a treat. And let’s not forget the accompanying shiraz, which matches our meal to a tee. Could life get any better?

Then it starts to rain. No, not just rain — it buckets down. An incredible electrical storm proceeds to light up the entire valley. It’s truly awe-inspiring — and it seems somehow fitting. After all, Spicers is a company that certainly knows how to wow its guests.

Watch our video of this experience:

Walk the Scenic Rim Trail with Spicers Retreats – Tour the World TV

Looking to take on the Scenic Rim Trail in Southeast Queensland? In this segment from the Tour the World travel TV series, we join Spicers Retreats on their fully guided Scenic Rim Trail walking tour.

Our hearty feast marks the end of day one on the four-day Scenic Rim Trail — a fully accommodated and all-inclusive walking holiday offered by Spicers Retreats. The Scenic Rim is a semi-circle of mountains — roughly 1.5 hours’ drive south-west of Brisbane — that stretches from Toowoomba to Tamborine. This experience enables guests to explore several different parts of the region on foot.

Spicers Canopy is situated on the sprawling Spicers Peak Station (part working cattle station/part nature reserve) and is the perfect place to spend the first two nights on this trip. Sleeping in a tent — permanent or otherwise — lends itself to a feeling of adventure. And that’s despite the fact that these particular tents come with queen size beds, feather down pillows, gorgeous white linen, and a separate day bed to relax on between walks.

To get the ball rolling earlier on day one, we hiked for 13 kilometres through the Main Range National Park to the peak of Mount Mitchell, which was bathed in low-hanging cloud. While the tracks are well maintained, this is not a walk to be sniffed at — especially coming down from the peak, which is steep and treacherously slippery.

Our indefatigable guide Reece displayed an incredible knowledge of local flora — pointing out a veritable smorgasbord of bush tucker along the way. We didn’t need it, as our hosts had provided backpacks stocked with tasty treats, including a turkey wrap for lunch and oodles of trail-mix interspersed with rich dark chocolate. However, it’s nice to know that if we did, Reece would be on hand!

After a great sleep and hearty cooked breakfast, day two features a more leisurely amble along a small river valley that runs through the Spicers Peak Station property. The water looks cool, crisp, and clean. Butterflies abound, but other than that the local wildlife plays coy. There are one or two challenging moments and a rock face to scale with the help of a rope and a conveniently placed log, but our guide James is on hand to assist as needed.

Day three is the main game, and involves a 15-kilometre hike from Spicers Canopy to Spicers Peak Lodge — via a climb to the top of Spicers Peak (1,200 metres above sea level). Spicers Peak Lodge is Australia’s highest non-Alpine lodge. We’ll spend our final night at this uber-exclusive and fittingly secluded boutique hotel, which many well-heeled guests prefer to arrive at by helicopter than road.

The walk begins with a seductively easy stroll along the riverbed, but it’s not long before we start to climb — and climb — and climb some more. At the top of the peak we’re rewarded with extraordinary views across the range and access to a patch of Gondwana rainforest. It’s like walking onto the set of Jurassic Park. Ancient hoop pines drip with old man’s beard, and towering tree ferns shade a lush carpet of ground cover and delicate fungi.

While is it possible in theory to do this walk yourself, the truth is very few people would be able to navigate their way up here without a guide. There’s no real path — just a very faint track marked by cairns here and there.

We arrive at Spicers Peak Lodge at around 4pm — tired and muddy, but with a massive sense of achievement. It’s probably taken a bit longer than usual due to our filming requirements, but nobody really seems to mind. And the glass of champagne we’re greeted with on arrival goes down a treat — as does the superb five-course tasting menu with matching wines that evening.

We depart the Lodge the following morning and head for home, and I’m humbled (yet again) to have had the opportunity to see a part of our amazing country that few people get to enjoy. The Scenic Rim Trail is a unique Aussie adventure, and one with a memorable luxury twist.

The writer travelled as a guest of Spicers Retreats.

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This segment of Tour the World was produced by Late Night Media Productions, under a co-production agreement with Peppercorn Productions, publisher of Top Oz Tours. Copyright © Late Night Media Productions

Additional images: Bigstock

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