26 Jul Sleeping Under The Stars In Australia’s High Country
Want to sleep under the stars but prefer the idea of glamping over camping? Australia’s latest glamping stay is for you. Host Cathryn has pitched the first couples, friends and families at her Mirumiru Bubble Tent in the Tenterfield high country.
The concept for Mirumiru came to life when Cathryn was in Japan watching the stars in an open-air hot spring right in the middle of Tokyo. She realised that if you could stargaze in the middle of one of the world’s biggest cities, you could surely stargaze back home – and that started the journey for Mirumiru Bubbletent.
Unplugging off the grid – in comfort!
With a deep love for the high country in the New England area and a dream to own a piece of it one day, Cathryn searched for the right property to fulfil her dream. It had to have a spectacular mountain view, trees and a billabong with water but be close enough to a good coffee. The historic village of Tenterfield fits the bill.
Once she found the perfect farm, she headed to Paris to discuss all things sustainability with the French designer and manufacturer of the world’s most loved bubble tent. “I was really drawn to the concept of environmental resilience. My vision to include families in the glamping concept came to life when they showed me a Tiny Bubble Tent that could let kids sleep in a tree. It’s every kid’s dream come true!”
Sustainability is key
It was 2019 when Australia was facing the worst bushfires in history. The catastrophy inspired Cathryn to double down on designing an entirely sustainable environment and stay. The bubble tents are eco-friendly – they are low wattage and can be recycled when their life span is complete. To complement their small carbon footprint, Cathyn built an off-grid rainwater storage and filtration system for baths, showers, and handwashing. To further address Australia’s dwindling water reserve, she installed composting toilets to save thousands of litres of precious water each year – and the family began planting trees to regenerate the farm’s green footprint.
“Everything we have constructed can be removed and the land returned to its natural state – or an even better state than when we started. This includes the roads, which I am quite sure if we left the grass would just eventually cover.”
Today the farm’s native plants and bush tucker gardens are thriving. In a short while, Cathryn hopes to see guests helping themselves to bush foods and locally grown food.
Tapping into an artisan network
The bubble Tents are kitted out with locally designed swags (portable feather beds), linen, wooden cheese boards and vases, ceramics, tea, coffee and hot chocolate. And to highlight what’s around, you can ask for some great add-ons like boutique flowers, chef-prepared supplies, local cheeses and meals and Australian artisan chocolates.
A major attraction in choosing Tenterfield as a destination was the existing network of local artisans, artists and service providers that would make a stay even more fun. For Cathryn, it was also a way to build a team of creatives around her to kick off the next journey in her career as something ‘fulfilling and really Australian”.
“I had no idea there were so many creative artisans in Tenterfield and New England. Some are local, and some like me have moved here, but one thing I was sure of – it was exactly what guests were looking for. They want to know who makes their food, grows their flowers, or even designs their crafts. Slow living really appeals to us all these days.”
What are the guests saying?
Everyone is so excited when they come and stay. You can feel it in the air. The kids literally cannot wait to get into that Tiny Bubble Tent. The feedback we have from couples, friends and families is that they appreciate having such a unique offering. Not only is Mirumiru Bubbletent unique, but the six surrounding national parks and one of the most impressive tourist drives helps cap off a short stay.
“The location, the outdoor vintage bath, lying under the stars at night, the sunsets…the small details – they notice and comment on everything. It makes it all worthwhile.”
If you want to sleep under the stars – or in a tree under the stars – you can stay at Mirumiru Bubbletent in Australia’s high country. Or are you looking for a dome tent or glamping stay elsewhere? Head over to campanyon.com to find your stay under the stars.