Glamping bliss in wine country: A bucolic escape that's eco-friendly too

Where: Parklands Resort, 121 Ulan Road, Putta Bucca, NSW

How much: Overnight accommodation starts from $698 per night for two people and includes a continental breakfast. Pet stays are an extra $80.

About 3.5 hours from Sydney and perfectly placed to explore the region's culinary delights, Mudgee Retreats are part of the Parklands Resort Mudgee complex. It comprises 15 new eco-friendly tents and is surrounded by 12 hectares of countryside. Guests have access to a tennis court, indoor pool, fitness centre and heated spa.

Shaun Ormsby, head of commercial for owner Elanor Investor Group, says Mudgee Retreats was developed in response to a demand for "sustainable and immersive travel experiences" and offers "an authentic glamping experience in the heart of Mudgee".

We are greeted at Parklands Resort by grey skies, drizzling rain and a chilled breeze that would frost the glass on a sparkling cuvee. It's winter and we're staying in a tent. In Mudgee. Our retreat accommodation is situated on one side of the resort grounds.

Small trees have been planted around the row of tents, which will eventually create a more private setting, but for now, the entry is a little exposed. To the rear, though, is a view that is postcard country, dripping with the promise of quiet relaxation. And rain. It's also dripping with rain.

If a glamping experience could double as a metaphor for Mudgee, this would be it. At a passing glance, the tent could easily be dismissed as just another country park cabin. Small, box-like and fronted with a simple timber deck, it's utilitarian. On the glamour scale, it's more "she'll be right" than "hello, darling". Inside, though, we find a subtle touch of class. It's far from ostentatious; this is country luxury. Simple and charming.

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The hero is a luxurious four-poster king-sized bed. Stepping in from the cold, it is positively enticing, as is the selection of Mudgee region gourmet treats, which includes dreamy chocolate chip biscuits, delicious rocky road and a local shiraz.

We flick the switch on the heater, and, much to our relief, the room temperature quickly reaches a level of cosy. Our climate comfort was never in doubt. The retreats are built to be heated or cooled efficiently. The canvas construction holds the ambient air temperature so well that its gentle flapping when the breeze picks up is the only reminder that we are camping out.

Breakfast is a treat. Warm pastries, granola and yoghurt, fresh fruit and French-pressed coffee are delivered to the door and savoured on a deck overlooking paddocks deep green from a night of rain. Dinner on-site at Vine Restaurant & Bar has been lovingly prepared and the service is friendly and attentive.

A five-course feast of local produce, native flavours and matched wines at the Zin House, situated on the grounds of Tinja Farm, home of Lowe Wines, is unmissable. A tour of Tinja Farm and gardens, and a tasting at the cellar door are also well worth the time. For the sweet tooth, Honey Haven will leave taste buds tingling. And a brew at Three Tails Brewery and Smokehouse is a fine way to spend an afternoon.

Snuggling on the cloud-like mattress of the four-post bed and drifting off to the sound of rain on a canvas roof. Bliss.

Explore more: parklandsresort.com.au

The writer was a guest of Mudgee Retreats.

Pictures: Amber Hooper