Overview
About Q Station Retreat
The four star peaceful retreat is on the site of a former quarantine station.
It was the need for the ten-week quarantining of the immigrant ship, Lady MacNaghten, in February, 1837, in Sydney Harbour that convinced the Australian colonial government of the need to establish a permanent Quarantine Station at North Head, overlooking the harbour.
More than 90 cases of typhus fever were discovered on board the Lady MacNaghten and another 54 people had died from various diseases during the voyage out from Britain.
A grim but necessary beginning for what today is Q Station, a sprawling, unique Australian experience set in 30 hectares of bushland within the Sydney Harbour National Park.
These days, strolling around the grounds is good for your health, and with $17 million spent on restoring the historic buildings, Q Station offers a range of quality accommodation at various prices, along with good food and good wine at its Boilerhouse Restaurant, which overlooks Quarantine Beach and picturesque Sydney Harbour.
If you are looking to spend some time with ghosts, Q Station has them in boatloads. Hundreds of people sadly died at the former quarantine station, which operated from the 1830s to 1984, with many buried in its historic cemeteries.
Whether you believe in the supernatural or not, taking one of Q Station’s ghost tours around buildings steeped in history is an interesting way to learn about a unique aspect of Australia’s colonial past.
High paranormal activity has been reported in various buildings at the old quarantine station, from the hospital to the Steerage and Asiatic accommodation buildings, to the First Class shower block.
Adult Ghost Tours are on offer four nights a week, costing $44 a person, and on Friday and Saturday evenings from 6.30pm there is a Family Ghost Tour ($22 a child, $34 an adult or $90 a family of four) described as “just scary enough to entertain the kids”.
I’m not sure the ghosts care who they scare the pants off, but they seem to approach the tours in good spirit.
Map & Activities
- Kayak from the on-site beach.
- Hire a bike and explore Sydney Harbour National Park.
- Sign up for a Ghost Tour.
- Take a historical walking tour.
- Explore the on-site museum.
- Head to Manly and chill out on the beach, take a ferry to the city, visit the aquarium or shop, dine and grab a cup of coffee.
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Nearest Airport:
Sydney
Airport Distance:
25 km
Q Station Retreat,
1 North Head Scenic Drive,
Manly,
NSW,
2095,
Australia.
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