What is glamping, and what’s in the tent?
Glamping is a tent somebody else has already put up, furnished and heated, with a real bed made up inside it. You arrive with a bag rather than a boot…
Rain on the canvas. The heater humming on low. Somewhere in the dark, the Steavenson River. A bed with a proper doona, a coffee machine on the bench, and the door zipped against 3°C outside. This is cold-weather glamping in Victoria, and it’s the kind of stay people don’t think to book.
Marysville Holiday Park sits on the Steavenson River, about 90 minutes from Melbourne via the Black Spur. Our three glamping tents – Kookaburra, Black Cockatoo, and Lyrebird – stay open through winter. The tent that looks unremarkable in the October booking photos is, in July, the reason people book. If winter glamping has sat in the ‘maybe one day’ pile, this is for you.
Cold-weather glamping is staying in a heated, insulated tent with a real bed, solid floor, and climate control. It’s not camping with a nicer tent. It’s much closer to a cabin than many assume before they try it.
The confusion comes from the word ‘tent.’ A camping tent in winter is a rough night. A glamping tent at a park like Marysville is a furnished room with canvas walls, heating, and power. You sleep in a bed with linen, not a sleeping bag on a mat. You make a coffee when you wake up. You set the temperature to what you want.
Once people understand this, the next question is the same one every time: is it warm enough?
The three tents are set up for two people and run year-round. Each has a reverse cycle split system, which means proper heating in winter and cooling in summer. Set it at 22°C and that’s what you get, regardless of what the weather is doing outside.
What’s inside:
What you don’t get:
The second list matters more than the first. Cold-weather glamping is comfortable but it isn’t hotel-equivalent. If a private bathroom at 2am is non-negotiable, the glamping tents aren’t the right pick and a cabin will suit you better. We’ll come back to that.
A few reasons.
Price. Off-peak glamping rates across Victoria tend to run 10 to 20 per cent below peak. At Marysville, the glamping tents are $195 to $220 per night for two (as at April 2026), with midweek winter nights sitting at the lower end.
Availability. Summer weekends book out months ahead. Tuesday through Thursday in June is a different story. If you’ve had a glamping trip on your list but never been able to get the dates you want, winter midweek is when it opens up.
The landscape. Steavenson Falls, three kilometres from town, runs strongest in winter and spring. Fog sits low over the valley in the mornings. The bare trees around the park change the light completely. If you’ve only seen Marysville in summer photos, you haven’t seen the good version.
Snow without staying on the mountain. Lake Mountain is 20 minutes’ drive. You can stay at the park for $195 and drive up for the day, rather than paying mountain-lodge rates. Bring chains if they’re called for and check the Lake Mountain Alpine Resort website on the day.
The town itself. Marysville in winter is quieter. Locals are in the cafés. The walks are empty. You get a better sense of the place when it isn’t packed with school-holiday traffic
The tent is warm. The walk to the amenities block isn’t. Pack for both.
What you need:
What’s already covered:
What you don’t need:
If you’re driving up from Melbourne, pick up anything specific before you hit the Black Spur. Marysville has a good supermarket but options narrow after 5pm.
Cabin Quick honest comparison.
| Glamping tent | Cabin | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature inside | Warm (reverse cycle) | Warm (reverse cycle) |
| Bathroom | Shared amenities (short walk) | Private ensuite |
| Kitchen | None | Kitchenette |
| Bed | Queen, proper linen | Queen or larger, proper linen |
| Price (off-peak, 2 people) | $195 to $220 per night | From $160 per night |
| The experience | More immersive. Canvas, the sound of the river, closer to the weather. | More insulated. Warmer against the ground, quieter against weather. |
First-time winter glampers who want the experience – canvas, the river, a proper ‘glamping’ feel – should book the tent. You’ll get cold feet on the walk to the bathroom once or twice. The rest of the time you’ll wonder why you didn’t do this sooner.
If a private bathroom at 2am or cooking dinner without going into town matters to you, book a Maple or Garden View cabin. The pet-friendly Maple cabins also take up to two dogs, which the glamping tents don’t.
Average overnight minimums in Marysville run 1 to 4°C in June, July, and August. Daytime maximums sit around 8 to 12°C. Frost is common in the mornings. Snow falls in town occasionally but doesn’t usually stick. Yes. All three glamping tents have reverse cycle split systems, which means proper heating in winter and cooling in summer. You set the temperature and the system holds it. Not reliably. Snow in the town itself is occasional rather than guaranteed. For a day with snow, Lake Mountain is 20 minutes’ drive from the park and has a full winter season from June to September. Most guests stay at the park and drive up for the day. Yes, in normal conditions. The road is sealed and maintained. Fog is common in the mornings and the road is wet more often than dry. Drive to the conditions, allow extra time, and check VicRoads alerts if there has been recent storm activity. Chains aren’t required to reach Marysville. They may be required to reach Lake Mountain on some days. June and early July are usually the cheapest across most operators. After the winter school holidays end in late July, weekday rates stay low through August. September rates lift again with spring school holidays and the end of the snow season.
Most winter glamping bookings arrive two to three weeks before the stay. If the photos have had you curious, the midweek pocket through June and early July is where rates are lowest and the park is at its quietest. Check live availability on our booking page and pick a Tuesday or Wednesday. That’s the sweet spot.
Pricing disclaimer: rates mentioned in this article are current as at April 2026 and may vary. Check current rates and availability directly via our booking page.
