Q Station
Host: Mike Whitney
Q Station has just recently re-opened after a $17M+ refurbishment. In the old days it was just ghost tours at night but now it’s accommodation, guided tours, theatre, restaurants, bars and even a soon to be opened day spa.
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The Q station was formerly the Quarantine Station. From the 1830s to 1984 migrant ships arriving in Sydney with suspected contagious disease stopped inside North Head and off-loaded their passengers and crew into quarantine to protect local residents from becoming sick. In some instances, Sydney residents suspected of contagious disease were removed from their homes and quarantined with the immigrants. Whatever the truth, the Quarantine Station has had a long and colourful history.
On Friday 25 April, the former Quarantine Station re-opened its doors to the general public.
The $17.3million refurbishment offers accommodation with spectacular views of Sydney Harbour; an immersion theatre experience; the Boilerhouse Restaurant situated close to the beach; interactive experiences and Destination Spa (open late 2008).
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The 30-hectare site is listed on the Register of the National Estate, alongside the Sydney Opera House.
Q Station has the hallmarks of a contemporary resort, with 75 rooms, six cottages, two restaurants & a 10-room spa (to be opened later this year).
Guests can choose from Deluxe Ensuite Harbour View Rooms to Standard National Park View to Street View rooms with shared facilities. There is a room to suit every budget. Every room has been furnished to the highest standard, with comfortable and modern conveniences, and a stunning balcony on which to watch the sun set.
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The Boilerhouse Restaurant, situated on Quarantine Beach, caters to all tastes with a modern international menu. Dine indoors in the magnificent mezzanine overlooking the open plan kitchen or al fresco overlooking the harbour. Or step back in time at the Boilerhouse Bar which features two enormous meticulously restored boilers.
The National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) decided to lease the former Quarantine Station to a cultural tourism operator, when they could not raise enough funds to return the Quarantine Station to a condition that ensured its cultural significance was maintained. The lease is a “conservation agreement” and the Mawland Group has invested $4million in conservation works. Additionally, twenty cents in every dollar collected from customers is reinvested back into conservation of Q Station or Sydney Harbour National Park.
Also home to a significant collection of historical Australian artefacts, Q Station houses a 170 year old collection with more than 5,000 items.
The Guided Tour
The Quarantine Station used to be famous for its Station Tour and the Adult Ghost tour. They are both coming to an end – in May and June respectively. The Adult Ghost Tour has been replaced by a more moderate family ghost tour, which is still captivating but a lot less scary for the kids.
The new tours that they have are as follows:
- 40 Days
- Spirit Investigator (runs at night)
- The Sixth Sense (Starts June)
Eating at Q Station
At the Q Station there are 2 restaurants:
- The Boilerhouse Restaurant - located on Quarantine Beach and is open to the public
- Views - specifically for overnight guests and serves breakfast.
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Located within the Second Class Precinct, the western veranda of Views provides a majestic outlook of Sydney Harbour and immediate bushland.
Guests in specific rooms can also choose a premium service, where the buildings that their rooms are located in can be made totally private and they can enjoy their own chef / butler service in their own dining room.
Defiance – Immersion Theatre at Q Station
Defiance was created to tell some of the extraordinary real stories of the people that either worked at the Quarantine Station or were interned there.
The experience that has been created to tell these stories is what is caledl immersion theatre. The audience sits inside the same authentic buildings where the stories actually happened, and the actors are close enough to touch. Many theatrical productions go to great lengths to build sets that recreate environments. At Q station they didn’t need to do because the buildings are where it really happened.
Special effects using the very latest technology add mystique.
Destination Spa (opening July 2008)
Q Station is creating a Destination Spa – which is a day spa that makes use of its surrounding environment and offers short treatments and multiple day programs.
The Spa will be available for day visitors and guests. It will be located in the former Doctors and Nurses Quarters, overlooking Sydney Harbour and Sydney Heads.
It will have 10 treatment rooms; enough for a group of friends to visit, as well as treatment rooms specially set up for couples. Treatments will include various types of massage, seaweed wraps and Aboriginal treatments.
It will also be possible to provide personal treatments outside on the grassy slopes, where you can smell the salty air as you are massaged and pampered.
Residential programs will provide innovative lifestyle courses that involve staying several days to experience a mix of tai chi, yoga and educational programs such as personal development, de-stress and detox.
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More Information Q Station North Head, Manly Telephone: (02) 9976 6220 Accommodation starts from $238 per couple per night including breakfast. |
Prices correct as at 31/05/08