Too posh to pitch?

Paperbark Camp promises "you'll never pitch your own tent again" and this is precisely what I'm afraid of. An eager camper, I fear one taste of "glamping" will render me unable to hammer a tent peg ever again.

So far this tranquil spot is fast undoing my pack-camping ways. The secluded canvas tents are dotted among a paperbark forest and each includes solar-powered lamps, running water and hot showers. Mesh windows and doors look out to the surrounding bush, while canvas curtains create privacy.

This creekside resort near Jervis Bay on the South Coast was one of the first Australian destinations to offer a luxury camp experience when it opened its elevated safari-style tents 10years ago.

Deluxe tents with upmarket furnishings and fine linen followed a few years later and soon to come is an eco-friendly treehouse with heating and a plunge pool. My tent's wraparound deck and open-air ensuite are nods to its African forebears while inside I find dark timber floors, a large bed with white and beige linen and posh wicker lounges.

I slather myself in the complementary insect-repelling concoction of lemongrass, lavender, peppermint, eucalypt and thyme and opt for an afternoon stroll through the wetland. It leads to the creek where the tell-tale snap of branches across the water gives away three grey kangaroos hopping along the banks.

After a lazy sundowner, I slip on a dress and shawl before dining on soft-shelled crab and scallops among the tree tops at the Gunyah, an ochre-toned restaurant that is a habitat for foodies and furry visitors alike.

It's too late to see the baby gliders flitting from their nest so, torch in hand, I head back to my tent for a candle-lit bath under the stars. As I soak up the solitude, I hear the surrounding darkness come alive with nocturnal thumping and scampering, as well as the odd splash from the creek. I head to bed, drape myself in the mosquito net and fall asleep to the chorus of insects.