About Maiala Park Lodge
Maiala Park Lodge re-opened in Spring 2021.
​
Maiala Park Lodge is a bespoke luxury accommodation venue nestled in the tranquil and picturesque D’Aguilar Range, surrounded by national parks and exotic wildlife. Our lodge offers a unique blend of traditional and indigenous themes that reflect the local history and culture, providing our guests with an unforgettable experience. Our lodge is the perfect location for romantic weekends away, escaping with friends and family, your next event or retreat, or simply finding solace in nature. You can explore the stunning bushland and exotic birdlife of Mount Glorious, take a leisurely walk in D’Aguilar National Park, and marvel at the magical Lamprigera Fireflies.
​
Maiala Park Lodge has been built on Garumngar country of the Jinibara nation. The Jinibara People are the mountain people. Their name means “people of the lawyer vine” (bara meaning “people” and Jini meaning “lawyer vine”). They are the traditional people who live in the mountains and valleys where lawyer vine grows. Garumngar country is the rolling country between the Brisbane River and the southern edge of D’Aguilar National Park around Lake Manchester and Mt. Crosby. The Jinibara nation extends as far as the Glass House Mountains, Somerset Dam and the southern end of D’Aguilar National park. This southern end of Jinibara country is where the Lodge is situated.
​
The lodge was originally built in 1999 by Ada and Frank Vander Woude. Their vision for a beautiful Queenslander home for guests to enjoy Mount Glorious provides the bones of the operation we all enjoy today. Janelle and Brad Nicholls owned the property from 2017-2021 and re-imagined the interiors to the beautiful neutral pallet you see throughout the lodge. They used it as a private home for their large extended family. Lucy and Joe Thompson, alongside their daughter Ava now own, operate, and live at Maiala Park Lodge. They have brought their personality to the estate and for the re-opening of the lodge in Spring 2021 for guests once again. It is this combination of built history that provides a beautiful place for you to stay.
​
Maiala Park Lodge is named after the 'Maiala' day-use area of the national park in Mount Glorious. The day-use area is located less than a two-minute drive from the Lodge. It is a wonderful place to enjoy a picnic, barbecue, or rainforest walk while you are staying with us. Maiala day-use area was the first part of the D’Aguilar Range to become a national park. It now forms part of D’Aguilar National Park. “Maiala” is a word from the Jinibara people meaning quiet place.
​
Come and experience the natural beauty and serenity of Maiala Park Lodge, where you can just be yourself.
About Your Hosts
Joaben, Lucy and Ava Thompson moved to Mount Glorious from The Gap in 2021.
​
Joaben is a proud Inningai/Wakka Wakka man who spent a considerable part of his life living and learning about his culture and country from his Poppy, David Thompson in Barcaldine, Queensland. Joaben has qualifications in lighting and sound and spent time working for Metro Arts in Brisbane City. Following that Joaben joined the Royal Australian Infantry Core and toured Afghanistan in 2010/2011. Following his discharge from the Australian army, Joaben completed an apprenticeship as a Boiler Maker, finally making his way into a project management role leading the manufacturing of significant construction projects from design to installation.
​
At Maiala Park Lodge, Joaben loves a chat and to help you with anything that arises through your stay. He is enjoying bringing his wide-ranging experience to the lodge to deliver the best possible experience for you. Joaben is also in charge of the grounds and kitchen. He loves that the lodge provides him the opportunity to work on his cultural knowledge through art.
​
Lucy has lived just down the road at The Gap for most of her life. A keen community member, she was The Gap Netball Association's longest-serving member upon retiring from her Netball career to have Ava. She was also a leader for 15 years at Walton Bridge The Gap Guides. Professionally, Lucy has a Bachelor of Commerce/Arts working for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Corporate Tax and spent time living in China. Her post-graduate qualifications (Master of Environmental Management) led to a decade-long career for the Queensland Government in the Department of Premier and Cabinet, as well as the Environment Department.
​
At Maiala Park Lodge, Lucy loves to pull together bespoke experiences tailored to your needs. Her career has set a strong foundation for ensuring that Maiala Park Lodge is set up for success, and thus your experiences are unique. She also loves working on projects around the grounds to improve the experience for you - whether that is gardening, painting or sewing. Lucy also loves to crochet.
​
Ava will be attending the local school in 2023. She loves art and craft, her trampoline, pets, and Rainbow Guides.
