With private pools, vast cellars and throngs of discreet but obliging staff, Australia has a handful of internationally renowned luxury lodges where a single night’s stay costs upwards of A$1,000 – and sometimes far more. But often the biggest selling point isn’t the amenities, it’s the location. Sparkling bays, islands ringed with white sand and valleys teeming with native wildlife are the grand promise.

While their day spas and five-star restaurants might be exclusive, the landscapes these sites occupy aren’t necessarily inaccessible. Hiding down the track or across the sea are far more affordable places to stay, with that same magical feeling. We asked travel writers across the country to select visited-and-vetted, affordable “dupes” – that’s bargain-hunter code for “duplicates” – of some of Australia’s most elite destination resorts.

1. A spot on the edge of the Southern Ocean

Five-star destination: Southern Ocean Lodge

Southern Ocean Lodge’s chic clifftop suites on the wild west of Kangaroo Island exude luxury. Rates, which start at about $2,500 a night, include an open bar, excursions into the pristine bush and a private guest lounge at the nearest airport.

Cheaper alternative: Cape du Couedic Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottages

Cape du Couedic Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottages in Flinders Chase national park, South Australia

Set deep in Flinders Chase national park, the three heritage-listed cottages run by South Australia’s National Parks and Wildlife Service lie literally at the end of the road. With three bedrooms each, sleeping up to seven people, these charming, early 19th century stone dwellings are hardly cottages, and each has period furnishings, a wood-fired stove and a full kitchen. Starting at $236 a night, they’re by far the most convenient base to visit the basking fur seals at Admiral’s Arch and the orange lichen-covered natural sculptures at Remarkable Rocks. Their remoteness means glittering night skies but don’t expect phone coverage. Stock up on supplies before arriving – the nearest supermarket is an hour’s drive away.

Getting there: You’ll need to take a car ferry ($98 return) from Cape Jervis, one hour and 40 minutes from Adelaide, to get to Kangaroo Island. From the Kangaroo Island ferry terminal, the cottages are approximately two hours’ drive. AB-C

2. A valley beneath the Blue Mountains

Five-star destination: Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley

On the western foothills of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, the elaborately titled Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley has private plunge pools, frequent kangaroo sightings and its very own blend of gin, for upwards of $1,300 a night, twin share.

Cheaper alternative: Turon Gates

A hilltop cabin at Turon Gates

As the crow flies, the eco-retreat Turon Gates is 30km from Wolgan Valley (although the distance is much further if you’re driving). Set on 6,000 acres in the Capertee Valley, the property has a stable of horses, a stream running through it and plenty of native wildlife. You’ll have to bring your own food and bedding but riverside cabins sleeping up to eight people start at $148 a night. Inside the cabins are simple but tasteful, with lots of wood panelling. For distant views and wedge-tailed eagle sightings, you can rent cabins set higher in the hills from $190 a night, while campsites start at $30 a vehicle. The property runs on solar and gas power, with limited phone reception and no wifi – but when you’re watching the sun rise and the mist evaporate over the backside of an ancient mountain range, that’s kind of the point.

Getting there: Turon Gates is a three-hour drive from the centre of Sydney and is not accessible by public transport. AG

3. A coastal Tasmanian wilderness retreat

Five-star destination: Saffire Freycinet

With views across Tasmania’s Coles Bay, Saffire Freycinet has racked up plenty of luxury accommodation awards. For $2,200-plus a night, all inclusive, your every request is catered for, whether it’s massages, seeing Tassie Devils or eating oysters fresh from the ocean.

Cheaper alternative: Freycinet Resort

Freycinet Resort in Coles Bay, Tasmania

On the other side of Coles Bay, surrounded by wilderness, Freycinet Resort, offers neighbourhood wombats and a sense of being far from the outside world. It may not have a wine cellar or a spa, but you do get the mountains-meet-ocean views and the same proximity to oyster farms, vineyards and Wineglass Bay, which is just as amazing as the pictures make it look. Under new ownership and benefiting from some upgrades, their self-catering, two-person Ocean View Studios live up to their name – starting from $221 a night, breakfast included, they are cosy and well-appointed. With your own balcony overlooking the stunning beaches, a complimentary bottle of local sparkling wine, and a king-sized bed, you’re still being treated.

Getting there: Freycinet Resort is two hours and 40 minutes’ drive north of Hobart, and is only accessible by car. PM

4. An island in the southern Great Barrier Reef

Five-star destination: InterContinental Hayman Island Resort

In the exclusive Whitsundays sits InterContinental Hayman Island Resort. Here, a beachfront villa with private plunge pool is an eight-second walk to the ocean but will cost you $3,000 a night.

Cheaper alternative: Great Keppel Island Hideaway

Great Keppel Island Hideaway in the Great Barrier Reef. Photograph: Rebecca O’Grady

Approximately 360km south of the Whitsundays, on the north-west side of Great Keppel Island, this island getaway also offers eight-second walks from your bed to the ocean – although there’s no plunge pool. Book a Beachfront Cabin overlooking Middle and North Keppel islands from $230 a night, or a budget room with shared amenities from $155 a night for up to four people. While cabins have self-catering facilities, you can also buy a meals package in the resort restaurant. You can buy kaftans, local pottery, reef-safe sunscreen and essentials at the resort shop. Snorkel, kayak, bushwalk and swim in this pristine paradise, one of the prettiest sections of the Great Barrier Reef.

Getting there: Great Keppel Island Hideaway is a 30-minute ferry ride away from Yeppoon on the Capricorn Coast. Yeppoon is a 45-minute drive, or one-hour-and-20 minute bus journey from Rockhampton airport. CR

5. A heritage break in the Goldfields

Five-star destination: Lake House

Two words are synonymous with Daylesford swank: Lake House. The hotel’s kitchen has been awarded two chef hats, and the spa cabins offer fragrant views of Lake Daylesford. Rooms start at $670 a night, while villas cost upwards of $1,500.

Cheaper alternative: Castlemaine’s Empyre Boutique Hotel

Empyre Boutique Hotel in Castelmaine

Castlemaine’s Empyre Boutique Hotel combines intimacy and luxury at a snip of the price, with rooms starting from $225 a night. Stunning goldrush-era iron lacework and stained-glass windows are juxtaposed with French antiques, chandeliers in a bold palette and even bolder contemporary touches (a large Bill Henson print dominates one wall). Have a cocktail in front of the parlour fire before retiring to your room. Hot tip: Ask for the Empyre or Albion suite, because both have access to private balconies. The Goldfields region remains the ultimate in Melbourne mini-breaks, with the spa hub Daylesford a mere 30-minute drive from artsy Castlemaine. Both have sprawling vintage bazaars in old mills – what pleasing synergy.

Getting there: The Empyre Boutique Hotel is a 90-minute drive, or two-hour train ride from the centre of Melbourne. JV