Get Away from It All, Together by Bruce Holmes

The valley stretches into the distance, mist rising from its depths, as the couple look out from their spa. Their spa?

Yes, because this is a Canopy Suite at O'Reilly's Rainforest Guest House in south-east Queensland and admiring the Australian landscape certainly beats looking at a hotel wall.

The newest accommodation at the historic family-run guesthouse, which has operated since 1926, these suites offer privacy and luxury for time spent together.

But honeymoons are about creating those magic moments, those special memories, and with the eco-resort located in the midst of the World Heritage listed Lamington National Park, the real magic is to be found outdoors.

There are short walks nearby that need no guide, including the very different experience of the Tree Top Walkway. Literally strung from one tree to another, the walkway enables visitors to get a close-up look at the rainforest canopy. At one point there's a pair of metal ladders enclosed by safety mesh, which take adventurous souls up to a viewing platform at the very top.

An exhilarating moment when a gust of wind had our host tree swaying.

After lunch O'Reilly's bus takes hikers further afield for guided bushwalking (as the Australians call it). From the Balancing Rock there are views down into the Kerry Valley, or there's a short trek up to Moonlight Crag to look out across the ridge known as The Lost World. It was there that a plane crashed in 1937 and two survivors were found by Bernard O'Reilly, who had searched the wilderness alone.

The wildlife too can create a sense of the magical.

One special thing was the early morning bird watching walk where our knowledgeable guide, Annie McCarthy's bird-calls were answered by forest dwellers like the Eastern Whipbird, with its whip-like call, and the machine-gun rattle of Lewin's Honey-eater.

"How many bird-calls can you do?" I asked.

"About 50-odd for this type of habitat, which is not really that many," Annie replied, in what seemed a serious case of modesty.

We didn't chance to see the rare Albert's Lyrebird, a species found only in this part of the world, but we did meet a host of colorful characters. And when the tiny gray fantail landed on the branch opposite, his photograph captured a moment we'll always remember.

But for those wanting to be near the water on their honeymoon, there's another face to eco-tourism in this corner of Queensland at Couran Cove, Australia's newest island resort which opened in September 1998.

Situated on one of only 15 sand islands in the world, South Stradbroke Island, the resort was developed by the 1960's world track star Ron Clarke for the Interpacific Group.

Told that "You can never retain environmental purity and develop a large resort," Ron's response was "Never say never". Now the resort has won an honorable mention in Conde Nast Traveler's 2000 Ecotourism Awards and highly commended status in the British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Awards 2000.

The resort proudly displays its energy, water and waste management programs and has regenerated the native vegetation. The wildlife has prospered as a result with healthy populations of rare wallabies (like small kangaroos), native frogs and butterflies.

There's an elevated boardwalk through the section of Livistona Rainforest which is very peaceful and quite private. This leads to the Melaleuca wetlands with its distinctive paperbark tea trees. Or take guided walks looking at Australian "bush tucker" or nocturnal animals. There's even a kayak tour of the mangroves where the guide will explain how the indigenous inhabitants lived.

The eco-tourism experience provides something different to simply lying in the sun. But if that's what's wanted the surf beach is only a couple of kilometers away, and the resort has all the usual swimming pool amenities.

If being pampered is the idea then there's the Spa and Total Living Center offering massage, beauty and hair treatments.

Though many couples come here on their honeymoons after being married elsewhere, facilities do exist to get married on the island, on the beach, in the park or in the Mangrove Chapel.

There is a choice of accommodation styles from luxury waterfront apartments to nature cabins tucked away in a bush setting. Privacy in the banksia forest.

Sports facilities include water sports such as jet skiing, parasailing, windsurfing and land based ones like the rock climbing wall, tennis and 100m sprint track or something quieter like lawn bowls or the turf putting green.

But the couple who want to stay close can always get around the island on a "bicycle built for two".