A pop-up hotel is coming to the middle of Sydney Harbour

With food by Three Blue Ducks, this is one pop-up you won't want to miss, writes George Epaminondas.

We live in an age of pop-ups. There are flash stores, temporary restaurants and ephemeral cafes that pander to our shrinking attention spans and yearning for perpetual newness. The latest transient temptation is a pop-up hotel taking shape on Clark Island in Sydney Harbour under the auspices of Flash Camp.

Previously, the glamping experts have pitched deluxe tents at Kakadu, Byron Bay and at music festivals such as Splendour in the Grass. But for Clark Island they have added a notable culinary flourish: Three Blue Ducks will prepare all the food at this short-lived sanctuary. The Sydney restaurant mavens have proven their agility on many occasions, having expanded from their Bronte flagship to Bryon Bay, Rosebery and various pop-up projects, including one at the ski fields of Falls Creek in Victoria.

Mark LaBrooy, co-owner and head chef at Three Blue Ducks, loves the notion of being shipwrecked for this 18-day affair. That said, he’s bringing along a boat, (so he can scoot to the fish markets), an Argentinian grill, and a coterie of staff. “We’ll be serving fresh oysters and seasonal fish, like kingfish, cooked over coals,” he says. “We’ll also be doing suckling pig over the rotisserie or lamb on the grill.”

Situated near Darling Point, and less than a hectare in size, Clark Island offers staggering views of the Harbour Bridge, Opera House and city skyline. Flash Camp’s canvas tents are equipped with comfortable beds, plush rugs, bamboo furnishings and a slew of trimmings. The vibe is equal parts African safari (without the animals) and Gilligan’s Island (the ritzy Howells), with a native twist.

Just don’t call it glamping. “I don’t like the term. It’s comfortable camping,” says LaBrooy whose cooking style at such pop-ups is “interactive”. What if indolent guests would prefer to lap up the sunset with a G&T? “I won’t ask you to peel your potato – you can be as involved as much as you like,” he adds. “It’s about enjoying a taste of island life.” And Circular Quay is five minutes away in a water taxi.

Flash Camp Clark Island runs from November 19 to December 6, flashcamp.com.au