This Legendary Aussie Lodge Is Back—and More Luxurious Than Ever! - Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia

IT’S BEEN A LONG WAIT. When Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island burned to the ground in 2020, the owners were quick to announce that it would be rebuilt. But reconstructing one of Australia’s most luxurious wilderness retreats is not something that happens overnight.

Now that the lodge has finally reopened, the question on everyone’s lips is: is Southern Ocean Lodge 2.0 as good as the original incarnation? The answer is clear the moment you step inside.

Arriving at Southern Ocean Lodge had always been an experience. After the 40-minute flight from Adelaide, a relaxing hour’s drive through farmland and bush took you to the far south of the island, where Southern Ocean Lodge sat in splendid isolation.

The Great Room, Southern Ocean Lodge — The Great Room

Then, when those imposing, patinaed front doors swung open, you were greeted by an extraordinary sight: the aptly named Great Room, a huge, window-wrapped space, and beyond it, the vast expanse of the Southern Ocean, glittering all the way to the horizon and crashing dramatically onto the limestone cliffs below.

The good news is that nothing about that arrival moment has changed. In fact, at first glance it appears that nothing at all about the lodge is any different. Owners Hayley and James Baillie worked with island-born architect Max Pritchard, who masterminded the original design, and his business partner Andrew Gunner, to recreate the destroyed lodge as closely as possible. But they couldn’t help adding a few little improvements along the way.

Ocean Pavilion Landscape
Ocean Pavilion West Bedroom
Ocean Pavilion West Lounge
Pool Lounge
Remarkable Suite Bathroom
Remarkable Suite Bedroom
Remarkable Suite Exterior
Remarkable Suite

The rooms are as lovely as ever, with their Tasmanian-blackwood interiors and magnificent ocean views. Each one now also has a freestanding tub, a fireplace, and a private deck and, thanks to a subtle shift in orientation, the views now stretch all the way down the island’s dramatic coastline.

For those who want additional privacy there is also a new premium retreat: the four-bedroom Ocean Pavilion, which has plunge pools on both of its spectacular outdoor terraces. Traveling with just a few friends? The Ocean Pavilion can also be configured as two two-bedroom villas.

Another new highlight is the reimagined spa. It now has three treatment rooms, a gym, and a sauna with hot and cold plunge pools looking out into the wilderness, where an extensive replanting program ensures verdant surrounds, and only the odd gray streak remains, where new shoots are yet to appear.

Spa Pool
Spa Relaxation Room
Spa Treatment Room

It’s tempting just to spend your time curled up in one of the sink-into sofas in the Great Room, gazing out to sea, but the signature excursions (covered in the all-inclusive rates) are a great way to learn more about the island. They include visits to the Remarkables Rocks and wildlife encounters at Admiralty Arch, where fur seals bask on the rocks. Then there’s the Southern Sundowners excursion: twilight canapés served on an early settler’s property while kangaroos graze around you.

The don’t-miss experience is a visit to the breeding colony of sea lions at Seal Bay where, depending on the time of year, you may see males facing off in displays of dominance, or adorable seal pups frolicking along the shore.

Seal Bay Experience
The Remarkables

Another of Southern Ocean Lodge’s strengths has always been its fabulous food and wine. I quickly learn to go easy at breakfast, opting for the spiced fruit sourdough toast with whipped Kangaroo Island honey instead of heartier dishes such as shakshuka or French toast, so I have room to savour the two-course lunches and three-course dinners.

Chef Tom Saliba blends Mediterranean and Asian flavours on his menus, which revolve around fresh seafood, such as local garfish with grilled cos lettuce and pancetta, and the grilled island marron (a freshwater lobster). In the mood for something meaty? Bulgogi beef with wombok and kimchi or venison with chocolate and beetroot will hit the spot.

Saliba sources local ingredients whenever he can. “We get between 85 and 90 percent of our ingredients from South Australia—it’s only things like watermelon, flour and soy sauce we can’t get here,” he says.

Cellar Room, Southearn Ocean Lodge — The wine cellar has 1,200 labels

The same goes for the Lodge’s outstanding wine cellar, which has doubled in size. John Hird, long-time co-manager of the lodge with his partner, Alison Heath, has always sourced exclusively South Australian wines (the only exception is the champagne, although most guests opt for the excellent local bubbly). He has also taken a help-yourself philosophy, encouraging guests to sample any bottle from the rotating range of wines displayed on the bar.

However, we suggest broadening your horizons even more, by wandering into the wine cellar to pick one of more than 1,200 bottles at the ready. If you are not a wine drinker, there is also a superb selection of local spirits (try the Kangaroo Island Spirits’ mulberry gin), as well as ciders and beers.

Not sure where to start? Just ask—attentive staff are always happy to make a recommendation. In fact, “just ask” is the key to making the most of your Southern Ocean Lodge experience. Everything here has a story behind it, whether it’s the barramundi on the menu—raised on-island as part of an aquaponics project at the local high school—or the art on the walls, mostly created by local artists.

Southearn Ocean Lodge Coastal — View from the cliffs

A series of beautiful leaf mandalas, for instance, was created by Janine Mackintosh, who foraged some of the leaves from the site while the lodge was being rebuilt, while sculptor Indiana James created a striking lyrebird sculpture from twisted bits of metal – including partly melted cutlery – that he found amid the ashes after the fire. Like the lodge itself, the artworks are a reminder that beauty reborn shines even brighter.

southernoceanlodge.com.au; from A$3,800 per room per night.

Images courtesy of Baillie Lodges.

Written By

Ute Junker

Ute Junker has been reporting on luxury travel and lifestyle for more than 20 years. She spends much of the year on the road and is happiest snorkelling a coral reef, tucking into a new cuisine, or enjoying an up-close encounter with wildlife.

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