April 2, 2008

Pacific | Australia | Kangaroo Island

Hanson Devil

By Nicole Cotroneo

Australia’s answer to the Galapagos goes eco-fabulous.

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When a phalanx of New York Times reporters flies halfway around the world to do an eight-page spread on your new luxury lodge, it can mean one of two things: you’ve done a bang-up PR job, or you’ve got something very special to show off. Fortunately for Southern Ocean Lodge — a $15 million eco-retreat open this week on Kangaroo Island — it appears they’ve achieved both. Touted as Australia’s Galapagos with over a third of its land protected, Kangaroo Island is home to more than 7,000 seals, the smallest species of penguin, and, naturally, its own breed of kangaroo. Sheer limestone cliffs frame the crystalline coastline of Hanson Bay, over which hangs Southern Ocean Lodge.

Kangaroo’s first full-service upscale retreat is the latest in the boutique portfolio of James Baille — who’s famed for Capella Lodge on Lord Howe Island as well as turning Lizard Island, in the Great Barrier Reef, into a luxe destination. The new property features 21 suites with open fireplaces, handmade timber bathtubs and terraces, while the premium Osprey Pavilion boasts a private plunge pool. Set on a secluded bluff, the spa uses local products (Bay of Shoals mineral salts, Australian pink clay), just as the restaurant sources local ingredients (Kangaroo has 30 vineyards and is known for its Ligurian honey). The lodge has created so much buzz that wilderness specialists Uncharted Outposts have just anchored it to their new Oz itinerary, Australian Adventure. Which means you can “rough it” at a swanky outback ranch, then settle into Southern Ocean for some sea breeze, serenity and surf.