the rocks were cast in a midnight shadow of soot. For such a close-knit community, the changes have
been difficult to accept; whether through loss of business, livestock or property, everyone has been affected. But there’s a unanimous desire to get back on track. Around 50% of the 1,700-square-mile island was damaged in the fires but that still leaves plenty of space to fill a multi-day itinerary without seeing one charred tree stump or razed meadow. “We’ve got rock formations at the eastern end of the island which are just as impressive as Remarkable Rocks,” says tour guide Tim Williams of Exceptional Island Tours, which has launched an East End Explorer day tour focusing on the Dudley Peninsula and avoiding all burned areas. On the clifftops of Pelican Lagoon, I watch mobs of
kangaroos grazing peacefully amid a haze of golden wildflowers. At Seal Bay Conservation Park, hundreds of Australian sea lions nuzzle in the pristine sand, raising their noses in salutation to a silky cerulean sky.
WHERE TO STAY “Kangaroo Island is such a huge place and there are so many untouched areas,” says hotelier Hayley Baillie, whose luxury property Southern Ocean Lodge was a high-profile victim of the fires. “When you walk along the coastline, that ocean is so magnificent. There’s so much life out there – the colours and the birds and the low-lying tundra. My absolute favourite thing to do is swim with the wild dolphins.”
30 16 APRIL 2020
expert ASK THE
“Like the rest of the world, Australia’s main focus right now is the health and safety of citizens and visitors in the country. For many in our tourism sector, recovery efforts following the recent bushfire season were still ongoing when the coronavirus crisis took hold, so it has been a particularly challenging period. “During this time of uncertainty in the UK, Tourism Australia will
continue to work closely with our trade partners to keep everyone informed, and hopefully inspired, so that when travellers can book once again, they know Australia has a welcome waiting for them. “We know that the UK is a resilient market and that British travellers will
likely be among the first to travel again when they’re able. Among inbound arrivals to Australia, visitors from the UK also disperse across regional areas more than any other international market, so welcoming guests from the UK back will play a key role in helping the Australian tourism industry to recover.”
Sally Cope, regional general manager for the UK and northern Europe, Tourism Australia
With support from the South Australian government, she and her husband James have vowed
to rebuild a near-exact replica of their cherished property in the same location, recreating its trademark 360-degree panoramic ocean view. It’s estimated the project will be completed within three years, but in the interim, there are alternative high-end accommodation options to fill the gap. Last year, Tim and Tamsin Wendt launched their two splendid Oceanview Eco Villas. Built to exceptionally high environmental standards, they feature soft, sumptuous carpets constructed from recycled fishing nets and energy is provided by solar panels. Multi-course breakfasts, dinners – and even G&Ts – are prepared in a separate commercial kitchen, all using Kangaroo Island products such as King George whiting and honey from the world’s last remaining population of pure-bred Ligurian bees. Also operating off-grid, Ecopia Retreat offers two rammed-earth villas and a three-bedroom
travelweekly.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36
