Peppers Seven Spirit Bay, Arnhem Land review: Call of the spirit house

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This was published 14 years ago

Peppers Seven Spirit Bay, Arnhem Land review: Call of the spirit house

Back to nature ... Seven Spirit Bay Resort.

Back to nature ... Seven Spirit Bay Resort.

Places to unwind are rarely as remote or sacred as this Arnhem Land escape, writes Susan Bredow.

In a harsh, remote environment inaccessible by road and far from a mobile phone transponder is an exotic hideaway experienced only by a privileged few.

Any semblance of city life is more than 500 kilometres away. There is no television, no air-conditioning and, no, the mobile won't work. What's special about this place, Peppers Seven Spirit Bay in Arnhem Land, is that it is in a pristine environment shut off from the outside world. The area of more than 1000 hectares is part of a national park and borders a marine park. Visitors leave nothing behind except perhaps a few footprints on the shell-strewn sandy beaches. They only look and take in the rare beauty of this wild part of the Cobourg Peninsula.

The few people who visit here leave with an understanding of why the land has been virtually locked away.

The Cobourg Peninsula lies within the Aboriginal-owned Garig Gunak Barlu National Park and is adjacent to Cobourg Marine Park. It is located about 570 kilometres north-east of Darwin by road and boat, or a short flight.

It is an area of forests, stark cliffs, white sandy beaches and abundant wetlands. The only havoc wreaked is by nature itself. The last cyclone hit a couple of years ago and left sweeps of dead forest. High tides drowned freshwater billabongs with salt and they now lie stagnant.

The remaining forest is dense and filled with life. There are buffalo and their calves in large numbers; giant elusive tropical Banteng cattle; Timor ponies; and birds, birds, birds.

The traditional owners, a family of nine, live more than two hours away by boat. A little closer is a ranger station, the three occupants of which look after burn-offs and injured wildlife. Others have tried to live here and failed.

The fishing at Seven Spirit Bay is excellent, as are the degustation meals each evening. Our half-day trip secured three large jewfish (mullaway), a large spanish mackerel, a blue salmon, many gold spotted cod and a few snapper. All but what is needed for dinner or lunch is thrown back. The fish are cleaned and the remains fed to a school of lemon, bronze whaler and reef sharks. The predators arrive like clockwork for the event and almost take the jetty down as they demolish the remains.

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Nature in all its forms is the prime reason to come here. But there is an overwhelming sense of spiritual calm, too. Relaxation comes from letting the beauty of the place wash over you.

The retreat is set on Coral Bay. The scene is beautiful. You are a visitor in a sacred place.

Each day, guided excursions, most of which are free, set out to explore the wilderness. Venturing out into the park is like moving about in a landscape painting. Visitors are an element of a masterpiece. It's remote, unique, lush virgin land with few people. The person who had a permit to collect crown fish from the tropical waters for sale in aquariums is missing, presumed taken by a crocodile.

Sitting in the shade of a palm watching a croc swim across the bay, Seven Spirit Bay's manager, David Ingleton, reflects on the untouched environment and how special it is to be part of it. "So few people get to this remote place," he says. "They are not aware of what's here. Even people who live in Darwin.

"They all know Arnhem Land but few people have got their head around what it is. The perception is it is a very harsh environment but it's not."

The resort opened in 1991 and was taken over by Peppers in 2006. The common areas are airy pavilions with louvred windows as walls and dark, polished wooden floors. The overall impression is of understated elegance.

The guest rooms are hexagonal cabins, known as habitats, that are tucked away discretely in the bush. Each is furnished in dark rattan with an antique feel. The walls are louvred on four of the six sides to give a feel of sleeping in the bush but in comfort. Views are to the turquoise waters in the bay below. Gentle breezes rattle the eucalypt leaves.

Fans stir overhead, with the natural breeze enough to cool the rooms without air-conditioning. Leave the door open and wallabies invite themselves in. There are buffalo not far away.

Just up the path, the bathroom has been designed to give a feel of showering in nature – with modern fittings. The clean, clear water comes from an underground spring.

There is a spa at the resort where the red dust is massaged out of pores and there is a menu of other beauty treatments.

The remoteness forces guests to slow down. A stay here is an insight into a wonderful, wild part of Australia. At the same time, it's startlingly beautiful, a little scary and deliciously serene.

TRIP NOTES

GETTING THERE

Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Blue fly daily from Sydney to Darwin. The cost of the 45-minute flight by light plane from Darwin to Seven Spirit Bay is included in the total package price.

STAYING THERE

Peppers Seven Spirit Bay, Garig Gunak Barlu National Park, Arnhem Land, phone (08) 8979 0281, email sevenspirit@peppers.com.au. Prices start from $1500 a couple a night for accommodation, all meals, free daily excursions and air transfers from Darwin.

FISHING

Packages start at $2740 a person for three nights, including two-and-a-half days' fishing. Children under 12 are not catered for.

FURTHER INFORMATION

See www.peppers.com.au/Seven-Spirit-Bay.

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