After being destroyed by fire, iconic Aussie lodge finally ready to reopen
When Baillie Lodges invited bidding on first stays at Southern Ocean Lodge 2.0, the competition was fierce for the philanthropic auction. All up, it raised $43,000 for community organisations.
That goes to show the love felt around the globe by those who have experienced Baillie Lodges’ multi-garlanded flagship property, the original Southern Ocean Lodge, before it was destroyed by the fires that ravaged South Australia’s Kangaroo Island in 2020.
An artist’s impression of Southern Ocean Lodge’s Remarkable Suite.
Opened in 2008, it was an instant game-changer, not just for Kangaroo Island, not just for South Australia even, but for the wider Australian travel offering. It simply set the bar higher and would quickly garner award after award and an international reputation for melding one of the planet’s most pristine and ruggedly beautiful destinations with high-end luxury.
That luxury, however, was appropriate for the place and the experience, focusing on the coastal wilderness of the location and the back-to-nature serenity that this engendered. It also celebrated the cornucopia of Kangaroo Island’s incredible produce.
When the fires hit, Baillie Lodges immediately committed to rebuilding. John Hird and Alison Heath, managers of Southern Ocean Lodge since 2012, also committed. The couple had remained onsite during the bushfires and stayed as property managers overseeing the works.
This Wednesday (December 6), Hird and Heath will be there to welcome the lucky auction winners as they file in the door. And like the presence of the much-loved, long-term managers, what guests will find is a lodge that adheres to the adage of “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” and, to use another saying, it has also been very much a case of “getting the band back together” – the all-inclusive experience still champions local producers.
The original Great Room returns in close to its original design.
And Southern Ocean Lodge’s founding architect, the Glenelg-based Max Pritchard, was tapped again to design a property that bears great resemblance to the original, but with some considered additions and adjustments that elevate the landmark for a new era.
The new Southern Ocean Lodge has almost the same footprint as the first, with 25 luxurious guest suites spread along the coastline and positioned for maximum views.
Returning guests will find the main lodge familiar, too. “Near perfect in its original incarnation” is how Baillie Lodges describes it. The Great Room with its suspended feature fireplace remains.
Enhancements include a private dining “snug” next to the cellar and an infinity pool curving along the sun terrace. The Southern Spa has been moved to allow three treatment rooms, gym, a sauna and hot and cold plunge pools with bushland views.
The Lodge’s overall fooprint remains much the same.
Further additions are the premium Ocean Pavilion, a standalone villa that can be divided into two separate suites.
Sustainability remains at the heart of Southern Ocean Lodge. New technologies have been incorporated in the realms of water capture and solar power generation and importantly, firebreaks, flame-resistant plantings, bushfire sprinklers with advanced electric pumps and other safety systems have been installed.
Sign up for the Traveller newsletter
The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now.