The Incredible Depth and Diversity of Kangaroo Island.
The Southern Ocean Lodge, which is Baillie Lodges' flagship property, has reopened today on the breathtakingly magnificent south coast of Kangaroo Island in South Australia. The planning, design, and building of the lodge took almost four years.
In preparation for a new age of tourism on Kangaroo Island, the original architect of Southern Ocean Lodge, Max Pritchard, and his staff have spearheaded the process of redeveloping the property. They have incorporated all of the things that visitors have enjoyed the most, in addition to certain considerations that are considered frills.
Image Credit: George Apostolidis
With the Great Room taking centre stage on the island's limestone cliffs and twenty-three luxury rooms sliding along the shoreline, the new incarnation of the Southern Ocean Lodge, which has received widespread acclaim, has a footprint that is virtually identical to that of the original. Each of the guest suites provides unobstructed views of the Southern Ocean and the undulating coastal wildness. This was accomplished by a sophisticated architectural manoeuvre that involved reorienting the guest apartments so that they opened towards the southeast. Every single one of the guest apartments is equipped with a sink-in bathtub, an EcoSmart fireplace, and a private veranda.
An ultra-premium Ocean Pavilion has just been added to the property. This pavilion has been thoughtfully constructed to provide either a single owner's apartment with four bedrooms or two separate suites with two bedrooms, creating the ideal Kangaroo Island getaway for families and friends who are travelling together. The Great Room patio now features a pool with a wet edge, while the Southern Spa's expansive new environs make it possible to have three treatment rooms, a gymnasium, a sauna, and both hot and cold plunge pools.
Within the context of a changing climate and with the intention of catering to a new generation of tourists who are interested in visiting Kangaroo Island, Southern Ocean Lodge establishes new standards for environmental sustainability within the tourism sector.
A clever design makes use of cutting-edge technologies such as increased rainwater water capture and solar power generation, intelligent building materials, a remote-controlled sprinkler system, and a revitalization of the natural environment that surrounds the building by planting approximately 45,000 native plants that are rich in biodiversity and were grown on the premises. These plants were planted in a natural buffer zone that separated the building from the surrounding wilderness.
The Baillie Lodges Luxury Redefined podcast provides guests with the opportunity to listen to a virtually guided welcome upon arrival at Southern Ocean Lodge. The podcast features interviews with individuals who are most closely associated with the lodge's recreation, such as Baillie Lodges founders James and Hayley, Southern Ocean Lodge General Managers Alison Heath and John Hird, architect Max Pritchard, and local artists, winemakers, and food producers. The podcast is an excellent choice for guests to listen to as they begin their journey to the lodge.
Image Credit: George Apostolidis
The occasion of opening the reimagined Southern Ocean Lodge on December 6, 2024, according to James Baillie, the creator of Baillie Lodges, was a day that represented both a genuine privilege and an emotional experience for the whole staff.
“We feel very fortunate to be able to present the new-look Southern Ocean Lodge to the world. Hayley and I had lived and breathed the original lodge from the concept and planning stages to its award-winning reality, celebrated for its timeless design,” Mr. Baillie said.
“With the benefit of hindsight and learning, we saw the chance to rebuild Southern Ocean Lodge as a special chance to return the property that seemed to touch so many guests over the years and with some considered additions to take her to a next generation traveller and a sustainable future,” he said.
“It's a 'full-circle moment' for us and one that brings some closure to the past, as well as an optimistic look towards the future and an even more sustainable, leading experiential tourism offering for South Australia,” he said.
Image Credit: George Apostolidis
In addition to finding new local suppliers for the original lodge, such as food and beverage producers, artists, and designers, Hayley Baillie, the founder of Baillie Lodges, expressed her delight at working with these suppliers.
“We have a chance now to show the world the incredible depth and diversity of the regional Southern Australia and Kangaroo Island offering as its stands today and into the future, and we're looking forward to working in rewarding partnerships with local communities once again,” Mrs Baillie said.
“We've been buoyed by the unwavering support of so many of our guests and the broader tourism industry for which we're very grateful, and we're thrilled to be bringing Southern Ocean Lodge back today,” she said.
Starting at AU$3,400 per couple per night, Southern Ocean Lodge offers the same generous inclusions as the original, including all meals, the famous open bar, five signature Kangaroo Island experiences, and airport transfers.
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