Kangaroo Island’s Southern Ocean Lodge reopens following devastation in 2020 bushfires

Having been razed during the 2020 bushfires, Kangaroo Island’s Southern Ocean Lodge $55 million rebuild is now complete with the luxury tourism flagship property of Baillie Lodges now open to guests - marking a major milestone which is set to help drive international recovery.

New to the property is the Ocean Pavilion, offering a single four-bedroom owner’s residence or two separate two-bedroom suites to create options for families and friends travelling together. The Great Room terrace now features a wet-edge pool, while new surrounds for the Southern Spa allow for three treatment rooms, a gymnasium, sauna, and hot and cold plunge pools.

After almost four years in the planning, design and construction since it was razed, the new-look luxury accommodation on the south coast of Kangaroo Island will once again draw visitors from around the world.

The new iteration of the globally acclaimed Southern Ocean Lodge holds almost the same footprint as the original. It features 23 guest suites each with a private deck and reoriented to open towards the south-east, taking in views of the Southern Ocean.

The re-creation of Southern Ocean Lodge has been led by the property’s original architect, South Australian Max Pritchard and his team. It includes all the features once loved by guests, combined with some new additions “designed for a new generation of travel to Kangaroo Island” with a greater focus on sustainability.

More than 40% of Kangaroo Island was impacted by the bushfires in January 2020, which happened just months before COVID restrictions took hold.

Tourism on Kangaroo Island has since made a remarkable recovery, with the region’s visitor expenditure hitting a record-high $294 million in the year to June 2023.

Kangaroo Island is a key drawcard for international visitors, with the region attracting the highest international visitor spend outside of Adelaide. In the 12 months to June 2023, $38 million was spent by international visitors in Kangaroo Island – making real inroads on its pre-COVID value of $53 million.

Tourism is a major employer on Kangaroo Island, with 35% of jobs directly related to tourism.

It comes as Kangaroo Island’s cruise season commences with in total this cruise season, there are 31 scheduled cruise visits to Penneshaw, as well as 13 expedition ship visits across Kangaroo Island to destinations like American River and Antechamber Bay.  

Last cruise season, Kangaroo Island welcomed 29 cruise visits, injecting more than $33 million to the region’s economy.

James Baillie, co-founder Baillie Lodges shared “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.  

“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.  

“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.”   

Hayley Baillie, co-founder Baillie Lodges added “It has been wonderful to work with the original lodge’s local suppliers as well as discovering new entrants to the region, including food and beverage producers, artists and designers.”