Southern Ocean Lodge, the flagship property for Baillie Lodges, has opened today after almost four years in planning, design and construction.
A member of Luxury Lodges of Australia, the property is located on the untouched south coast of South Australia’s Kangaroo Island. It was extensively damaged in the bushfires of 2019/20.
Founder of Baillie Lodges, James Baillie, said the occasion to open the recreated Southern Ocean Lodge on 6 December, 2024 was both a real privilege and an emotional day for the whole team.
“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,” said James Baillie.
“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 traveler 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.
Baillie Lodges founder Hayley Baillie added:
“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.
About Southern Ocean Lodge
The original architect Max Pritchard and his team have led the recreation of the 23-suite property – including all the features guests loved best, along with some new enhancements.
The new iteration of Southern Ocean Lodge holds almost the same footprint as the original with the Great Room taking centre stage on the island’s limestone cliffs.
The 23 luxurious suites have been reoriented to open towards the southeast, each taking in uninterrupted views of the Southern Ocean and coastal wilderness. All guest suites feature private decks, an EcoSmart fireplace and bathtub.
New to the property is the ultra-premium Ocean Pavilion: offered as either a single four-bedroom owner’s residence or two separate two-bedroom suites to create the ultimate Kangaroo Island hideaway for families and groups travelling together.
The Great Room terrace now boasts a wet-edge pool, while spacious new surrounds for the Southern Spa allow for three treatment rooms, a gymnasium, sauna and hot and cold plunge pools.
With sustainability a long-time focus of the lodge, the new version looks to continue to set new benchmarks for environmental sustainability in the tourism industry.
Clever design employs cutting-edge technologies including boosted rainwater water capture and solar power generation, smart building materials, a remote-controlled sprinkler system and a reinvigoration of the surrounding natural environment with some 45,000 biodiverse native plants propagated onsite and planted in a natural buffer from the wilderness.
Rates at Southern Ocean Lodge start at AUD$3,400 per couple, per night – and includes all dining, an open bar, five signature Kangaroo Island experiences and airport transfers.
For more information, visit southernoceanlodge.com.au
