When a representative from Exceptional Kangaroo Island tours picks me up from the island’s tiny Kingscote airport, he certainly looks the part. Tall and broad, wearing a pair of faded jeans and a wide-brimmed hat, he conjures up images of crouching behind scrub on a wide-open savannah in anticipation of watching a pod of wallabies hop by.
As it turns out, that is pretty much the plan. Kangaroo Island, located just off the coast from Adelaide in the Great Australian Bight, has long been known for spectacular natural beauty.
With wildly diverse topography featuring dramatic cliffs that plunge into bright blue water, grassy savannahs and massive limestone caves, the island feels both exotic and enticing. There is also an abundance of amazing wildlife, from kangaroos to sea lions and spiky little echidnas. Shortly into my visit, I glance up at a tree in a eucalyptus forest and glimpse a fluffy koala dozing in the midday heat.
Photo: Exceptional Kangaroo Island
Photo: Tourism Australia
But Kangaroo Island is starting to develop a different reputation thanks to a remarkable and growing local food scene. This is a place where you can tour a sheep farm before sampling exquisite cheeses, or wade into the clear waters before shucking a perfect oyster. Over the course of my 48-hour stay, I am shown the best of the island through wildlife spotting and gourmet sampling.
Ligurian Honey and Agricultural Shifts
Our first stop is Clifford’s Honey Farm, a beekeeping business with a proud family history spanning more than 20 years. I meet Sharon Simons, the founder’s daughter, who explains that her father initially kept Ligurian bees as a hobby, which later grew into a business.
“Ligurian bees are much less aggressive and they’re great producers,” says Simons. “They’re the perfect bee.” We tour the modest farm, sampling honey and walking through the various stages of production, before stopping in the gift shop for honey-flavoured popsicles.
A close-up view of busy hives at Clifford’s Honey Farm. Kangaroo Island’s strict biosecurity isolation keeps its rare population of Ligurian bees completely pure—a strain now found only here and in Italy.
During my stay, I have many similarly intimate experiences, meeting owners and getting up-close tours of how things work. Kangaroo Island is a generous landmass but small in population; there are only about 4,500 people spread across a little more than 4,400 square kilometres. One local tells me that the island is so small it lacks an abattoir, so all of the pigs and sheep raised here must be sent to the mainland, a 45-minute ferry ride away, for processing.
For a long time, wool was the primary industry, but the crash in wool prices in the 1980s forced a diversification that has yielded much of the agricultural bounty visible today. A strong sense of community remains, as does a pride in making the most of the island’s natural riches.
Gourmet Dining with a View
Wildlife on Kangaroo Island is everywhere. On the way to lunch, we drive by flocks of black swans endemic to the region, and I scan the scrub brush alongside the winding single-lane highway in search of wallabies and echidnas. The spectacular scenery unfolds as we drive past eucalyptus forests and grassy savannahs, taking sharp turns that reveal plunging cliffs, white sand beaches and cresting deep blue waves.
I am already overwhelmed by the island’s beauty, but when we arrive at Sunset Food & Wine for a late lunch, I am astounded all over again. The small, open-air restaurant is perched on a hillside overlooking a beautiful bay on the island’s northeastern coast.
I linger over a superb array of highly local food and drink, starting with a light rosé from one of the island’s small wineries and freshly baked sourdough with peppery wild olive oil. Next comes oysters with mignonette granita, followed by confit ocean trout with St. Germain compressed apple, pickled mustard seed and a smooth leek emulsion. As I eat, birds flit around the bushes surrounding the patio. It is the kind of view and food that makes you want to run away to an island paradise full of olive trees and Italian bees.
Sunset Food & Wine’s delicate confit ocean trout, paired with St. Germain compressed apple, pickled mustard seed and a smooth leek emulsion. Photo: Sunset Food & Wine
Sea Lion Encounters at Seal Bay
The next morning, I wake early and quickly drink a mug of coffee as I try to keep from being flooded with excitement. I am looking forward to seeing Flinders Chase National Park, a showcase of the island’s spectacular rugged coastline, and intrigued by the idea of visiting Remarkable Rocks, massive and weather-sculpted granite boulders jutting out of the ocean. But I am particularly eager to get to Seal Bay Conservation Park, home to more than 1,000 Australian sea lions.
The weather-sculpted granite boulders of Remarkable Rocks rise dramatically against the sky, a natural wonder on Kangaroo Island’s rugged coastline. Photo: Southern Ocean Lodge/George Apostilides
Once we arrive, I walk to the end of a long wooden boardwalk and the most amazing view comes into sight. A pristine white sand beach framed by plunging cliffs is populated by dozens of visible sea lions, including fluffy little pups, some as close as 10 feet from where I am standing, sunning themselves and frolicking in the bright blue surf. I ease myself onto the sand, captivated by the view, and simply watch the scene slowly unfold.
The tour is not over quite yet. We have lunch under a white canopy in the middle of the bush, where my guide grills potatoes and fresh-caught fish, and prepares a salad that he serves along with a perfectly crisp local white wine.
Tea Time with Kangaroos
When we finish, there is yet another surprise in store. We drive further into the bush, eventually stopping in a clearing. My guide, the wide brim of his hat pulled low over his brow, opens the vehicle and pulls out a table, two chairs, a thermos, some homemade biscuits and a starched white tablecloth.
And there we sit, eating treats and drinking tea in the shade, as kangaroos gradually materialize before my eyes. They lie under nearby bushes, hop past with tiny joeys crammed into their pouches and stop to raise their charming little faces to the warm late afternoon sun. It is both a magical moment and a perfectly fitting way to end my Kangaroo Island adventure, where sunshine and simple pleasures meet wild, untamed and often-unexpected delights.
The Kangaroo Island Directory
Getting There
Regional airlines operate short flights to Kangaroo Island from Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Alternatively, a passenger and vehicle ferry connects the island to Cape Jervis, which is about a 90-minute drive outside Adelaide. Learn more at rex.com.au.
Where to Stay
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Southern Ocean Lodge: This ultra-luxe lodge offers secluded accommodations perched on the edge of a dramatic cliff. Top-notch dining and guided island excursions are included in your stay. Plan your luxury getaway at southernoceanlodge.com.au.
Where to Eat
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Sunset Food & Wine: The ultimate gourmet experience on Kangaroo Island. Enjoy expertly prepared local ingredients like wild olive oil and fresh seafood while taking in a breathtaking coastal view. Book a table at sunsetfoodandwine.com.au.
What to Do
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Exceptional Kangaroo Island: This premier tour operator offers bespoke itineraries that run from food safaris to wilderness adventures. Discover their packages at exceptionalkangarooisland.com.au.
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Emu Bay: For a relaxing stroll or peaceful wildlife spotting, visit this highly picturesque beach on the island’s northern coast.
