|Places| A pod’s alfresco soaking tub affords a spectacular ocean view From the outside, the pods look like little black timber cabins, but the inside reveals a glassy lair with floor-toceiling windows, giving me access to widescreen wilderness with an onus on visitors to learn about the regenerative efforts and maybe roll up their sleeves and use their travel mileage for good. Part of this new chapter in tourism, and the main reason for my visit, is to check out the newly erected WanderPods, a cluster of four off-grid cabins – compact, stylish and deeply comfortable – located on a privileged position on a 150m grassy northern bluff overlooking blockbuster Snelling Beach and the Great Australian Bight. Known for their low-impact escapes in nature-soaked locations, after launching in Queensland’s Scenic Rim last year, this is the company’s second instalment with more planned for other regional destinations. Built as a premium eco-escape, WanderPods has admirable sustainable credentials – solar and water harvesting and storage, water-saving toilets, and water recycling – without sacrificing on style or comfort. “We started Wander so that we could connect to some of the most spectacular parts of Australia with people who share a mindset of wanting to make a positive change when they travel”, says founder and CEO Cassandra Sasso. From the outside, the pods look like unpretentious little black timber cabins, but the inside reveals a glassy lair with spectacular floor-to-ceiling ocean-facing windows, giving me access to wide-screen wilderness. Strategically positioned, two of the pods provide the best vantage for sunrise, and the other two for sunset. As the soft-focus light drips into the Southern Ocean, mobs of kangaroos peacefully congregate outside my sunset pod, undisturbed by my gaze. The next few days are spent close to nature, in my pod and beyond. I watch the first pinkish streaks of daybreak from my bed. From the outdoor tub, using a pair of binoculars, I trace the honey-coloured hills that tumble into the angry ocean, hoping to spot some action on the empty beach, maybe a whale or a frisky seal. Later, as the night air howls, I cocoon myself deeper into my bed. The island’s remote and fertile landscape has brought to boil its booming food and drink scene. A mix of cattle, sheep and grain farms, plus a bountiful sea, has always meant island residents eat well. But now there’s a culinary renaissance rippling through the island. Gastronomo, one of Kangaroo Island’s more interesting producers, mixes hyper-local cuisine with eccentric “wilderness” dining experiences, where the restaurant settings are as interesting as the menu. Partnering with WanderPods, my modern kitchen is stuffed with seasonal food and treats – everything from vegetables to muesli, yogurt, croissants, honey, cheese, eggs and meats – enough for breakfast, lunch and dinner and everything in between, and it’s an excellent taster of things to come. Our first night, we dine in an intimate shed dubbed the Sensorium. The eight-course degustation dinner by Gastronomo is plucked from local land and sea, with each course cooked over the flames, coals or the smoke of an open fire pit. The next day, lunch feels like a fairy tale as we dine inside a giant hollowed-out 120-year-old fig tree at the aptly named Enchanted Fig Tree. Part of the pull of staying in a WanderPod is its hyper-local outlook, partnering with local guides and companies to give guests sustainably slanted holidays that explore and educate. Here, on Kangaroo Island, 22 CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM
that translates to lacing up your boots and exploring the rejuvenated bush, beach and island fauna with in-the-know affable guides (RADKI Coastal Tours), self-proclaimed “citizen scientists”. We visit the windbattered horseshoe-shaped Western River Cove, learning about the bird species – willie wagtails, white-bellied and wedge-tailed eagles and glossy black cockatoos – that glide above, nesting back on Kangaroo Island. The weather is unseasonably cold for late November and the water is hostile, so instead of taking to sea to spot dolphins, sea lions and penguins, we stick to land. An estimated 60,000 koalas were killed or hurt in the fires, so it feels like a privilege when we stroll through a blue gum forest and spot new generations of koalas nestled in the forks of the trees, blissing out on eucalyptus leaves. Later, we venture down the short but steep “Harvey’s Return” hike and stand amongst the 550-million-year-old geological wonders. The giant lichen-covered granite boulders and surrealshaped rocks display what look like intricate artworks that have been etched with the might of the Southern Ocean. The next day, our soft-spoken Kangaroo Island guide (from tour operator Exceptional Kangaroo Island) and local resident, Craig Wickham, guides us down straw-coloured mountains to the pounding coast accompanied by his pint-sized rescue wallaby and puppy, his tenderness towards the land and wildlife infecting our group as we return to our pods – all The rusticchic interior of Sensorium restaurant reminders of what it means to be a traveller today. “Recent times have highlighted the need for all of us to say ‘no’ to old and broken ways of doing things. We hope to inspire our Wander community – guests, suppliers, staff and locals – to make lasting changes. We have a choice to live differently,” explains Sasso. wander.com.au The Itinerary Here’s how to get the most out of your Kangaroo Island experience Do Sign up for a day with Research and Discovery Coastal Tours (radki.com.au), and you’ll spend the day as a “citizen scientist” learning about the geology of the landscape and its bird and marine life. If conditions are right, you might even get to swim with sea lions, seals and dolphins. Or lace up your boots and join Exceptional Kangaroo Island (exceptionalkangarooisland.com), a small-group tour operator that offers an extensive range of experiences, from one-day explorations of the island to e-bike adventures and multiday walks that will take you through secluded coves and national parks. Eat & Drink Kangaroo Island Brewery (kibeer.com. au) is Kangaroo Island’s first cellar-door microbrewery, offering a selection of seven craft beers and simple food, like pizza and pies. Have your fill of oysters, marron and abalone at American River’s Oyster Farm Shop ( oysterfarmshop.com.au), a farm gate for Kangaroo Island shellfish. For a quirkier but fine-dining experience, book a spot at Sensorium (gastronomodining.com. au), with delectable surf-and-turf served in a sugar-gum hut. For another incredible setting, lunch at The Enchanted Fig Tree (gastronomodining.com.au) inside a 120-year old fig tree. Book a wine tasting at The Islander Estate Vineyards (iev.com.au) and try the locally grown drops. For something stronger, visit micro distillery Kangaroo Island Spirits (kangarooislandspirits.com.au), where you can enjoy food, drinks and live music in the garden or take a gin-making masterclass. PHOTOS REMY BRAND Natural Highlights Flinders Chase National Park, one of Australia’s iconic parks, is known for its rugged bushland, wind-battered cliffs, swathes of deserted powder beaches and epic natural rock formations like Admirals Arch and the Remarkable Rocks. Pack a picnic and visit the secluded Western River Cove complete with a cute babbling river and rock pool. Visit the aptly named Seal Bay for your best chance to spot a colony of sea lions. CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM 23
