Kangaroo Island Immersion

Please note: Day 1, 2, 3 and/or 4 may be interchanged to suit prior bookings or departure days.

Day 1 :

Have a cuppa with some home-made treats before taking a walk down a country track through tall Eucalyptus trees where koalas snooze overhead or wake briefly for a feed. Listen for the sounds of the bush – brightly coloured honeyeaters and brilliant parrots, cicadas or perhaps just the sound of silence.

Travel through the Island’s most productive country to the north coast. Walk through the bush with your guide – through strangely shaped trees learning what makes that noise, whose tracks are those, and who left THAT little pile there? Look for small wallabies almost extinct on the mainland, a kangaroo found only on Kangaroo Island and a variety of other birds, plants and animals.

Break for lunch at a private bush camp and enjoy a delicious meal featuring King George whiting (local sea fish), fresh salads and fine South Australian wines.

At Seal Bay Conservation Park take a private tour with your guide among Australian sea-lions on a beautiful sandy beach – an experience similar to that of the Galapagos. Watch pups nursing or playing in the surf, see old bulls bearing the scars of territorial disputes and learn about their unique breeding biology.

Begin the day travelling through some of the fire-affected landscapes of Kangaroo Island, which are recovering quickly following generous winter rains.

Learn about fire ecology and how nature deals with fire. Some of our native flora species only flower following fire!

Travel into Flinders Chase National Park and explore the massive shapes of Remarkable Rocks, a natural sculpture perched impossibly on top a granite dome plunging into the ocean

Break for an elegant picnic lunch in the bush, or if weather permits, on a spectacular clifftop. Lunch features marinated poached chicken, fresh salads, cheeses accompanied by local wine, beer, soft drinks and spring water.

Evidence of the power of the Southern Ocean swell continues at Admirals Arch – a coastal grotto which provides a haul out for a large colony of Long-nosed fur seals which swim effortlessly through crashing waves.

Begin the day in the pristine farming region of Cygnet River, which produces a range of primary food sources including barley, wheat, canola, oats, lamb and beef. Learn about the agricultural history of Kangaroo Island and pass by Kangaroo Island Pure Grain, which is ‘GM-free’ and offers consumers farm-gate traceability and complete production history.

Our first stop is Kangaroo Island Olives, where father and son duo, Michael and Dom, produce olives from a grove of 5000 trees. This enterprise reflects both our Mediterranean climate and the rich immigrant history of South Australia. Our tailgate tasting includes both table olives and some of the delicious oils they produce.

On our way to the coastal town of American River, we pass Fryar’s Kangaroo Island Free Range Eggs and learn about the fascinating egg farm. The hens are free to roam wherever they like foraging in the pastures under the careful protection of Maremma guardian dogs.

American River is home to the Kangaroo Island Oyster Farm Shop, which produces delicious Pacific Oysters in the calm waters of Eastern Cove. Depending on the season, we will either sample some oysters in the shop or at a secluded picnic spot. Our alfresco lunch features smoked meats, fresh salad and a selection of local beer and wines.

After lunch, we head inland to visit Clifford’s Honey Farm. Since 1973, the Clifford family have specialised in producing honey from Kangaroo Island’s Ligurian Bee. Here we will gain an insight into the production of honey, including a tasting of a range of honey plus Jenny’s famous Honey Ice Cream!

The Islander Estate Vineyards are one of Kangaroo Island’s premium wineries, producing a range of stunning red and white varieties. We visit their tasting room and will sample a selection of their wines whilst hearing about some of the creative winemaking techniques used by owner and winemaker, Jacques Lurton, from Bourdeaux, France.

End the day with a tasting at Kangaroo Island Spirits, who have won numerous awards globally (including New York and London) for their range of beautiful gins and liqueurs.

Start the day at Pennington Bay situated at the narrowest part of the Island. This Southern Ocean beach is a popular fishing and surf spot. Enjoy home-baked morning tea overlooking extensive wave-cut platforms and contrasting deep aqua water.

Travelling east we get endless views of the serene marine sanctuary which is Pelican Lagoon. Adjacent the lagoon is excellent kangaroo habitat and the tea-tree thickets harbour tammar wallabies sheltering from their constant predator – the wedge-tailed eagle.

The deep alluvial soils of Willson River overlying limestone are perfect for grapevines. The team at False Cape Wines have a newly opened cellar door experience overlooking well-established vines. We will sample their range of wines and then enjoy a local produce picnic nearby.

Cape Willoughby Lighthouse, established in 1852, stands tall on an exposed headland. Explore the lighthouse precinct and the granite canyon known as “Devil’s Kitchen”. This lighthouse shines a warning for sailors traversing the treacherous Backstair’s Passage. The headland provides protection from ocean swells for Antechamber Bay. Take a walk on the long white sandy beach or seek out birds on the quiet backwaters of the Chapman River estuary.

End the day in Penneshaw which we can access via a 4WD trail known as Binney’s Track. This runs adjacent to Baudin Conservation Park which provides habitat for a range of wildlife including glossy black-cockatoos, kangaroos, wallabies and echidnas.