Read more here: http://southernoceanlodge.com.au/press/TheRobbReport-100Resorts-May20121689.pdf

Now six years in the running, the Awards are designed to recognise outstanding destinations and operators, those dedicated to showcasing Australia’s best tourism assets.
Baillie Lodges is thrilled that Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island has been selected as a finalist award nominee for the third year running in the Awards’ Best Resort/Lodge Category.

Last year over 25,000 readers voted in the GT Travel Awards, please join in (again!) this year to see Southern Ocean Lodge hit its stride as one of the nation’s finest luxury lodges.

The subtropical beauty of Lord Howe Island, home to sister property Capella Lodge has been nominated in the Getaway Best Family Experience, so Baillie Lodges is excited to be represented in two major GT Award categories again for 2012.

Nominees for each award are selected by an esteemed panel of travel writers, reviewers and industry experts, and the baton is now passed to you, our Lodge friends to get the winners across the line! There are great prizes for voters, including the chance to win an exotic trip for two to Shanghai, staying at The PuLi Hotel and Spa! It’s easy to vote here online for Southern Ocean Lodge to reclaim the ‘Best Lodge’ title for 2012 and here for Capella Lodge/Lord Howe Island.

Voting is live now and ends at midnight, Sunday 6 May 2012, with the winners announced in the June edition of Gourmet Traveller. Do vote now for your favourite Lodge…or two!

Thank you for your generous support,

James and Hayley Baillie & the Baillie Lodges team

The South Australian Tourism Commission has launched a multimillion dollar print and advertising campaign to promote Kangaroo Island’s wild side called ‘Let Yourself Go’ – developed to capture the unique sense of transformation, discovery and escape the island offers.

The campaign is based on author Maurice Sendak’s picture book classic, ‘Where the Wild Things Are’where young protagonist Max escapes the boundaries of time and the constraints of day-to-day reality to a place where he is treated like a king, where he may roam freely, encounter wild things and revel in fantastic adventures.

In creating its new three night package, Southern Ocean Lodge has taken inspiration from Max’s adventures and the luxurious notion to ‘let yourself go’. Priced from $2,499 per person, guests enjoy savings of up to $2,800 per couple, along with three nights’ luxury accommodation with complimentary upgrade to the next suite available at time of reservation, and a  bonus $400 luxe lodge credit(maximum per suite) towards  an indulgence, or two,  of choice;  perhaps to  escape on a bespoke adventure, rejuvenate in the Southern Spa, savour a special vintage, or visit the boutique!

Lodge owner James Baillie says, “We’re excited that more Australians are taking time out to discover more about what Kangaroo Island has to offer. The SATC’s campaign captures the imagination of the destination and we’re pleased to be pairing it with an appealing offer that makes an escape to Southern Ocean Lodge more accessible.”  Southern Ocean Lodge, a sanctuary of luxurious accommodation, fine locally sourced cuisine and first name service, rests on an expanse of Kangaroo Island’s coastal wilderness, taking in the sweep of the Southern Ocean. It’s a place to disconnect with the world and reconnect with loved ones, to take a moment to stop and wonder, to be free.

An easy 30 minute flight from the Australian mainland, Kangaroo Island offers a quick hop to freedom. With untouched horizons sweeping as far as the imagination can run, Kangaroo Island is wild and ruggedly beautiful. Rolling green pastures are bordered only by vast native wilderness and limestone coast.  Regarded as Australia’s Galapagos, native wildlife on the island is free and abundant, offering visitors up-close encounters with kangaroos and koalas, seals and sea lions.

Let Yourself Go at Southern Ocean Lodge from May 1 – September 30, 2012.
Solo travellers stay from $2,499, no single supplement applies ($200 lodge credit only).

Southern Ocean Lodge is Australian Luxury defined. Let Yourself Go.

The distinctive artworks of Janine Mackintosh are well known to visitors and fans of Southern Ocean Lodge; five of the beautiful leaf mandalas add texture and intrigue to the restaurant, set into the limestone wall that snakes right throughout the Lodge lounging areas.

Janine’s works also have a significant presence in the Lodge’s art gallery, which profiles interesting and original works from local Kangaroo Island and South Australian artists.

We’ve just installed her latest work, called ‘Maze’ to the gallery, and it’s already attracting lots of attention!

Read more about the artist and her work at http://www.janinemackintosh.com.au/

This little fellow has been seen around the traps over the past while, and is sometimes even content to cuddle up with the Southern Ocean Lodge naturalist guides! He’s very cute, and normally quite a rare sight.

A little bit about the “Little Pygmy Possum”:

The appropriately named little pygmy possum (Cercartetus lepidus) reaches a mere seven grams and has a head and body length of only 5-6.5 cm. It is indeed the smallest of all possums.

Distribution, habitat and diet – the little pygmy possum was once thought to be confined to Tasmania, however, populations have now been found on Kangaroo Island and the mallee scrublands of north-western Victoria.

The little pygmy possum feeds on insects and lizards.

Breeding – Females give birth to up to four young which stay within the pouch for about six weeks. After this time, the young are left within the nest, occasionally travelling with the mother by clinging onto her fur as she forages.

Torpor – Being a small mammal posses difficulties during the cold of the winter. Its small size means that the animal has, in comparison to its body volume, a lot of skin through which to lose body heat. In other words, it has a high surface area to volume ratio.

The little pygmy possum, like its close relative, the eastern pygmy possum is able to overcome these difficulties through its ability to enter torpor. This is a means by which an animal is able to reduce energy expenditure by lowering its metabolism. Its body temperature can drop to near that of its surroundings. Unlike true hibernation, torpidity generally only lasts for a few days at a time.

A three night stay at Southern Ocean Lodge might just do the trick!

Moored an hour and a half east of Adelaide at Wirrina Cove Marina near the Fleurieu Peninsula and operating charters from both the mainland and Emu Bay on Kangaroo Island Eugenie’s design is reminiscent of an old “Yankee clipper”, once used to transport cargoes of Australian wool around the world.

Kangaroo Island Sailing is the brainchild of Renee and Ashley Newman, a young couple who have turned their passion for sailing into a career. Ashley is captain and a Master 5 commercial skipper. Renee is a qualified marine biologist, sailing instructor, dive master and first mate.

Charters onboard Lady Eugenie can be engaged for guests of Southern Ocean Lodge, either as a full day private tour, or as an exclusive arrival or departure transfer.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/travel/sailors-delight-20120216-1tb6d.html#ixzz1nSUzQs00 and

http://www.kangarooislandsailing.com.au/

Please support the SouthAustralian Tourism Commission in nominating Kangaroo
Island as the World’s Best Island in the 2012 Travel + Leisure World’s
Best Award

1. Click here to vote + fill out the one-page form to get started
2. Check the box marked “Islands”
3. Check the box marked “Australia / New Zealand / South Pacific”
4. Check the box marked “Kangaroo Island”
5. Rate the island on its characteristics and submit (Natural Attractions? Check. Activities/Sights? Check. Fantastic People? Check and check.)