Cape Wickham and Ocean Dunes are the reason most golfers find King Island in the first place, but the local nine-hole course with the wind coming straight off Bass Strait are what make a King Island golf trip what it is. The decision to accept the challenge isn’t a hard one. It’s working out how to get here, where to sleep and who’s cooking your dinner once the round’s done.
Here’s how to put it all together.
Build your King Island golf trip itinerary
Most golfers land on King Island with two or three days up their sleeve, just enough for a round at each course without feeling rushed.
Build in one buffer day if you can, whatever the length of your trip. King Island runs on its own schedule, and that includes the weather.
Two days gets you 18 holes at Cape Wickham and 18 at Ocean Dunes, with one night in between. Tight, but it works if you’re flying in and out on a weekend.
Three days is the sweet spot for most groups. Play both big courses properly, fit in a round at the King Island Golf & Bowling Club for good measure, and still have an evening free for crayfish.
Four days or more suits the golfers who want to play each course twice, or who’ve brought partners along who’d rather explore the island than chase a ball around it. Use the extra time for things to do beyond the fairway.
How to get there
There’s no ferry to King Island, so it’s flights or nothing. A few ways to do it:
Commercial flights
Sharp Airlines flies from Burnie and Launceston, with a direct Launceston service cutting the trip to around 55 minutes. REX flies from Melbourne’s Tullamarine and Burnie, and King Island Airlines operates out of Moorabbin. Check golf clubs are accounted for when you book.
Charter flights
If you’re travelling as a group, charter can work out simpler than wrangling separate bookings. Air Adventure flies private aircraft from Essendon in around 45 minutes and runs dedicated King Island golf packages. Southern Golf Getaways flies out of Barwon Heads with flexible departure times, useful if your group’s schedule doesn’t suit a commercial timetable. Bass Strait Golf also runs dedicated golf charters to the island [PLACEHOLDER – see note to Sass below on airline partner name].
Stay-and-play packages
Sharp Airlines, Ocean Dunes, Air Adventure, Tas Vacations and Bass Strait Golf all sell packaged trips that bundle flights or car hire with accommodation and tee times. Worth comparing against booking everything yourself, particularly if logistics aren’t your idea of a good time.
Getting around once you’re there
There’s no taxi or public transport on King Island, so plan ahead, especially after a few beers at the clubhouse. King Island Coach Company runs golf transfers to all three courses, King Island Tours can help too, and some stay-and-play packages already include transport. Otherwise, book a hire car early – golf visitors go through the local fleet fast.
Where to stay
Where you sleep depends on how much golf you’re trying to fit in and who you’re travelling with.
On-course at Cape Wickham
Soon to be open is the sixteen villa-style rooms looking straight down the links, with the lighthouse in the distance. Book a stay here and you’ll get early access to the course before the public tee times start, plus a crack at the Lighthouse Loop putting green if your short game needs work.
Near Ocean Dunes and Currie
Netherby Rocks, Great Southern and the KI pub are the go-tos for golfers, all close to town and the course. Bass Lodge suits bigger groups after something more polished, with Ocean Dunes a short drive away. Ocean Dunes’ own on-course accommodation is due to open in 2027.
Everywhere else
The full accommodation list runs from farm stays to beachfront cottages, most of it self-contained. Properties book out fast in peak season and around events, so lock something in before you sort the flights, not after.
Where and how to eat
The golf gets the headlines, but King Island’s produce is the other reason people keep coming back. The trick is planning ahead, because the island doesn’t really do walk-ins.
Crayfish pie from the Bakehouse sells out for a reason, so get there early or call ahead. King Island Dairy cheese is worth building a meal around, not just grabbing on the way to the airport. After the round, the distilleries and brewhouse are the obvious spot for something to take the edge off a bad back nine.
Currie and Grassy cover most of the eating out options, but opening hours move with the season and bookings matter more than you’d expect on an island this size. If you’re self-catering, stock up early in Currie rather than counting on shops being open when you finally finish golf for the day.
Booking tips
Tee times, flights, accommodation and car hire all draw from the same small pool, and they all fill at once during long weekends and events. A few things make the difference between a smooth trip and a frustrating one.
Book accommodation before you lock in flights, not after. Rooms near the courses go first. Confirm tee times directly with Cape Wickham and Ocean Dunes once your dates are set, since online booking isn’t always available and a phone call or email gets it sorted faster. If you’d rather not juggle four separate bookings, a stay-and-play package through Sharp, Ocean Dunes or Air Adventure does it in one go, generally at a small premium over booking everything yourself.
Tips for a great stay
A few things seasoned King Island golfers will tell you before you go.
The wind is part of the round, not an excuse for a bad one. Pack a decent jacket and expect both courses to play differently depending on which way it’s blowing. Walk if you’re able to. Buggies are available, but these courses were built to be walked, and you’ll get more out of them on foot. Clean your clubs and golf bag before you travel. King Island takes biosecurity seriously, and turning up with soil or seeds on your gear can hold you up at the airport.
Mostly, leave a bit of room in the schedule. The best part of a King Island golf trip is rarely the part you planned down to the minute.
