Splendid Isolation

Some people, locals and visitors alike, often think of King Island as being isolated from the rest of the world.

Located in the middle of Bass Strait, some 250 km from the mainland of Tasmania and Australia, this iconic slice of rock, sand and pasture can sometimes feel cut off from civilisation but regular air connections to Tullamarine, Essendon and Moorabbin in Melbourne and Launceston and Burnie in Tasmania mean that King Island is in fact within easy reach.  

Perhaps the isolation people refer to is that which many of us seek as an escape from our busy lives and which can be found in walking for hours on a deserted sandy beach or looking out upon a seemingly endless sea from the 18^th hole of one of the world’s most beautiful golf courses. That sort of isolation can be found in innumerable places on King Island and is experienced by guests at Taraki Lodge, one of King Island’s newest tourism accommodation offerings.

Whilst a stunning hilltop property, located only 20 minutes north of the main Township of Currie, should not feel cut off from the rest of the world, visitors embrace a wonderful sense of serenity once they turn off the main road to Cape Wickham Golf Course and start heading towards the west coast. The likelihood of encountering another human being decreases along the sandy track which meanders up and down coastal dunes for long enough that you may begin to feel you’ve missed a turning but which rewards perseverance with the first glimpse of the ocean as the beautifully restored beach house swims into view.

Taraki is located on a vantage point above the Southern Ocean which affords long and uninterrupted views of a long sandy bay to the south and enticing coves and rocky pools to the north. The high spec recent refurbishment by the property’s new owners manages to couple a luxurious and modern interior while retaining the relaxed charm of the beach house of your dreams.

Four large ensuite bedrooms with king size beds, a fully equipped commercial style kitchen and a large, open area for socialising or just contemplating the changing moods of the ocean combine beautifully with the surrounding environment to guarantee a perfect, weather-proofed holiday. On colder evenings the outdoor fire pit provides the finishing touch to a day spent golfing, fishing, surfing, beach-walking or simply lounging in comfort and style.

And if that’s not enough the intrepid owners are soon to offer their guests the opportunity of a local chef attending the property to cook up a perfect range of King Island’s world-renowned local produce which only goes to prove how perceptive Glenn Gould was when he said, “Isolation is the one sure way to human happiness”.