You can still hear the disbelief in Hayley Baillie's voice as she describes the ferocious bushfire that destroyed her world-renowned Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island. Baillie says she and her husband plan to rebuild the property AustralianFires
You can still hear the disbelief in Hayley Baillie's voice as she describes the ferocious bushfire that destroyed her world-renowned Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island.
A fireplace and statue of a kangaroo made from found objects, including the engine of a Sunshine tractor, is all that remains of the 21-suite resort perched on limestone cliffs above the Southern Ocean."Even though it is just a building, when you put your heart and soul and the blood, sweat and tears into its creation, that's just what's so sad," Baillie said. "It's just catastrophic. There's just nothing left.
"Those decisions to rebuild become very challenging," she said. "It's something that's affecting all of the industry.
Reminiscent of high-end safari retreats in Africa, the lodges combine nature-based or cultural experiences in remote areas with high-end dining and accommodation - a far cry from the communal showers and caravan parks of holidays past. "You take a calculated risk," she said. "I go scuba diving, skydiving, horse riding. Any type of adventure tourism has a risk factor [but] that's the decision I make."
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