Why this island off Tasmania is one of Australia’s most exclusive spots

This island, off an island, off an island, is one of Australia’s best kept secrets — because it’s too private to simply check out for yourself.

It’s the island most Australians haven’t heard of. And that’s perfectly fine for those who have and are desperate to visit.

Just off the southern coast of Tasmania, and little further north than better-known Bruny Island, lies Satellite Island — a small, windswept patch of rugged beauty in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel.

There’s not a great deal on the 34-hectare island, besides a luxury summer house on the hill, a pretty boathouse on the jetty, some local deer and a pair of resident rare white breasted sea eagles.

But Satellite Island is both one of Australia’s best kept secrets and a place that’s gained a cult following among travellers because of how incredibly exclusive it is.

That’s because the private island’s owners only rent out accommodation to visitors who book the entire thing. Not just a place to stay — the entire island.

News.com.au was given a rare chance to visit Satellite Island via seaplane from Hobart with the team behind whisky brand Talisker, who thinks the whisky’s home on the Isle of Skye — right on the northern tip of Scotland — has kindred spirit in Satellite Island, on the southern tip of Tasmania.

Both islands are wild, remote and carved by the sea. But unlike the Isle of Skye, Satellite Island is (usually) no place for day-trippers.

It costs two guests $1950 per night to stay on the island for a minimum two-night stay. Each additional guest pays $300 per night.

Satellite Island, Tasmania. Picture: Adam Gibson

It’s one of the last stops before Antarctica.

But that gives them exclusive, private access to the whole island, with a caretaker keeping a low profile nearby should they need anything.

Guests can stay in the luxurious three-bedroom summer house, or the boathouse where they can sea-gaze from bed — whatever strikes their fancy. A fully kitted out glamping tent overlooking the cliff is another sleeping option, just to mix things up.

The pantry is stocked with gourmet food and there’s a never-ending supply of wild Tasmanian oysters — considered to be some of the best in the world. (And the perfect pairing with whisky - more on that later.) There’s an organic herb and vegetable garden and orchard, and chickens to provide those just-laid eggs for breakfast.

Urchin, abalone and mussels can be plucked straight from the water.

There’s a stunning view from every part of the island.

It’s a great place to get lost in the wilderness.

The summer house.

The bedroom inside the boathouse.

The island also comes with a range of equipment to keep guests occupied, from kayaks and stand-up paddle boards to fishing gear and yoga mats.

But one of the best things you can do on Satellite Island is simply wander. And when you’ve paid for the whole island, you’ll want to explore every hidden nook and cranny of the place.

There are the pebbly beaches and the blue gum forests, open grasslands and winding paths along the rocky cliff, leading to all kinds of secret spots. It’s a patch of Tasmanian wilderness, all to yourself.

When we arrive on the island we sit around a campfire outside the boathouse sipping hot chocolate spiked with Talisker whisky, which proves to be the perfect way to warm up in the brisk Tasmanian sea air. (I'll never drink hot chocolate the same way again.) But if I thought chocolate and whisky were the perfect match, I had another thing coming.

After wandering the island we stop in a clearing for a Talisker whisky tasting. We discover how perfectly they pair with those famous - and humungous - Tassie oysters. Knocking back a little nip of smoky whisky before knocking back a creamy, salty oyster - it is a delightful pairing and the one of the most exciting ways to experience both elements. 

While we weren’t there after dark, we’re told it’s the perfect spot for stargazing. It was a makeshift observatory for French explorer Bruni D’Entrecasteaux, after whom the channel is named.

The rugged island is a private oasis.

You’d struggle to find a better place to watch the sun go down.

The island was also formerly a getaway for writer and painter Ian Alstergren, who used it as his private retreat. The current owners, relatives of Alstergren, then took it over, and opened it to guests six years ago.

Satellite Island is an easy trip from Hobart or Bruny Island, most glamorously reached by helicopter. And once you’re on this exclusive island, you’ll never feel further away — and happily so.

The writer visited Satellite Island as a guest of Talisker.