Why we’re obsessed with off-grid escapes
Lo-fi luxe is a hot travel trend, from tiny houses nestled in the bush to waterfront shacks filled with rustic furniture. These smart versions on Kangaroo Island fit the bill.
Things to do at Wander on Kangaroo Island: lie on the grass and imagine shapes in the clouds (I see Godzilla); run an al fresco bath and open a bottle of delightfully dry Islander Estate rose; have breakfast on the deck and spot dolphins; drive or scramble down to little Snelling Beach for a dip and a fossick; make an early-morning cuppa and take it back to bed to watch the sea.
Lazy, lo-fi pastimes are the whole point of our current mania for off-grid pods. They represent a chance to reconnect with nature (and perhaps ourselves) in a tiny-ish house with zero distractions but all possible creature comforts.
Travelling off-grid
The four new Wander pods on Kangaroo Island’s north coast are decidedly off-grid. From the ferry terminal in Penneshaw, it’s a two-hour drive via an ever-diminishing network of empty roads and through remnants of the 2020 bushfires. Indomitable grass trees with burnt trunks sprout spiky green growth, reminding me of my younger son’s ill-considered hairstyle of 2008.
Eventually we are on gravel, leaving clouds of dust in our wake, passing remote farms cuffed by sea, the madding mainland crowd far behind. Passed Snelling Beach, then a steep climb, winding high above the ocean.
And there they blow on the hilltop – four black oblong boxes, as though dropped from the sky, overlooking the beach far below.
I’m in Pyxis, my check-in notes instruct, named after the constellation representing a mariner’s compass in southern skies. I could use a compass to navigate my way inside, as there are issues with the access code, and calling base is challenging with little or no signal (thank you, Optus). Things are swiftly sorted when I do locate a little bar of connection, but is anyone else hankering for the return of the uncomplicated hotel room key, perhaps with a large tassel attached? They could leave it under an off-grid rock.
Luxury escape
Once indoors all is well. This is a smart retreat, stylishly fitted out, mostly in moody blacks and charcoal. All along the front, a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows transforms the pod into an oversized camera trained on the sea and dramatic coastline. It’s perfect for watching the weather, of which there is an awful lot during my brief stay.
A grass-lapped deck is set with table and chairs, bean bag-style loungers, barbecue, and even a bathtub (I recommend swimmers for the modest or those concerned with alarming passing kangaroos).
Interiors are chic, with timber floors, dark walls and tiles, a smart grey sofa and cool armchair. The log fire is set and ready to strike, and in the bedroom next door the king bed is dressed in on-trend crumpled linen (I tend to spend lots of time here, reading, drinking tea and watching the ocean). The little kitchen has everything I need to whip up a casual meal but only basic provisions such as salt, pepper, olive oil, teabags and coffee pods.
Guests should stock up en route, as it’s a long drive to the corner shop if you run out of milk. Pre-ordered pantry boxes filled with local produce are also an option. Otherwise, I recommend stopping by the small supermarket in Penneshaw or larger outfit in Kingscote. Make a detour to The Oyster Farm Shop in American River for island oysters, abalone, calamari and whiting. Then drop by the bijou and utterly charming Islander Estate cellar door where Jacques Lurton, of a famous Bordeaux winemaking family, heads the small-scale production of tres elegant French-style wines.
Bathe amist the wildlife
Once fully provisioned you are ready to immerse yourself in off-grid island life. I take a walk, visit the beach, then simply pod out. This mostly involves observing the ocean and weather like an old sea captain, minus pipe but with KIS (Kangaroo Island Spirits) gin in hand. The view is vast and mesmerising. In the early evening, a blanket of cloud extends to the horizon, rent here and there enabling the palest sliver of celestial silver to peek through. Little finches move through the long grass like smoke; a peregrine falcon hovers overhead. There are, of course, kangaroos.
On this island you are never more than a few metres from a macropod.
In the night the wind comes up, until a howling gale bangs like a thousand angry fists on my sturdy pod, sending the deck furniture skittling into the long grass. The outdoor tub becomes a jacuzzi, but I’m as snug as a bug, watching a movie on my iPad. There’s no TV but the wi-fi is surprisingly good.
First light filters through fast-moving clouds as wedge-tailed eagles ride the wind, racing across the hilltop like torpedos. I pop the whistling kettle on the gas hob (electric kettles would pull too much energy from this solar-powered set-up) and head outdoors to rescue the furniture. The storm is over, and normal sun-drenched island transmission resumes. I run an outdoor bath and pop on the togs. Nothing to see here, kangaroos.
TO-DO LIST
Dine
The nearest restaurant is at the bottom of the hill near Snelling Beach. Gastronomo has tables hidden within the branches of a biblically large and ancient fig tree. Open until early April.
The Rockpool Cafe on Stokes Bay is 20 minutes away by road. It’s a seasonal outfit so check opening hours before visiting.
gastronomodining.com.au
See
The incredible cliffs and sea life of the island’s northwest coast, snorkelling reefs and bays on the lookout for sea lions, seals and dolphins. The customised RAD KI (Research and Discovery Coastal Tours, Kangaroo Island) zodiac departs from Stokes Bay.
radki.com.au
Try
Blending your own gin using island botanicals at the funky Kangaroo Island Spirits.
kangarooislandspirits.com.au
Browse
The new woolshed operation just outside Kingscote.
kangarooislandwool.com
ESSENTIALS
Wander on Kangaroo Island is remote and a vehicle is essential. Car hire is available at the ferry terminal in Penneshaw and the airport at Kingscote. Wander provides detailed instructions on how to find the pods. From $549 a night.
Christine McCabe was a guest of Wander on Kangaroo Island.
