A whole new range of experiences | Maintaining visibility | Where in the world? | More wine? | Unusual courtship behaviour
Kangaroo Island geological expedition | Go Figure! | ANZAC DAY | Marshall Arts
Exceptional Kangaroo Island
- a whole new range of experiences
Building on our strong heritage of wildlife and landscape interpretation we proudly offer a selection of experiences which focus on the cultural aspects of Kangaroo Island. Three new itineraries follow themes of food and wine; visual arts; and family focused activities.These tours are the Kangaroo Island food safari; the art of nature; and KI for kids. Each is completely tailored, available daily on demand on a private charter basis, and can be taken in their entirety or used as a stimulus for a melange featuring some of each.
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The food safari offers a seasonal menu of “meet the maker” experiences which can include wild-catch seafood, honey tasting, olive oil, marron (freshwater crayfish), wines, oysters, freerange eggs, artisan cheeses and yoghurts. |
The art of nature focuses on the Island’s creative side and includes galleries and personal studio visits. The diverse media includes: bronze; drawn glass; acrylics; oils; photography; sculpture; ceramics; and wood turning. |
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KI for kids has been designed by local children with fun the top priority. Activities can include exploring the dunes at Little Sahara, snorkeling in the Stokes Bay rockpool, swimming with wild dolphins, cycling, farm visits, adventure caving, a day in the life of a wildlife researcher or quad bike touring. |
Maintaining visibility
- don’t abandon the market in tough times
The challenges in the industry across the world can be seen as a disaster or an opportunity. A recent marketing trip through the USA showed a significant amount of resilience in the market.
Are people finding it tough? Absolutely - but it was clear that many of our partners, seeing the challenge, decided to meet it head on and have combined an excellent service ethic with creativity to find what people want. This means whilst total numbers might be down, there is still opportunity for yield.
As an example of working more creatively for better return on investment this most recent trip was undertaken collaboratively with two other operators.
Renee Goode from Great Southern Rail, Karen Dempster from Discovery Ecotours, and I joined forces for nearly four weeks. We shared the task of setting up sales calls, shared expenses by jointly hosting many of our in-country partners, and provided a common high end travel platform from Kangaroo Island to Kakadu via the Red Centre. The small group nature experiences were linked using the new Ghan platinum service.
Being able to offer our experiences at the very highest level with accommodation at the new Southern Ocean Lodge was also very well received in the market.
Our presence at what is clearly a tough time was well received - and our activity was against the trend as a number of people are shying away from marketing activity in what will probably become a self-fulfilling prophecy - “we’ll all be rooned”!
A clear message from the market was that anything perceived as luxury and indulgence is inappropriate. Those people who still have a reasonable discretionary leisure travel budget do not want to be seen as flaunting the fact.
To this end we must ensure travel experiences are enriching, educational (especially for family travel) and provide opportunities for people to reaffirm connections with one another and the natural world.
It is obvious that travellers increasingly seek value - but it is important to recognise that we can deliver this in terms of memorable experiences rather than reducing price and maintain value in our businesses as well.
Craig Wickham
Where in the world?
International demand for the past 9 months.
Given we live in interesting times we thought it useful to report where our guests come from in terms of country of origin on a shorter time frame. As is often the case the facts sometimes contradict expectations. The volatility in the share market, relative currency values, political change and resultant consumer confidence clearly has influence over ultimate demand for international travel.
Our results show, not unexpectedly, the relative number of US guests has declined slightly over the period 01 July 08 - 31 March 09. The Canadians have held up well, increasing albeit from a small base.
Western Europe displays pretty much the usual seasonal change and the big gain was from the UK where demand continues to grow - particularly in the high-end private charter market.
More wine?
- What we are currently serving on tour
Our friends Jamie and Julie Helyar at False Cape Wines continue to provide - with the help of Julie’s family, the Follets of Lake Breeze, some exceptional wines.
False Cape is part of a treacherous piece of coastline on the rugged southern coast of Kangaroo Island. This feature, which is often mistaken for the nearby Cape Hart, is the nearest coastal landmark to the 30 acre Kangaroo Island vineyard.
As legend has it, the sighting of a ‘mermaid’ was believed to be an omen for a pending shipwreck. The coast of Kangaroo Island is notorious for shipwrecks with over 50 vessels coming to grief since 1847.
The cool conditions experienced by the vineyard situated on the southern side of the Dudley Peninsula are ideal for the growing of Sauvignon Blanc and enable the grapes to reach optimum ripeness, whilst still retaining fresh natural acidity.
Precise timing of harvest along with temperature controlled fermentation have combined to maintain the pure fruit expression and delicate flavours of Sauvignon Blanc. The ‘Silver Mermaid’ displays characters reminiscent of passionfruit and guava with just a hint of grassiness and a freshness, which makes it ideal for summer drinking - particularly with King George whiting!
Unusual courtship behaviour
- Pair bonding of the lesser long-eared tour guide
We recently enjoyed a fabulous day celebrating the wedding of Ron and Mary-Alice held on the spectacular Pennington Bay on Kangaroo Island’s south coast. Ron is one of our most experienced tour guides as well as an accomplished singer and guitarist. The location was beautiful - as was the weather and the bride - and Ron led the way fronting his band “the famous strangers” for the evening entertainment. The event was rounded out with some incredibly fresh local produce and excellent local wines.
Kangaroo Island geological expedition
- 2010 South Australian Museum Waterhouse Club visit
Our tour planning team is working up a proposal on behalf of the Waterhouse Club for a collecting trip to Big Gully on Kangaroo Island. The Waterhouse Club raises funds for the SA Museum and provides expedition support and volunteer labour which results in excellent member education. Big Gully on the Island’s north coast is one of the finest localities for early Cambrian fossils and the level of preservation in the fine shales is extraordinar y. Paleontologists consider this site the southern hemisphere equivalent of the famous Canadian Burgess Shale. The site’s signature specimens are trilobites like the one illustrated above left. The remote site is on private property and very well protected - access is via four wheel drive only and we will be providing access transfers in to the site, catering at the dig, as well as an opportunity for volunteers to tour the Island to learn about the broader geology which will provide context for the dig.
Go figure!
April = autumn on Kangaroo Island
That means fig season! That is if you can beat the possums and birds to the harvest. We have been enjoying an endless stream of fig jam, figs in red wine and cardamon, dried figs and a great fig paste which is wonderful with soft cheese and a fine Barossa shiraz.
ANZAC DAY
- A trans-Tasman celebration
On the 25th of April in many places across the world Australian and New Zealand people pause to remember the sacrifice made by those serving their countries in global conflicts. Here on Kangaroo Island we celebrate with dawn services at American River, Penneshaw, Parndana and Kingscote, followed up by services and marches later in the day.
Given much of Kangaroo Island’s farmland was established post World War II as a returned serviceman land grant scheme this is a significant day for our community. As many of the veterans age and find it hard to march, members of their families take their place - representing them in honoring their fallen mates.
The dawn service in Kingscote starts in total darkness and as the sun comes up across Western Cove the magpies start carolling - often accompanied by Little Penguins calling as they depart for a long day fishing at sea. It is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on our heritage of hard won freedom and democracy.
Marshall Arts
- Celebrating Australia’s finest Indigenous art
A new gallery in Penneshaw showcases some of Australia’s best Aboriginal artists. Whilst Kangaroo Island, with no Aboriginal inhabitants at the time of European contact, might seem an unusual location for such a gallery, there is a rich indigenous history.
Graeme and Ros Marshall, gallery owners, share a passion for the untold story of Aboriginal women kidnapped and brought to Kangaroo Island by the precolonial sealers.
As such part of the gallery is a museum dedicated to telling this story, celebrating the contribution these women have made to the successful establishment of our community.The balance of the gallery is shared between a permanent collection of exceptional quality indigenous art and collectible pieces from across Australia.
Significant effort is made to educate visitors about contemporary Aboriginal art and some of the unscrupulous practices in the sector. In contrast to these practices, Marshall Arts source art directly from Aboriginal communities who set the prices and then a standard and transparent mark-up is the applied. This gallery is one of the options featured on our Art of Nature private tour.
For more information see www.marshallart.com.au.