Aurora Ozone Hotel - Kangaroo Island: Lisa experience some of the magic of the Kangaroo Island region of South Australia
Kangaroo Island is a whole world away from the city but only 15 kilometres across Backstairs Passage. The biggest town is Kingscote on Nepean Bay. It's Kangaroo Island's so-called capital - but history tells us the Kingscote story could have been so much grander.
Nearby Reeves Point jutting out into the Bay of Shoals was the first European settlement in South Australia. In 1836, six months before the Buffalo arrived at Holdfast Bay the ship, the Duke of York sailed into the sheltered waters of KI's north coast and on board were 42 people who'd paid the newly formed South Australia Company to get them here and start a new life. But their grand plans were short lived - the soil was poor and fresh water was scarce. Reeves Point is now a reserve dedicated to the efforts of these first settlers…
The highlight is the famous Mulberry Tree planted by those first settlers and still alive more than a century and a half later. Flagstaff Hill, which looks down on Reeve's Point, has another tribute to the settlers. The wind-battered crows nest on the flagpole is surrounded by sculptures made from local basalt which depict the four ships that carried the ill-fated pioneers… the Duke of York, the John Pirie, Lady Mary Pelham and the Rapid.
The big plans could never be realised - when Colonel William Light turned up and saw the lack of fresh water, he set his sights on the mainland instead. But KI experiment wasn't a complete waste of time - more than 170 years later, Kingscote remains KI's biggest town - with half the island's population.
For more than a century, the foreshore has been dominated by an imposing two-storey pub - the Ozone Hotel. Built in 1907, it quickly became the focal point of the town for the locals and the increasingly popular sailing fraternity from the mainland.
Andrew Duncan, Aurora Ozone Hotel: "It's interesting that even back then it was half built to service tourism. At the turn of the century, yachting was the big sporting activity in Australia and this was built to emulate what was happening in Sydney Harbour. I think at the time it was considered to have emulated it very well."
Tourism was increasing and business was good - but in 1918 disaster struck with a fire which destroyed the hotel - only the stone walls were left standing. The town was shocked.
Andrew Duncan: "It was a catastrophic event at the time. I'm sure the owners would have thought this is it - we're gone. But they re-immerged and survived and prospered."
The hotel was rebuilt and re-opened in 1920 and since then has undergone a number of make-overs but she still offers those great views of the jetty and the bay beyond. The bistro is a great spot - pleasantly enclosed on the ground floor verandah.
The Ozone is now operated by the South Australian owned Aurora Group, which also runs hotels in Alice Springs and Kakadu. A new $2 million conference centre has been added and there's a range of room options in the original hotel - many with access to the verandah overlooking the foreshore. Across the road, a more modern wing offering a choice of rooms and townhouses, to apartments and even a penthouse.
Kangaroo Island Sealink runs a daily ferry service to and from KI daily. The Aurora Ozone Hotel is on the foreshore at Kingscote. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au
Kangaroo Island Sealink
Bookings: 13 13 01Aurora Ozone Hotel
The Foreshore
Kingscote
Toll Free 1800 083 133Published 7th March 2010
