There is a distinct magic that happens when a small group of friends slows down, leaves the mainland behind, and steps into the raw, untamed beauty of Kangaroo Island.
Kangaroo Island
March 2025
We spent an unforgettable week on this spectacular island sanctuary, gathering together to celebrate a major milestone birthday for Barbara. Kangaroo Island has a way of reminding you what it feels like to be truly connected to nature, and to each other. It was a week filled with laughter, wild encounters, and the kind of soulful luxury we always crave at Once Were Wild Travel. With chefs in our group, the culinary highlights were on display daily, but we thoroughly enjoyed a long, lazy "celebratory" lunch at the iconic "The Fig Tree," right across from the shimmering sands of Snelling Beach. This is not your traditional restaurant; it is an immersive dining adventure. We stepped through a secret entrance of tangled branches and fairy lights into a magical outdoor dining room set completely under the canopy of a colossal, 130-year-old fig tree. As dappled summer sunlight danced through the leaves, we were treated to an exquisite, Mediterranean-inspired feast showcasing the very best local, foraged island produce. The only thing more enchanting than the food was the local welcoming committee … wild kangaroos casually roamed the grounds, adding a uniquely Australian touch to our celebration. Our home for the week was nothing short of spectacular. We stayed at Fides on Kangaroo Beach, a premium, secluded luxury holiday house tucked away on the island's pristine north-western coastline. Elevated right above a completely private beach cove, the lodge offered us breathtaking, uninterrupted ocean views from almost every room. Surrounded by roaming wallabies and coastal wilderness, it felt like our own private paradise. But the absolute pinnacle of our week came one quiet afternoon when a pod of wild dolphins swam right into our private cove. They spent hours playing in the crystal-clear shallows right alongside us, making it a surreal, unforgettable birthday gift from nature, that left us all completely breathless. Kangaroo Island completely stole our hearts, proving that you never lose your sense of wonder when you travel with the right people. This island is the epitome of everything we believe in: slow, deliberate travel that leaves you deeply changed. We loved this experience so much that we are already planning the ultimate Once Were Wild Travel Kangaroo Island tour.