Latest news with #BaillieLodges
West Australian
12-07-2025
- West Australian
Dalliance in the Daintree
Daintree Rainforest is a breath of fresh air, literally, covering more than 1200sqkm in tropical North Queensland, 90 minutes drive from Cairns. I'm here on a whirlwind visit with Polestar, the road trip in a Polestar 3 pitched as 'the SUV that drives like a sport car' (full report in West Wheels) to spend the night at Silky Oaks Lodge just outside Mossman. The trip from Cairns is a dream, winding along the coast overlooking the Coral Sea. It feels like I can almost put my hand out and touch the water, it's so close, and, right on cue, Coldplay's Paradise comes up on the playlist. Life doesn't get much better than this. April to November is dry season with average daytime temperatures around 27C; nights average 19C. 'Caution. Falling coconuts', a sign reads at a rest stop. Silky Oaks Lodge, part of the Baillie Lodges group, has had an architectural redesign in the past few years as part of a $20 million refurbishment with custom furniture that includes king beds and commissioned artworks. Set along the banks of the Mossman River, adjacent to the rainforest, it has a main lodge and 40 luxury treehouse-style guest suites, all with verandas, hammocks, and names drawn from local fauna. I'm staying in the 'Green Frog', which is $2250 a night and includes a private deck with an outdoor bathtub and open-air shower. Oh, there's no TV, which I don't notice till someone points it out — and that's the whole point of it because there's a lot more to life than staring at moving pictures on a screen in a room when you consider the rainforest is anywhere between 130 million and 180 million years old. Older, even, than the Amazon. Breathe. This is as pure as it gets. Sir David Attenborough famously described it as 'the most extraordinary place on Earth'. Pricing is 'dynamic', changing with season and demand, but accommodation is all-inclusive, so you get breakfast, evening drinks and canapes, a four-course dinner menu with matched wines, fully stocked mini-bar that's replenished daily, access to the Fig Tree Rapid trails, morning yoga and one return set-schedule shuttle to Port Douglas per day. Food is delicious, the menu curated by executive chef Mark Godbeer, and the kitchen garden you can walk through reveals a very short plant-to-plate journey. Rustle, rustle . . . I'm having a steamy soak at midnight and there's a creature in the forest. No, it's not a crocodile, they're in the mangroves, but more likely a wallaby or scrub fowl. Either way, I'm too relaxed to care. It's been a busy day, taking in a drift-hike on a 'river sled' — basically an industrial-strength li-lo — along the Mossman River with Back Country Bliss Adventures, which runs guided tours just downstream from the lodge. Putting on wetsuits and dive boots, my group is assured it's too high, too cool and too clear for crocs. But the rainforest is full of other dangers, our guide drawing everyone's attention to the stinging tree menacingly close to the water as we trek along river channels to the starting point. Otherwise known as gympie-gympie, a name from the Kabi Kabi people of south-eastern Queensland, it's part of the Urticaceae family that takes in the common prickly nettle found in Europe and North America, and has the dubious honour of being, arguably, the most painful plant in the world. The sting is in its fine, needle-like hairs, which contain a neurotoxin similar to that of a spider, scorpion or cone snail — and the effect, if touched, can last for days, weeks, months and, in some instances, years, according to our guide. I ask if it has medicinal properties. Apparently, yes, and these are being studied, including the plant's anti-inflammatory properties and its potential for developing a non-opioid painkiller without harmful side effects. Finally, we get to drift. It's a bit of a balancing act, steering clear of granite boulders and tree roots. Just when I think I've got the hang of it, splash. I'm totally soaked as the guide tells us about the river's sacred role in Aboriginal Dreamtime. To think the rainforest was logged, cleared or converted to crops and pasture for more than 100 years of European colonisation till Daintree National Park was declared in 1981 and amalgamated into the UNESCO-listed World Heritage site Wet Tropics of Queensland in 1988. 'If it wasn't for all that, we'd have sugarcane right up to the riverbank,' the guide says. It's growing just across the track we walk on, but producers have been doing it tough with the closure of the Mossman Sugar Mill in 2024, which means they need to truck their sugarcane 100km to Mulgrave Central Mill in Gordonvale. 'We have to respect our past, so let's turn the Mossman mill into a museum,' the guide suggests. The Daintree Rainforest is about 120km north of Cairns along Captain Cook Highway. Allow a leisurely two to three hours with stops at beaches along the way, including Palm Cove, or make it a day and drop into Port Douglas. The drive offers some of the most stunning scenery in the world — but there may be roadworks, so be prepared for delays. If you're heading to the northern part of the Daintree Rainforest (north of the Daintree River), including Cape Tribulation, you'll need to use the car ferry, which operates daily. + Daintree Rainforest is part of the 1988 UNESCO-listed World Heritage site Wet Tropics of Queensland, which stretches along the north-east coast of Australia for 450km between Townsville and Cooktown. + UNESCO recognises the Wet Tropics as being of 'outstanding universal value', noting there are some 894,420ha of mostly tropical rainforest that 'presents an unparalleled record of the ecological and evolutionary processes that shaped the flora and fauna of Australia'. + The Wet Tropics is listed as the second-most irreplaceable natural World Heritage site on Earth by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. + In 2021 the Queensland Government handed back 160,213ha of Wet Tropics land to Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation on behalf of traditional owners, the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people. About 20 per cent of the land was in addition to that covered by Eastern Kuku Yalanji native title and includes the transfer of the Daintree, Ngalba Bulal (Cedar Bay), Black Mountain and Hope Islands national parks to Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land, marking the first time a UNESCO World Heritage area would be jointly run by traditional owners and a State government.
The Age
30-05-2025
- The Age
Luxury lodge in one of the harshest environments on Earth reopens
Northern Chile's Tierra Atacama has just reopened after a year-long, $US20 million ($32 million) transformation. All the work at the legendary luxurious hotel was designed to preserve its close connection to the local community, descendants of the Incas and Aymaras with living heritage that dates back 10,000 years. Built in the oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama, amid the driest non-polar desert on Earth, the lodge was conceived by Miguel Purcell, an Olympic skier and mountaineer. Tierra Atacama opened in 2008 with a mission to keep its environmental impact low while offering guests extraordinary experiences in one of the planet's most amazing landscapes. The 32-room retreat was built around a centuries-old cattle corral using traditional methods. It was filled with a curation of culturally relevant art, objects and materials, and each room was set with views of the Licancabur Volcano. The Purcell family went on to create Tierra Hotels, and now has two sister properties in the region under its umbrella. In 2022, it sold a majority shareholding in the company to Baillie Lodges. Founded by James and Hayley Baillie, Baillie Lodges owns and runs some of the world's most esteemed luxury adventure properties, including Longitude 131° at Uluru-Kata Tjuta, Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island in South Australia and Silky Oaks Lodge in Queensland. Internationally it owns Huka Lodge in New Zealand and Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge on Canada's Vancouver Island. The fit is so strong that Purcell remains involved in the property and actually led the redesign project in person. He was joined by Tierra Atacama's original Chilean architects – Rodrigo Searle and Matias Gonzalez – who again used the surrounding environment as the starting point for design. Interior designer Carolina Delpiano, who has been responsible for the original interiors at all the Tierra properties since their inception, also took part. Chilean landscape architect Teresa Moller preserved the original walls and native vegetation while integrating changes to the built environment into the existing gardens and setting. Where possible, local tradespeople and artisans were employed to realise the vision.
Sydney Morning Herald
30-05-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Luxury lodge in one of the harshest environments on Earth reopens
Northern Chile's Tierra Atacama has just reopened after a year-long, $US20 million ($32 million) transformation. All the work at the legendary luxurious hotel was designed to preserve its close connection to the local community, descendants of the Incas and Aymaras with living heritage that dates back 10,000 years. Built in the oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama, amid the driest non-polar desert on Earth, the lodge was conceived by Miguel Purcell, an Olympic skier and mountaineer. Tierra Atacama opened in 2008 with a mission to keep its environmental impact low while offering guests extraordinary experiences in one of the planet's most amazing landscapes. The 32-room retreat was built around a centuries-old cattle corral using traditional methods. It was filled with a curation of culturally relevant art, objects and materials, and each room was set with views of the Licancabur Volcano. The Purcell family went on to create Tierra Hotels, and now has two sister properties in the region under its umbrella. In 2022, it sold a majority shareholding in the company to Baillie Lodges. Founded by James and Hayley Baillie, Baillie Lodges owns and runs some of the world's most esteemed luxury adventure properties, including Longitude 131° at Uluru-Kata Tjuta, Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island in South Australia and Silky Oaks Lodge in Queensland. Internationally it owns Huka Lodge in New Zealand and Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge on Canada's Vancouver Island. The fit is so strong that Purcell remains involved in the property and actually led the redesign project in person. He was joined by Tierra Atacama's original Chilean architects – Rodrigo Searle and Matias Gonzalez – who again used the surrounding environment as the starting point for design. Interior designer Carolina Delpiano, who has been responsible for the original interiors at all the Tierra properties since their inception, also took part. Chilean landscape architect Teresa Moller preserved the original walls and native vegetation while integrating changes to the built environment into the existing gardens and setting. Where possible, local tradespeople and artisans were employed to realise the vision.
Hospitality Net
21-05-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Courtney Reagan has been appointed Chief Commercial Officer at Baillie Lodges and Tierra Hotels
Baillie Lodges, the global boutique ultra-luxury lodge platform is pleased to announce the appointment of Courtney Reagan as Chief Commercial Officer, effective May 19, 2025. In this newly created role, Courtney will lead the integrated sales and marketing teams for Baillie Lodges and Tierra Hotels. With an extensive background in luxury experiential travel and a career spanning high-end tour operators and boutique properties, Courtney brings a wealth of strategic insight and leadership experience to the group - expertise that will be instrumental in elevating commercial performance and expanding brand presence globally. Most recently, Courtney was Chief Marketing Officer for Explora Lodges, giving her strong insights into the Chilean market. Before that, she led marketing at Eleven, known for its exceptional adventure lodges. She also has extensive experience with Abercrombie & Kent and previously held multiple roles at Hilton in international partnerships as well as customer loyalty - an area of increasing focus for Baillie Lodges. Baillie Lodges has seen significant growth over the last six years. The company has expanded from four lodges in Australia to nine lodges across Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Chile. With the recent appointment of Michael Crawford as CEO and now Courtney as CCO, the company continues to build momentum, strengthening its commitment to sustainable growth and seeks further opportunities to expand its experiential luxury ecosystem with new destinations and travel verticals. In 2025, Baillie Lodges has celebrated the return of two flagship lodges following major renovations: Huka Lodge, set on the banks of the Waikato River in Taupō, New Zealand, reopened on March 1, and Tierra Atacama in the northern desert of Chile welcomed guests again from April 1. Each reaffirms Baillie Lodges' reputation for design-led luxury and immersive, place-based experiences.
Forbes
13-05-2025
- Forbes
Australia's Southern Ocean Lodge Is The Ideal Restful Getaway
The Great Room and view at Southern Ocean Lodge. It's not uncommon to walk into the circular Great Room at Australia's Southern Ocean Lodge and see guests just staring at the view of Hanson Bay through the floor to ceiling glass. 'The next land mass you'll see is Antarctica' is the way this expanse of the Southern Ocean is described and the panorama of that water, lapping waves in some parts, crashing on the rocks in others, is simply mesmerizing. It's one reason that this room was duplicated exactly as it was in the original lodge when the 2.0 lodge opened 18 months ago. The bedroom of the Flinders Suite. In the scorching summer of 2019-2020, the lodge, one of the country's luxurious Baillie Lodges and a star of Luxury Lodges of Australia, burned to the ground in the wildfires that destroyed half of the island on which it's located, Kangaroo Island. But Baillie Lodges founders James and Hayley Baillie were determined to rebuild it and broke ground two years later, bringing back original architect Max Pritchard who apparently relished the opportunity to replicate but with some improvements. There are now 25 rooms, slightly up from the original 21, elongated, expanded and angled so that there is a complete view of the ocean and total privacy from neighboring rooms since all are laid out on a string extending from the main building. All feature natural elements such as limestone floors and blackwood walls, custom furniture, works by Australian artists and either a terrace or in the two bedroom Remarkable Suite, a plunge pool and an infinity pool in the Osprey Suite. Just above the lodge, the new Baillie Pavilion with two wings, four bedrooms and a plunge pool on one wing and an infinity pool on the other can be reserved as either one unit for a group or as individual rooms. The East Lounge of the Baillie Pavilion. Dining here is an exploration of the vibrant artisan food culture of the island since so many of the ingredients that comprise the two menus are locally sourced: one menu is a three course assortment of that day's chef created selections; the other a lineup of classic dishes for guests who are more in the mood for something simple such as pan seared local fish, char grilled Coorong sirloin or a ham and cheese toastie. Among the dishes of the day that might come out of the kitchen on any given night: the freshwater crayfish marron with miso bearnaise, finger lime and salmon roe, pork with tamarind glaze, cucumber and sesame emulsion and duck breast with kale, local sticky fig mostarda and beetroot. And if you're there at lunch or before sunset, an extra reward is the view since the restaurant is next to the Great Room with similar glass walls. Sunset at Admirals Arch on Kangaroo Island Apart from the activities on site, most revolving around the new spa, the lodge excels in providing island activities, many demonstrating the dense concentration of wildlife that has earned the island the name The Galapagos of Australia. One tour to Flinders Chase National Park west of the lodge, surrounded by foliage that is regenerating from the wildfires, shows off the massive rock formation The Remarkable Rocks composed of black mica, blue quartz, and pink feldspar; the natural grotto Admirals Arch, site of a thousand selfies, and the fur seal colony on the nearby beach. An even larger group of sea lions is seen swimming or lolling on the beach at another site, Seal Bay on the island's southeast coast. A tour at sunset shows off the country's most famous wildlife, kangaroos, koalas and wallabies, along with other species at their most active (if koalas, drowsily perched in trees can be considered active apart from, obviously, cute.) A koala in a tree on Kangaroo Island. As part of this nocturnal walking safari, a table is set up in the forest for cocktails and snacks as a prelude to dinner back at the lodge. Afterward, even if the darkness obscures all but the most robust waves, lodge guests still take their seats by the windows of the Great Room facing the sea and Antarctica in the distance listening to the sounds of this soothingly remote place. The setting of Southern Ocean Lodge
