SPIRIT OF PLACE
Spirit of Place - Luxury Travel Magazine
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Spirit of Place | |||||
| By: Jenny Caspersonn, Issue 26 - Autumn 2006 | |||||
| (NT, Australia) | |||||
| GET AWAY TO ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST REMOTE LODGES. | |||||
| There’s something special about the languid spin of a ceiling fan. Something that evokes the tropics, relaxation and far away places. Croc-like, semi-submerged in the pool at Seven Spirit Bay in Arhnem Land as I watch the fans turning on the verandah above, I ponder just how far away I am. Literally miles from anywhere, on the northern coastline of the Coburg Peninsula, Seven Spirit Bay Wilderness Lodge is 45 minutes by light plane from Darwin. Apart from a few small Aboriginal settlements, the nearest regional centre is 180kms away. This is getting-away-from-it-all big time. Set on a protected cove on Garig Gunak Barlu National Park, surrounded by the vast Coburg Marine Park and the Arafura Sea to the north, this remote eco-retreat operates by way of permission from traditional Aboriginal landowners whose ancestors have called the region home for 40,000 years. With visitor numbers strictly limited, a stay here is an exclusive privilege. A central lodge houses reception, restaurant and bar with an air-conditioned conference facility adjoining the lagoon pool area. Décor is simple and elegant; polished jarrah floors with bush colour schemes and stylish decorative touches. Shady verandahs open onto the pool deck for relaxed open-air dining in the award-winning restaurant. A cluster of 23 spacious hexagonal dwellings – known as habitats – nestle in the forest. With floor-to-ceiling glass louvres on five sides, guests are immersed in the smells, sights and sounds of the Australian bush. Each habitat has its own detached outdoor garden bathroom. Completely private and totally charming, a midnight visit may require some sleepy sidestepping of geckos, wallabies and the occasional crawly critter. Seven Spirit Bay is about escape and celebrating the natural environment. Barely visible from the air, there are no televisions or telephones, although calls and Internet access are available from the main lodge. Guided nature tours showcase the unique flora, fauna, bird-life and marine species of the region. Four-wheel-drive safaris visit Kennedy Bay and Port Essington where the British tried unsuccessfully to establish Victoria Settlement more than 160 years ago. The landscape is diverse: from sandy beaches, mangroves and coral reefs to rainforests, grasslands and swamps. But the colours are classically Australian: distinctive red earth meeting the lush green of the tropical vegetation. Five minutes in the open Range-Rover and anything white is a dusty shade of ochre. Boat cruises reveal the striking coastline and inviting jade waters. Sadly, these sparkling seas are decidedly user unfriendly. If the crocs and sharks don't get you, the box jellyfish will. Swimming is strictly lodge pool only. Fishing is particularly popular, with customised guided sport fishing adventures for groups or individuals. It’s wilderness without the wild, remote without roughing it. Attractive to the well-travelled seeking something different, the lazy romantic, the adventurous and the fishing crowd alike, all will be won over to see and be part of this unique wilderness experience. It would be hard to forget the memorable sight of a playful pod of dolphins silhouetted in the reflected gleam of a violent pink Top-End sunset, champagne glass in hand. As I drift off to sleep later that night I'm again happily pondering ceiling fans. | |||||
| Details: | |||||
| (08) 8979 0281, www.sevenspiritbay.com. Qantas Holidays offers package deals to Seven Spirit Bay, bookings on 13 14 15. Qantas offers the only non-stop flights to Darwin from Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and Cairns. | |||||
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