The Rusty Kangaroo - Exclusive Ocean View Couples Retreat

The story behind The Rusty Kangaroo

Our story began almost 20 years ago when, on a whim, we came to Kangaroo Island for a family holiday.

Within four days, we had bought 100 acres of native wilderness.

We are not normally spontaneous people!

There was just something about the tranquillity, the wildlife, the extraordinary coastline and the sense of space that captured us. We fell in love with the island and never really looked back.

There was just one small complication — our beautiful property had once been the old Penneshaw rubbish dump.

Today, you would never know it.

The dump is long gone, the native landscape has regenerated, and people now tell us that the view from the property is one of the best on the island. We like to think we turned a lemon into lemonade.

We built our home ourselves, from the ground up, with plenty of blood, sweat and tears along the way. Wherever possible, we used reclaimed and upcycled materials, creating a home that feels very different from suburbia and reflects our belief that beautiful things don't always need to be new.

That same philosophy is part of The Rusty Kangaroo today — a place where nature, comfort, thoughtful design and genuine hospitality come together.

We hope you enjoy the peace and beauty of our little piece of Kangaroo Island as much as we do.

And if you need anything during your stay, we're nearby and always happy to help.