With beach, reef, rockpools and trails a stroll from guests’ doorsteps, the newly certified Kilcunda Oceanview Holiday Retreat is the perfect place for a family holiday.
Ecotourism Australia congratulates Kilcunda Oceanview Holiday Retreat on achieving Nature Tourism Certification for their cottage, oceanfront villas, delux and studio cabins and powered and unpowered camping.
An hour and a half drive from Melbourne, nestled between Phillip Island and Inverloch, this retreat is also an ideal home-base for exploring the Bass Strait, Cape Woolamai or Cape Paterson. The stunning coastal views and atmosphere of this landscape can be enjoyed from accommodation suiting any guest. The villa and cottage design and neutral colour scheme incorporating natural light, double glazing and insulation enhance guests’ experiences without the intrusion of excessive noise and artificial light. Guests bringing their own tent or caravan have the comfort of a communal kitchen, barbeque and dining areas; and access to courts for tennis, cricket, volleyball and other sports.
Ending a short stroll from retreat grounds, the George Bass Coastal Walk offers clifftop views of whale migration, birds and native flowers. The new linkage with the Nyroa-Wonthaggi Rail Trail, skirting the retreat, makes accessing the Kilcunda Coastal and Punchbowl Reserves, historic sites, and close by towns a breeze.
Photo: George Bass Coastal Walk, rockpool / Monica Muranyi, Flickr
Planted with drought tolerant plants requiring no watering, the grounds are designed and managed with sustainability in mind. Grounds staff are inducted in environmental management procedures and any work with potential environmental impacts is discussed in-depth. Mechanical weed removal is used preferentially and pesticides, carefully selected for minimal impacts, used sparingly. The retreat is working to re-establish native vegetation by propagating and replanting species native to the area, along with a weed eradication program and the pest control management plan (supported by Bass Coast Shire). Permission is also granted for Landcare to plant vegetation which prevents coastal erosion on their land.
The retreat is working to keep their resource use low. The reception and amenities’ hot water are solar powered, and the washing machines and shower heads are water efficient. Their recycle and reuse management program ensures broken equipment is repaired first, then replaced with usable parts saved.
Photo: Kilcunda Oceanview Holiday Retreat villas / Facebook
Holidaying with Kilcunda Oceanview Holiday Retreat supports the sustainability of the region. They source supplies from local businesses and employ local people. They encourage patronisation of the array of local tours, restaurants and attractions by making recommendations, supplying brochures, and creating accommodation packages which include local services (i.e. discounted cruises).
Kilcunda considers the experience and satisfaction of every guest when deciding how to improve the Holiday Retreat.
Congratulations again on joining the Ecotourism Australia family!
For more on the Kilcunda Oceanview Holiday Retreat visit their website and Facebook.
[Cover image: ocean view cottage front veranda]
