THORN PARK on the island

kangaroo island South Australia

email stay@thornpark.com.au

telephone +61 8 8553 1367

address
50 Wright Road
Penneshaw
South Australia 5222

postal
PO Box 696, PENNESHAW, South Australia 5222

more....

The Oyster Farm Shop at American River is the farm-gate outlet for Kangaroo Island Shellfish, the only commercial oyster farm on the island.
NOT a restaurant, cafe or fish & chip shop.
Serving the freshest oysters on Kangaroo Island, shucked daily when in season (around April to January). Also showcasing the Island’s Aquaculture and Sustainable Seafood straight from the source. Enjoy a ‘share-plate’ with friends from our Local Produce Tasting menu with a glass of the Island’s finest wine, ale or cider

Kangaroo Island Fresh Seafood at Kingscote is the island’s main wholesale and retail supplier of fish and seafood and also has a great retail shop providing ‘Fish & Chips’!
26 Telegraph Road Kingscote 8553 0177

The Kingscote Farmers’ Market is held at Bay of Shoals Winery on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month has a mixture of local growers’ fare and craft works.

Penneshaw also boasts a market for full details about market days please click here

The Kangaroo Island Brewery on the way to Emu Bay (North Coast Road) is a fun place to visit on weekends: they often have live entertainment and pop up food stalls.

Don’t laugh, but Frogs & Roses, our main plant nursery, amazingly, does Pizza and salads for lunch. It’s near the Gin distillery
705 Playford Highway, Menzies SA 5223

Top….food at Sunset Food and Wine….bottom  the truly stunning sunset view from the restaurant.

Top….sublime crudo at The ODD Plate….and bottom  their truly stunning French style gnocchi.

Fine Art Kangaroo Island is Kangaroo Island’s premier art gallery, housing works by more than 50 artists whose connection to Kangaroo Island is a driving force behind the soul-stirring pieces they produce. From large works on canvas or paper to unique jewellery, sculptures or glass. The gallery is not to be missed.

welcome to
Thorn Park on the island

Thank you for your reservation and welcome to Thorn Park on the island. This link is only available once a reservation has been confirmed. Bookmark this link on your phone and you’ll have everything you need to know, from dining, drinking and emergency numbers.

Kangaroo Island is South Australia’s most celebrated tourism destination. Pristine waters, amazing produce, especially seafood, with the famous South Australian rocklobster (called crayfish by us locals) and King George whiting, both of which are prized by highly celebrated chefs throughout the world!

Anything else your need to know please call us! Your call may go to message bank depending on the time of day, but, we’ll get back to you.

David Hay and Michael Speers
Owners

getting to the island

Car ferry: Sealink – 13 13 01 

Passenger Ferry Kangaroo Island Connect – +61 419 100 100

Airlines Regional Express (REX) – 13 17 13  or Qantas – 13 13 13 

Car Hire Budget – 08 8553 3133 or Hertz Car Rental 08 8553 9144

Kangaroo Island Tourism Food Wine Beverage Association web site  they can be contacted by email for additional information.

We strongly advise taking out travel insurance when visiting the island as both flights and ferries can be cancelled due to extreme weather conditions. Please also check with your car hire company regarding insurance and excesses.

the basics

The local Penneshaw IGA supermarket is open 8 am – 8 pm seven days a week and overall is good. I buy our milk, eggs dairy etc., there. They stock Fleurieu milk, Paris Creek bio-dynamic dairy goods, plus the KI sheep’s milk yogurts and cheeses. They have local free range eggs and quite of lot of products made locally including honey, preserves and Jam There is a reasonably good vegetable selection, Tuesdays and Fridays are fresh deliveries; however, they will order things that they don’t normally stock. They have recently changed butcher suppliers and it looks good.

The local post office (community owned) is open Monday to Friday and Saturday morning. They also stock free range eggs and some of the local honey and pickles and jams. They are also agencies for several banks. Next door is a pharmacy depot that has most things medical, and if you drop in a script and it will be back the next day.

dining and drinking

Some of best food on the island is undoubtedly found at
Sunset Food and Wine and The ODD Plate.

At Sunset Food and Wine, apart from the absolutely stunning view, the food and service is world class. They also have an excellent wine list, which although local wineries are well represented, also includes some international entries including a couple of good Champagnes.

Sunset Food and Wine is open for lunch Tuesday to Saturday & dinner Thursday and Saturday. Over the holiday period reservations are strongly recommended. Jack & Vanessa know how to cook and make excellent use of local produce. Phone 08 8553 1378. Just 10 minutes out of Penneshaw towards Kingscote, 4564 Hog Bay Road, Kangaroo Island. Sadly they close over the winter months, mid May to mid/end of September..please check their web site.

The ODD Plate is the new kid on the block. Chef owners Diylan and Yolandi Pitallo trained in South Africa and cut their teeth on Kangaroo Island at Southern Lodge, and then with the highly acclaimed crew at Sunset Food and Wine. The ODD Plate is their first solo venture and open for dinner Wednesday to Sunday. Bookings can be made on their web site, but in the summer season for last minute bookings best to call +61 455 404 251– 51 Chapman Terrace, Kingscote , Kangaroo Island.

GASTONOMO ‘The Enchanted Fig Tree’ has been an evolution of many years and offers a truly unique dining experience. For full details including opening times check out their web site.

Millie Mae’s Pantry at Penneshaw named after local girl named after both of her grandmothers. It’s open for breakfast and lunch, stocks all local produce and is next door to the IGA (she’s created a stunning setting with a purposed built kitchen, shop and deck built out of re-claimed iron and timber and includes a garden with wonderful old fruit trees.)

The local Pizza (‘Isola’) shop is now part of the Seafront Motel and makes great pizzas. Just to make things a little confusing, a new Pizza place has opened recently and it’s called ‘Fire & Smoked’ they have wood-fired pizzas plus an interesting selection of other takeaway meals (or you can dine in). it’s on the seafront just up from the ferry.

The Penneshaw Hotel stocks most of the local wines; look out for Islander Estate wines – very good. The pub, affectionately called ‘The Penny’ does good pub food, and on a sunny day nothing beats a few drinks and nibbles at their outside bar overlooking the mainland.

Cactus at Kingscote is the funkiest thing to hit Kangaroo Island since, well, ever! This quirky café in Kingscote offers breakfast and lunch in a friendly, casual atmosphere complete with music, great coffee and personal service. Enjoy dining outside in fine weather, under the verandah or inside all year round. Open daily breakfast and lunch in summer, Friday to Tuesday in winter.

D’Estrees Bakery Kingscote and Penneshaw a supurb handmade sourdough micro bakery based at remote D’Estrees Bay. Naomi’s wonderful products are available at the Kingscote & Penneshaw Farmers Markets.

Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Oil Distillery & Cafe Kingscote – Larry and Bev Turner founded Emu Ridge in 1991 creating a unique attraction where you can find out how a traditional Aussie bush product is made. They will show you the past and present process of eucalyptus oil distilling. Eucalyptus oil was Australia’s first true export overseas and one of Kangaroo Island’s major industries. Emu Ridge is now the only remaining commercial eucalyptus oil distillery in South Australia and is proud to have preserved a major part of Kangaroo Island’s heritage, producing a eucalyptus oil that is unique to the world. Emu Ridge manufactures and retails Eucalyptus oil and associated natural products from its retail shop & Café.

The Fat Beagle Coffee Shop, cnr Middle Tce & Nat Thomas Street, does coffee and light meals. They often host the ‘I Love Vietnam’ food van on Wednesday nights.

Dudley Wines have a cellar door with probably one of the most breath-taking views on the island. They offer wine tasting and have a great selection of foods for a ‘pick your own picnic’ as well as offering great pizza’s and dips, and platters to dine out on the deck.

False Cape Wines have a cellar door and do local food platters and pizzas. Casual dining with great wines check their facebook or web site.

Emu Bay Lavender all things lavender! Emu Bay Lavender is a working farm and wonderful café. Open daily from 9am to 4pm offering fresh food, local wines and lavender products.

Mini De Lights pop up Kitchen and bar set in a quirky caravan, located at two special destinations on KI.
Open all year round at Kangaroo Island Spirits and at Emu Bay, beachfront.
Serving street food bites, desserts, coffee and cocktails.
Sunset sessions on the beach with a bite to eat and with a drink to start or to finish the day.
Check Instagram and Facebook for opening times.

Feeling like something spicy? True Thai is a pretty amazing spot, opens only one night a week (Thursdays), just off the turnoff to American River: you can expect the unexpected! (BYO). They also run a ‘pop up’ van that is often in Kingscote at 148 Old Salt Lake Rd, Haines SA 5223.

Not to be out done, there is a Vietnamese ‘pop up’ (we Love Vietnam) every Friday evening from 5pm at the boat ramp at Baudin Beach! Designed for takeaway we often set ourselves up in the nearby shelter shed with a bottle and a few candles.

Jenny and Cadj Amadio, Amadio Wines brought winemaking to the island and have opened a Cellar door and bar on the corner of Dauncey and Commercial streets Kingscote, open daily serving Italian inspired dishes, rustic tapas platters, pizzas….4pm til late.

You can do some serious damage at the local distillery, KI Spirits their Gin is amazing! But so are their other products! Make sure you have a nominated driver that day and finish the tasting with their fabulous Affogato.

Islander Estate Vineyards our favourite winery has now opened a tasting room at Cygnet River and is open 12 noon until 5pm everyday other than Wednesdays.

The Islander Estate Vineyards was established by renowned Bordeaux winemaker Jacques Lurton after falling love with the natural beauty of Kangaroo Island and recognising the region’s enormous viticultural potential.

The Island offers near perfect growing conditions of wine grapes, including a cool, semi dry climate that allows slow ripening, significant factors in producing The Islander Estate Wines.

Jacques established a modern 70 tonne winery onsite at the vineyard at Kohinoor Hills in the centre of the Island in 2000.  Today Islander Estate enjoys a 5-star Halliday rating for its outstanding cool climate wines.

Springs Road Winesi n 2016 McLaren Vale locals Joch Bosworth and Louise Hemsley-Smith bought the Springs Road vineyard (planted between 1994 and 2000), recognising that the property was an amazing site capable of producing beautiful wines. In late 2018 the Springs Road Cellar Door was opened, and the new Springs Road Wines launched, with a Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz/ Cab blend and a small volume of our ‘Terre Napoleon’ Shiraz. Cellar door is open daily 12-5pm from October-April and from 12-4pm from May-September (closed Tuesdays).

The Rockpool Café by the beach at Stokes Bay has great simple food and really great local seafood and chips. 

Stokes Bay not only has the most amazing seafood, with the most stunning beach and an even more amazing ‘entrance’.

The following are some helpful websites, the first is the local food group who try very hard to promote local food.

 Vivonne Bay General Store
4117 S Coast Rd, Vivonne Bay SA 5223 for their “Whiting Burger”.

Kangaroo Island Beehive Kingscote Island Beehive produces world renowned, Certified Organic Ligurian Bee Honey.

Complete with cafe, gift shop, honey produce and tours, Island Beehive supplies a range of honey flavours for the local Kangaroo Island market and also for distribution throughout Australia and beyond.

Owner, Peter Davis has built an interactive Visitor Centre promoting the Ligurian Bee story and provides links between heritage, environment and food production. Tours of the facility, and free honey tastings highlight the industry to Island visitors.

Any honey on the island is excellent and can genuinely boast the purest honey in the world today! Initially brought to Kangaroo Island by the Ligurians and is highly celebrated by chefs throughout the world…in particular the Manuka honey noted for its medicinal properties. There are several ‘cellar doors’ or ‘beehives’ to visit.

your choice...

You may love the tranquility of  Thorn Park on the island beach house so much, you may choose not to venture out. However, Kangaroo Island is rated as South Australia’s most acclaimed tourist destination and you just might have a lot of fun exploring all the good things the island has to offer.

emergency

Bushfire
to report: phone 000
For updates: 1300 362 361
ABC Radio 891 AM www.cfs.org.au

Police, Ambulance or Fire: Phone 000

Hospital: Kangaroo Island Health Service
phone 8553 4200
Esplanade Kingscote

Doctors Kingscote Medical Centre
64 Murray St, Kingscote SA 5223
8553 2037

Terry White  Chemists
15 Murray St, Kingscote SA 5223
8553 2153

Penneshaw Depot for Terry White Chemist
12 Middle Terrace, Penneshaw SA 5222
8553 1203

we have two brilliant properties

luxury

We have two brilliant properties; Thorn Park in the City, located in inner city Adelaide, South Australia and Thorn Park on the Island, located on South Australia’s pristine Kangaroo Island.

stay@thornpark.com.au
telephone +61 8 8553 1367
postal PO Box 696, PENNESHAW, South Australia 5222
address 50 Wright Street, Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island, South Australia 5222

web site last updated January 27, 2024
copyright © text and images unless otherwise stated 2024 Thorn Park – PRIVACY