Luxury villas to open in the dunes of this exclusive SA island

Taylah DarnellBy Taylah Darnell
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This dreamy island escape is about to level up – in more ways than one.

Hidden in plain sight just off the coast of South Australia’s picturesque Eyre Peninsula is the ultimate secluded stay. Rumi on Louth is a perfect paradigm of the modern holiday, mastering the duality of indulgence with eco-consciousness. The off-grid eco resort partially opened its doors in 2023, giving travellers a tantalising taste of what’s to come once it fully opens later this year.

Now, that future is one step closer. The second phase of construction has recently received the green light, signalling the start of a whopping $20 million plan to develop the eco resort into one of Australia’s leading luxury accommodation offerings.

Rumi on Louth in South Australia
The luxurious eco resort is slated for completion in 2025. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

The accommodation

Currently, overnight options are limited to a small but impressive range of luxury rooms and suites that welcome the wild island inside. Four flawless Ocean View King Rooms and the One Bedroom Ocean View Suite provide guests with cosy comfort and luxurious style, as does a private nine-bedroom retreat. But this already impressive range is about to get even better.

Rumi on Louth in South Australia
Bigger groups can book the private retreat. (Image: South Australian Tourism Commission)

Once stage two is complete, guests will be able to stay in a luxury villa that seems to disappear underground, built into the island’s cascading sand dunes. Working with Adelaide architecture firm Archaea Architects , each earth-sheltered hideaway has been deliberately designed by the resort’s team to blend into the surrounding landscape and preserve its natural environment.

Rumi on Louth in South Australia
Current guests can stay in luxurious off-grid suites. (Image: Robert Lang Photography)

Crowding won’t be an issue either. The exclusive villas will be spaced out across the entire southern end of Louth Island, promising guests complete privacy and uninterrupted views of the coastline.

The amenities

Current guests at Rumi on Louth don’t have much at all to complain about. Tailored packages, a day spa and a two-hatted onsite restaurant have kept everyone entertained thus far. As has a variety of signature experiences, including dreamy beach picnics, cooking masterclasses, buggy tours, catamaran cruises, kayak fishing and more.

Rumi on Louth in South Australia
The onsite restaurant has two Chef Hats. (Image: Robert Lang Photography)

But a new range of resort-style facilities promises even more fun, from tennis and pickleball courts to a Japanese-inspired onsen with massage rooms, plunge pools, saunas and cabanas. A brand-new boardwalk will also provide access to a stunning secluded beach, one of the island’s major drawcards.

“If you’ve ever seen Whitehaven Beach… it’s very much like that type of beach, except smaller," says Rumi on Louth’s owner, Che Metcalfe. Who needs to battle crowds in The Whitsundays when you could have it all to yourself in SA?

Louth Island in Suth Australia
Louth Island is SA’s answer to The Whitsundays. (Image: Robert Lang Photography)

The ethos

Sustainability has always been a principal value at Rumi on Louth. It’s completely off-grid, with solar power, desalination plants, compost systems and recycling all primary focuses of phase one. There are also advanced systems that turn human waste into water, which is used to water crops and help native plants grow.

This forward-thinking ideology continues to evolve in stage two, a move that could place Rumi on Louth amongst some of the country’s best eco retreats. The second phase will see the introduction of chicken coops and vegetable gardens, which will help the eco resort on its mission to restore and revegetate Louth Island.

Rumi on Louth in South Australia
The resort is designed to be self-sufficient. (Image: Robert Lang Photography)

“Over time, we plan to be more and more self-sufficient, and part of that is growing our own vegetables. We always forage for native ingredients, which we will grow more of over time," says Metcalfe.

But there’s more. While the second stage of development is obviously Metcalf’s primary focus, the tech entrepreneur from Adelaide is already thinking about what’s next.

“I want to do unique experiences that you can’t get anywhere else in Australia, and I want to build it into one of the best resorts in the world. I don’t want to stop until we get there," Metcalfe says.

Watch this space.

Taylah Darnell
Taylah Darnell is Australian Traveller's Writer & Producer. She has been passionate about writing since she learnt to read, spending many hours either lost in the pages of books or attempting to write her own. This life-long love of words inspired her to study a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Technology Sydney, where she completed two editorial internships. She began her full-time career in publishing at Ocean Media before scoring her dream job with Australian Traveller. Now as Writer & Producer, Taylah passionately works across both digital platforms and print titles. When she's not wielding a red pen over magazine proofs, you can find Taylah among the aisles of a second-hand bookshop, following a good nature trail or cheering on her EPL team at 3am. While she's keen to visit places like Norway and New Zealand, her favourite place to explore will forever be her homeland.
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Rumi on Louth in South Australia
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Mornington Peninsula’s storied past: war, shipwrecks and a runaway convict 

    Kellie FloydBy Kellie Floyd
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    The Mornington Peninsula is a coastline of contrasts, where convict and military history meets shipwrecks, wild seas and adventures above and below the surface.

    The Mornington Peninsula can be the kind of place where salt-tangled hair feels like a badge of honour – proof you’ve been somewhere wild, raw and real. Peel back the layers and you’ll discover stories that anchor this region to something other than its famed food and wine.

    This land is the traditional Sea Country of the Bunurong/Boon Wurrung people. Long before grapevines were planted and artisanal goods were crafted, the Bunurong Traditional Owners lived in deep connection with the land and sea. Today, places such as Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary echo that tradition, with families exploring its rockpools in search of colourful sea stars and crabs at low tide and learning how these fragile ecosystems have been cared for across countless generations.

    a group of people visiting the Port Nepean National Park
    Take in the rugged coastal landscape at Port Nepean National Park. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    A visit to Point Nepean National Park feels like stepping back through time. The fort, built in 1882, protected the narrow entrance to Port Phillip Bay until the end of the Second World War. It was here that the first Allied shot of the First World War was fired – at a German cargo ship trying to escape just hours after war was declared. Nearby, the old Quarantine Station, one of Australia’s first permanent quarantine facilities, established in 1852, still stands. Walking through the hospital and disinfecting complex evokes stories of those who arrived from faraway shores.

    Not far from here is a story of survival that inspired the Aussie phrase ‘you’ve got Buckley’s chance’. In 1803, escaped convict William Buckley vanished into the bush near what’s now Sorrento. Everyone thought he had no hope of surviving, but he reappeared 32 years later, having lived with local Aboriginal people.

    Even the waters here hold history. The infamous stretch known as The Rip, just three kilometres wide at the entrance of Port Phillip Bay, is among the most treacherous waterways. Countless ships were lost here in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and in 1967, Australia’s own Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared while swimming off the coast, never to be found.

    a seal swimming in Port Phillip Bay
    A seal swimming in Port Phillip Bay. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

    But for all its danger, the sea here also holds extraordinary beauty. Dolphins are often seen near Sorrento’s cliffs, while below the surface, seagrass meadows and rocky reefs teem with life. Marine tours offer a viewing to this underwater wonderland, while back on terra firma, walking trails lead along beaches, through coastal scrub, and over rock pools.

    And if you think you’ll forget about the Mornington Peninsula once you’ve left? You’ve got Buckley’s chance.

    A traveller’s checklist

    Staying there

    the suite interior at InterContinental Sorrento
    Luxury interiors at the historic InterContinental Sorrento. (Image: Greg Elms)

    Point Nepean Discovery Tents is immersive glamping beside the historic Quarantine Station. Or upgrade to luxury at the 1875-built InterContinental Sorrento .

    Playing there

    an aerial view of Cape Schanck Lighthouse
    Make your way to the Cape Schanck Lighthouse. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

    Bayplay Adventure Tours offer eco-adventures from snorkelling with sea dragons to kayaking with dolphins and cycling Point Nepean. Cape Schanck Lighthouse is fascinating to explore on a guided tour, which takes you into the lighthouse and keeper’s cottage.

    Eating there

    Portsea Hotel is a beautifully restored 1876 Tudor-style pub right on the beach, serving seasonal local fare.