Nature lovers looking for a wildlife adventure in Australia have a wealth of options to choose from: kangaroos bounding across the Outback, salt water crocodiles in tropical Queensland, dolphins and whale sharks along the Western Australia coast, and the unforgettable wonders of the Great Barrier Reef. Now Tasmania’s getting in the game at the award-winning luxury lodge Saffire Freycinet, where the uniquely lavish nature retreat has created the world’s only opportunity to view Tasmanian Devils up-close, while aiding their chances of survival in the wild.
The lodge has partnered with the University of Tasmania’s Menzies Institute for Medical Research and the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program to create The Tasmanian Devil Experience. It offers a rare glimpse of the ornery animals on the resort’s grounds. The government’s naturalists are waging a war to protect this species, and this protected acreage is a peaceful battleground for finding a vaccine to cure the facial cancer threatening the devil’s population.
Led by guides, guests can visit Saffire’s open-range Tasmanian devil enclosure, where they’ll observe the resident population of the world’s largest carnivorous (and bad tempered) marsupial. Yet love is in the air here, because this is a breeding center, insuring their survival. Several of these animals have been fortunate enough to make the luxury lodge their home.
But the lodge is not just about the Tasmanian Devil, it’s also an idyllic sanctuary providing just 20 suites for lucky tourists seeking the ultimate wildlife vacation. The property offers a state-of-the-art spa, fine dining, and exceptional amenities. I first heard of Saffire at the Luxperience conference in Sydney, and was won over by its isolated location in a stunningly beautiful pocket of Tasmania’s rugged East Coast, bordering the region’s oldest national park.
Since its opening in 2010, Saffire Freycinet has become one of Australia’s extreme-luxury leaders, surrounded by natural beauty and characterized by strikingly modern architecture. The lodge’s Signature Experiences deepen guests’ appreciation of the region with guided expeditions, private boat cruises, kayaking and archery. Its unforgettable culinary experiences include white-table-cloth dining in an estuary yielding fresh oysters straight from the beds at your feet.
Saffire’s deep love for nature and desire to dazzle has made it not only one of TripAdvisor’s Top Luxury Hotel in Australia, but also one of the world’s most inspiring sustainable-tourism triumphs.
