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Kangaroo Island has it all ... One of Australia’s
most spectacular and pristine environments – and with superb
gourmet food and wine to match.
It’s a natural fit, and for visitors to the
island it’s a rare opportunity to taste nature at its best.
Local producers have been fiercely protective of the clean, green
character of the island and for good reason. Today they produce
a stunning array of foods, from high quality dairy products and
pure honey to gourmet ice-cream and some of the finest seafood
available in Australia.
Visitors can experience first-hand the skills involved
in making some of the produce, enjoy it in local restaurants or
take it home. And it can be enjoyed with premium local wine. Many
of our wineries have opened cellar doors and food producers have
visitor facilities for tasting.
In short, it’s a memorable gastronomic experience.
Food for the purists
A great attraction of the Kangaroo Island food
experience is top quality produce that is hard to find anywhere
else. Most producers have retained small-scale operations so they
can focus on quality rather than quantity. It means their handcrafted
products retain the unique characteristics of the island.
People taking a food tour can find everything from
regional cheeses and yoghurts to olive oil and native jams. The
island is also renowned for its honey, produced from pure strain
Ligurian bees, and free-range chickens and eggs. But any visit
to Kangaroo Island is incomplete without trying the local seafood.
There is an abundance of natural and farmed produce from oysters,
prawns and crayfish to whiting, barramundi, snapper and freshwater
marron.
For lovers of good food, it’s paradise.
Wines of distinction
One of Kangaroo Island’s best kept secrets
is its wines. But that’s about to change. The island is
South Australia’s newest wine region and is already making
an impact overseas. There are now 30 growers with vines planted
on about 200 hectares. A temperate climate ensures a long, slow
ripening of the grapes, resulting in wines packed with strong
varietal fruit flavours and intense colours.
Visitors can choose from 18 exciting labels, five
of which are now being exported to the UK, USA and Europe. As
always on Kangaroo Island, the main focus is on quality. Each
new vintage produces more complex and distinctive wines that are
representative of the island. A selection of Kangaroo Island wines
are available for tasting at the Ozone Seafront Hotel in Kingscote
and the KI Wine Centre at Penneshaw, as well as cellar doors,
local restaurants and cafes.
Protecting our future
Kangaroo Island is a unique environment free of
many of the pests and diseases found on mainland Australia. Consequently
it needs to be protected.
Visitors are asked to respect the island’s
strict quarantine status and not import flora and fauna that might
jeopardise our future. Just one new pest or disease could be devastating.
Biosecurity is about keeping Kangaroo Island safe from pests and
diseases. Kangaroo Island’s remoteness has created a very
special environment being free of many pests and diseases however
the introduction of just one new pest or disease could have devastating
consequences for our economy. Fortunately we have an opportunity,
with your help, to maintain quarantine status and this happens
in several ways.
Firstly it is important to note that, in
order to protect some of our main industries, legislation forbids
the importation of the following items into Kangaroo Island.
• bees , honey
products and bee handling equipment. This protects our pure strain
of Ligurian Bees, the only such colony left worldwide!
• foxes; which could devastate our free range poultry industry.
• rabbits; their impact on farming environments is well
known.
Secondly, the legislation restricts the
importation of
• potatoes: any potatoes brought onto the island must be
in new packaging and all peels and unused potatoes must be destroyed
to prevent regermination
• vines: cuttings and soil in which grapevines have grown
are not to be brought onto the Island without prior inspection
and approval.
Finally, in order to prevent the introduction
of weeds, both pastoral and aquatic, which can devastate grazing
and cropping industries, we rely on you.
• ensure that vehicles, caravans, trailers, camping gear,
hiking boots and equipment are free of mud and weed seeds prior
to travelling.
• clean your boats and gear prior to coming to the Island.
Particular attention should be paid to boat surfaces (hull, propeller,
rudder, anchor etc) and gear (including nets, wetsuits, life jackets,
fishing tackle etc.)
Biosecurity is more about people than it is about
pests and diseases. Your support is vital if
Kangaroo Island is to protect its industries and environment and
continue to offer the unspoiled beauty for which it is famous.
Good Food Kangaroo Island is an industry
group formed to encourage and support value adding producers and
protect the integrity of the Island’s produce. Regional food
groups have been established throughout South Australia and are
actively working with producers to establish regional branding and
long term relationships with major retailers seeking access to high
quality, branded products. 
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