A stay at Crocodile Hunter Lodge - Australia Zoo's wildlife paradise

The Irwin family’s passion for conservation extends into Australia Zoo’s deluxe eco-lodge, which offers the ultimate wildlife experience in lavish surroundings.

Partially hidden in the darkness, in the junction between two tree trunks, is Spud the koala. He’s descended from a great height to feed on fresh gum leaves that have been gathered for him by one of the khaki-clad keepers at Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast.

Australia Zoo Koala — Watch koalas like Spud while enjoying breakfast, lunch or dinner.

I’m sitting on the deck of the Warrior Restaurant & Bar at The Crocodile Hunter Lodge, watching Spud in the quiet of the evening while overlooking a landscape brimming with wildlife and wilderness.

Observing nature’s show is one of the many wondrous experiences to be had while staying at The Crocodile Hunter Lodge . It’s a constant reminder that the wildlife here are the real VIPs, and the luxury lies in coexisting and connecting with nature.

The story behind Crocodile Hunter Lodge

The Crocodile Hunter Lodge is the realisation of the late Steve Irwin’s vision: to give visitors to Australia Zoo the immersive option of staying overnight in luxury accommodation.

Four new one-bedroom cabins opened late 2022, adding to the eight family-friendly cabins launched in June 2022. And visitors quickly discover that a stay in one of the lavish cabins carries forward into conserving the surrounding wilderness.

Australia Zoo Crocodile Hunter Lodge — Enjoy luxury in a bushland setting.

Steve envisaged that wildlife would be integrated into guests’ stays, and the Irwins’ conservation efforts are evident in the surrounding bushland, which is a habitat for endemic Australian species such as the red kangaroo, echidna and emu.

The Crocodile Hunter Lodge showcases ongoing conservation work being undertaken by the Irwins, who continue to honour Steve’s legacy. The story behind the lodge is very much the story of the zoo, inspired by the Irwins’ life, legacy and love for wild places and wildlife.

Clever conservation efforts

Steve Irwin wasn’t just the star of The Crocodile Hunter, as he used the TV series as a vehicle for sharing his conservation message to the world. This was front of mind when building the eco-lodges, which were constructed from timbers upcycled from a grandstand at the Crocoseum that Steve built with his own hands.

The gardens, too, have been planted with critically endangered species, such as the Coochin hills grevillea and the Glass House Mountains tea tree, both of which attract birds and butterflies.

Crocodile Hunter Lodge cabin — Stay in cabins built from wood recycled from a grandstand at the Crocoseum.

The WD Architects-designed lodge was built using sustainable principles, leaning into the ‘luxury woolshed’ aesthetic that is very much part of the Australian agricultural vernacular. The rammed earth was used for its thermal efficiency as much as its architectural looks.

Look up from the deck outside the restaurant and you’ll see purposefully placed nesting boxes for microbats, owls, kookaburras, possums and parrots.

You might also catch a glimpse of glossy black cockatoos, thanks to the hundreds of casuarina trees planted on the property to provide food for the endangered birds. There are also designated pathways and wildlife corridors for the animals.

emu at Crocodile Hunter Lodge — Keep an eye out for the roaming wildlife.

The cabins at Crocodile Lodge

The Crocodile Hunter Lodge is surrounded by natural beauty near the distinctive landforms of the Glass House Mountains and Sunshine Coast beaches of Caloundra and Mooloolaba.

There are four one-bedroom Red Kangaroo cabins, well suited to couples who enjoy waking up to birdsong and connecting with nature, and eight two-bedroom Black Cockatoo cabins or the three-bedroom Emu cabins, which cater to families and groups. Two cabins, Red Kangaroo and Emu, are single-level with ramp access and wider doorways to cater to accessibility needs.

Each cabin contains a copy of Bindi Irwin’s book, Creating a Conservation Legacy, which leans into the history behind the zoo. There’s also a copy of Robert Irwin’s photography book, Robert Irwin’s Australia, which demonstrates his ongoing commitment to wildlife conservation.

Crocodile Hunter Lodge cabin interior — Bring the whole family to enjoy spacious cabins.

The thoughtful designs by Hoek Modular Homes offer guests a luxury experience and opportunities to connect with the natural world. A palette of earthy colours and textures softens the interiors, which were built offsite using rustic finishes that look like they could be reclaimed by the forest floor.

There are cruelty-free vegan Hunter toiletries and coffee plungers instead of machines that use pods.

All guests receive a gift pack on arrival, a complimentary breakfast, unlimited entry to the zoo, and free transport between the lodge and Australia Zoo via shuttle bus.

Crocodile Hunter Lodge cabin bathroom — Find cruelty-free vegan Hunter toiletries in the bathroom.

Food and drink onsite

The Warrior Restaurant & Bar has that outside-inside thing going on, allowing guests to settle in for a long, lazy breakfast, lunch or dinner with friends or family.

A giant piece of woolshed equipment becomes a soaring sculptural element inside the main dining room, which is walled with rammed earth that has been painted with coloured soils to resemble sandstone. The open-plan design ensures the integration of the wildlife experience is seamless.

Crocodile Hunter Lodge Warrior Restaurant & Bar — Dine in an earthy, open plan setting at Warrior Restaurant & Bar.

Treat yourself to a table on the deck as the day turns into night to see Spud having his dinner in the warm evening air, listening to the lilt of birdsong as you gaze out over the bushland.

The setting is spectacular, with tables on the deck boasting views of the heated 25-metre infinity pool. Guests should bring their swimmers to breakfast and take the plunge after braving the complementary Warrior Big Brekkie.

Australia Zoo Crocodile Hunter Lodge pool — Relax by the hotel’s heated infinity pool after breakfast.

The sight of the Australian Coat of Arms (emus and kangaroos) grazing on the lawn adds to the experience as executive chef Craig Milne takes diners on a very Australian journey.

Designed by Milne, who worked alongside Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens at Somerset House, the menu includes offerings such as a divine duck liver parfait, Sunshine Coast burrata, pan-seared Humpty Doo barramundi, and confit duck with charred leeks and braised cabbage.

Crocodile Hunter Lodge Warrior Restaurant & Bar dinner — Treat your tastebuds to dinner.

The cooking here is as ambitious as it is honest, using sustainably sourced simple ingredients to great effect. The main restaurant is surrounded by walls of recycled glass and louvres, but you’re even closer to the action on the outdoor terrace, which is open to the stars.

Like everything about The Crocodile Hunter Lodge, the restaurant is immersed in the region and run by Queenslanders with big hearts who do the Irwin family proud.

Crocodile Hunter Lodge Warrior Restaurant & Bar breakfast — Sit down at Warrior Restaurant & Bar for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Unique guest experiences at Australia Zoo

The beauty of a stay at The Crocodile Hunter Lodge is that you become very invested in the natural world and having conversations about the health of the planet.

It makes you want to step up and support the Irwins and their ongoing conservation efforts. The Adopt an Animal program is a great place to start, as it raises funds to support some of the 1200 animals housed at Australia Zoo.

Australia Zoo Tiger — Take the free shuttle bus to Australia Zoo.

The Crocodile Hunter Lodge guests can go on a free behind-the-scenes self-walking ‘sneak peek’ tour of Australia Zoo’s Animal Hospital, or they can join the guided Wildlife Hospital Tour to see vets performing lifesaving treatment to sick and orphaned native animals (at an extra cost).

The top 10 highlights at the zoo also include the Wildlife Warrior Show in the world-famous Crocoseum, hand-feeding kangaroos in the Roo Heaven haven, and enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with a southern white rhino, which has a near-threatened status as a species.

Australia Zoo Wildlife Warrior Show in the Crocoseum — See the Wildlife Warrior Show in the Crocoseum.

Why stay?

The Crocodile Hunter Lodge is the most interactive wildlife destination on Earth, and a stay here is a nature-positive holiday that supports conservation and reduces your carbon footprint. By encouraging more meaningful engagement with nature and wildlife, visitors to Australia Zoo’s The Crocodile Hunter Lodge arrive as guests and leave as ambassadors.

Exploring the world’s largest sand island starts with the perfect K’gari homebase.

The morning light is still soft, but it’s already a perfect sunny day. We left our K’gari homebase at Kingfisher Bay Resort with our guide, Peter Meyer, at 9 am to make the most of our time to explore all that the world’s largest sand island holds. The size of K’gari is hard to grasp until you arrive here. This is no sandbar. Stretching 120 kilometres, unique lakes, mangrove systems, rainforest, 75 Miles of beach, historic shipwrecks, small townships and even one of Queensland’s best bakeries are all hidden within its bounds.

But first, one of the island’s most iconic sights: the pure silica sand and crystal clear waters of Lake McKenzie.

Laying eyes on it for the first time, I’m finally able to confirm that the photos don’t lie. The sand is pure white, without the merest hint of yellow. The water fades from a light halo of aqua around the edges to a deeper, royal blue, the deeper it gets (not that it’s particularly deep, six metres at most). The surface remains surprisingly undisturbed, like a mirror.

Arriving with our guide before 10 am means that no one else is around when we get here. Which means we have the pleasure of breaking the smooth surface with our own ripples as we enter. As a self-confessed wimp with chilly water temperatures, my fears are quickly assuaged. Even in the morning, the water stays around 23 degrees – perfect for lazing about all day. But we have more sights to see.

Exploring K’gari

ariel of in lake mckenzie on k'gari fraser island — Relax in the warm waters of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Ayeisha Sheldon)

This was the Personalised 4WD tour offered by Kingfisher Bay Resort, and my absolute top pick of experiences. Over the course of the day, we had the freedom to create our own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who had plenty of stories and local expertise to give context to what we were looking at. From the history of the SS Maheno shipwreck, which survived the First World War only to be washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935, to a detailed description of how an island made of sand could sustain such diverse flora.

If it’s your first time to K’gari, the Beauty Spots Tour is another great option. Departing daily from Kingfisher Bay Resort (you’ll start to notice a trend, as many of the tours do start and end here), an air-conditioned, 4WD bus takes guests to the island’s most iconic locations, including the best places to swim, like Lake McKenzie and Eli Creek. The latter offers a gentle current, perfect for riding with a blow-up tyre out towards the ocean.

The next day, for a look at a completely different side of K’gari, I joined one of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Immersive Ranger-guided tours to kayak through the mangroves of Dundonga Creek. This long, snake-like stretch of creek winds its way inland from the ocean outlet we entered by, at times too narrow for three kayaks to be side-by-side. Small insects buzz from leaf to leaf, while birds call overhead. Occasional bubbles indicate we’ve passed some fish that call this place home.

kayak tour through the mangroves at k'gari island — Learn about the island’s mangroves from your Ranger. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)

If kayaking isn’t for you – or if, like me, you simply want more – other ranger-led experiences include nature walks and a dedicated Junior Eco Ranger Program for kids ages five to 12 (these run every weekend, and daily over the peak December holidays). Just ask for a timetable of upcoming tours when you check in.

While during whale season, Hervey Bay Whale Watch & Charters operates tours from the hotel’s jetty to get up close to the famous Humpback Highway of Hervey Bay, from 7 November to 31 May, attention turns to the Aqua Oasis Cruise . Departing from the resort every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for resort guests, adventure along the island’s remote western coast, pointing out wildlife like dolphins, turtles, flying fish and eagles along the way.

The cruise drops anchor so guests can jump into the water using the boat’s equipment – from SUP boards to inflatable slides and jumping platforms. Then refuel with a provided lunch, of course.

Unwind at sunset

two people drinking cocktails at sunset bar, kingfisher bay resort — Unwind at the Sunset Bar. (Image: Sean Scott)

As much as days on K’gari can be filled with adventure, to me, the afternoons and evenings there are for unwinding. Sunsets on K’gari are absolutely unbelievable, with Kingfisher Bay on the west side being the best spot to catch the colours.

The Sunset Bar , located at the start of the resort’s jetty and overlooking the beach, is the ultimate location for sundowners. Let chill beats wash over you as you sip on cool wines, beers and cocktails in a relaxed, friendly vibe. Personally, a cheese board was also absolutely called for. As the sun sinks, the sand, sea and horizon turn a vibrant shade of orange, with the jetty casting a dramatic shadow across the water.

When the show is over, head back to the hotel for dinner at the Asian-fusion Dune restaurant, or the pub-style Sand + Wood. But if your appetite is still whetted for more lights and colours, the evening isn’t over yet.

Settle into the Illumina stage for Return to Sky, an immersive light and sound show leading viewers on a captivating journey through K’gari’s stories and landscapes.

Indulge and disconnect

woman setting up massage room at kingfisher bay resort Island Day Spa — Find bliss at Island Day Spa. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Of course, there is a type of traveller who knows that balance is important, day or night. While Kingfisher Bay Resort offers more than one pool for guests to spend all day lounging by (they’ll even serve you food and drinks while you do it), you’ll find me at the Island Day Spa.

The masseuses could match the magic hands of any big city spa, and I felt the warm welcome as I walked into the light, breezy reception. Choose from a range of botanical facials, beauty treatments and soothing massages using traditional techniques (obviously, I couldn’t go past a relaxing massage). All products used contain organic, native botanical ingredients with nutrient-rich plant extracts to soothe skin and mind. To really indulge, try out one of the packages, couples treatment or even a pre-wedding day offering.

Getting there

kingfisher bay resort 4wd tour driving passed ss maheno on k'gari island — The world of K’gari awaits. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Getting to K’gari is shockingly easy. Find daily flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a shuttle bus between the airport, their headquarters in Hervey Bay and the ferry to take you to K’gari.

A stay at Crocodile Hunter Lodge – Australia Zoo’s wildlife paradise