Rumi on Louth: luxury villas to open in the dunes of this SA island

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.

Time your visit to Margaret River just right, and you can spend the ultimate weekend wining, dining and exploring the region with Pair’d Margaret River Region x Range Rover.

Wine, world-class produce, surf, sun and beaches: it’s an alluring combination. And the reason so many pin the Margaret River region high on their travel hit-lists. There’s drawcard after drawcard to the southwestern corner of Western Australia, and the Pair’d Margaret River Region x Range Rover food and wine festival showcases the best of it over the course of one weekend in November. It’s never been easier to sip, see and savour the Margaret River region.

In partnership with Pair’d Margaret River Region, Range Rover invites you on a seven-day itinerary of refined adventure, where luxury and exploration go hand in hand. It’s the perfect WA road trip, and there’s no better way to do it than in a Range Rover.

Day 1

the pool at Pullman Bunker Bay — Check into Pullman Bunker Bay.

There’s no more popular West Australian road trip route than that between Perth and the Margaret River Region. It’s an easily digestible, three-hour drive, with worthy pit stops along the way.

Make the first of them one hour and 15 minutes in, at Lake Clifton. Here, find a 2000-year-old living thrombolite reef. Drive for a further 40 minutes and chance meeting some of Bunbury’s dolphin population at Koombana Bay.

Pullman Bunker Bay is the final stop, just over three hours south of Perth. This beachfront, five-star resort is the ultimate base for exploring the Margaret River Wine region.

Day 2

After a leisurely morning breakfast with an ocean view, start your Range Rover and head towards the Dunsborough town centre. Browsing the decidedly coastal-themed goods of the town’s many independent boutiques is a great way to while away the hours, breaking up the sartorial with an artisan gelato snack stop, or some good old-fashioned Australian bakery fare.

Leave room; you’ll need it for the Good Natured Gathering dinner at Wayfinder. Indulge in a four-course feast by chef Felipe Montiel, which uses produce from the winery’s market garden to enhance a selection of sustainably sourced seafood and meat. But food is just the support act. It’s organic wine that’s the star of the show, generously poured and expertly paired to each dish.

Day 3

Settle in for cabernet at Cape Mentelle Winery.

With a grand total of 20 wines from vintage 2022 to try, it’s a good thing Cape Mentelle’s International Cabernet Tasting kicks off early. Make your way to the estate for a 10:00 AM start, where a global selection of wines will be poured blind, before a long lunch by Tiller Dining is served.

Given that the Margaret River is responsible for more than 20 per cent of Australia’s fine wine production, it’s only right to delve into it while in the area.

Continue exploring the region via taste and terroir aboard Alison Maree, a whale-watching catamaran, as you cruise Geographe Bay . Admire the rolling green hills and crisp white beaches of Quindalup in sunset’s golden light, all the while sipping through the Clairault Streicker catalogue and dining on canapes.

For a more substantial dinner, venture into Busselton for a seven-course British x Australian mash-up , courtesy of Brendan Pratt (Busselton Pavilion) and Oliver Kent (Updown Farmhouse, UK). They’ll be putting their rustic yet refined spin on the likes of local marron, wagyu and abalone – championing the simple beauty of the world-class ingredients.

Day 4

Wrap your fingers around a wine glass and wiggle your toes into the sand at Pair’d Beach Club x Range Rover on Meelup Beach. Sit down to an intimate wine session with sommelier Cyndal Petty – or a four-course feast by Aaron Carr of Yarri – and revel in the open-air beach club, bar and restaurant’s laidback coastal vibe. It’s a whole new way to experience one of the region’s most renowned beaches.

Follow up a day in the sun with a casual Italian party at Mr Barvel Wines . Purchase wines –including the elusive, sold-out Nebbia – by the glass and enjoy canapes with the towering Karri forest as a backdrop.

If you’d prefer to keep it local, head to Skigh Wines for the New Wave Gathering , where the region’s independent wine makers and their boundary-pushing wines will be on show. Street-style eats, a DJ and complimentary wine masterclasses complete the experience.

Day 5

pair'd Grand Tasting — Taste your way through Howard Park Wines. (Image: C J Maddock)

Spend the morning at your leisure, driving the winding roads through the Boranup Karri forest in your Range Rover. Soak in the views at Contos Beach, and call into the small cheese, chocolate and preserve producers along the way.

Make your next stop Howard Park Wines for The Grand Tasting presented by Singapore Airlines . Numerous wine labels will be pouring their catalogues over four hours, accompanied by food from chefs Matt Moran and Silvia Colloca, with live opera providing the soundtrack.

Cap off a big weekend with one last hurrah at Busselton Pavilion. Six ‘local legends’ – chefs Brendan Pratt (Busselton Pavilion), Mal Chow (Chow’s Table), Aaron Carr (Yarri), Ben Jacob (Lagoon Yallingup), Corey Rozario (Dahl Daddies) and Laura Koentjoro (Banksia Tavern) – will be preparing a dish each. Dance the night away as vinyl spins and the sun sets on another day.

Day 6

Ngilgi Cave western australia — Head underground. (Image: Tourism WA)

After a busy few days of wining and dining, it’s wise to observe a rest day. There’s no easier task than unwinding in the Margaret River Region, also famous for its high concentration of world-class beaches.

Relax on the grassy knoll as you watch the region’s most experienced surfers braving the World Surf League break at Surfer’s Point, or don your own wetsuit and try out one of Gracetown’s more beginner-friendly waves. Swimmers will find their Eden at Meelup Beach, Eagle Bay, or Point Piquet, where the sand is brilliantly white and the water as still as a backyard swimming pool.

Not into sun, sand, and surf? Head underground at Mammoth Cave, just one of the region’s many stalactite-filled caves.

Day 7

Burnt Ends event at Pair'd — Farewell the Margaret River.

Pack up your Range Rover with new favourite wines and newfound memories, ready for the three-hour journey back to Perth.

Prebook your discovery journey through the south-west corner of Western Australia with Pair’d Margaret River Region x Range Rover.

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