Surfer and friend of Homecamp Alex Dillenbeck shares some tales from a recent a trip to Tassie’s rugged King Island, where the breaks are empty and the locals relaxed.

As our late 90s twin-prop Piper Chieftan taxied to the end of the runway, we noticed a fuel gauge on the dash of the aircraft with the dial pointing firmly at empty.

Hey Craig, um, what’s with the empty fuel tank? One of us asked. Craig tapped the gauge and smiled. “She’ll be right” he yelled as he thrust the aircraft into full power.

No turning back now, I guess.

As surfers, we’re constantly on the search for waves. We scour the globe for coastlines where swells hit at the right angle, where winds blow light offshore and crowds don’t flock in their hundreds. King Island is one of those places.

A 45 minute flight south from Barwon Heads airport lands you on KI, a rock situated smack bang in the middle of Bass Strait between Victoria and Tasmania. There are about 1800 people who live on the Island, the majority of which are either cheese makers or beef farmers. Only about 10 of them surf.

On King Island, the saying goes that ‘no one really locks their houses’. Keys are left in cars on the main street, and if you forget to raise a finger from the steering wheel to greet another vehicle, you feel like you want to turn around make up for it. The locals are friendly – welcoming, warm, helpful, interested and love to stop for a chat.

“We’re pretty relaxed around here”, we were assured by our rental car company attendant. “If something happens, just give us a ring, and we’ll add whoever was driving to the insurance policy” she said with a wink.

We weren’t sure if she was joking or not, but we smiled, nodded and packed our 14 surfboards, duffels and surf buckets into an (unlocked) 1998 Toyota Landcruiser 4×4, with an odometer reading of 350,000. Perfect.

First stop, the King Island Bakery for a “world famous” Crayfish Pie, followed by Martha Livinia – a world-class beach break on the North East Coast of the Island known to have been surfed by 11 time world champion Kelly Slater back in the day. Martha’s is incredible – south west swells wrap around the island to create A-frame peaks up and down the beach unlike nothing we’d ever seen before. With not another soul in the water and our trusty Landy parked atop a scenic vista overlooking the beach, we were out there. Nothing between here and Antarctica.

At dusk, we were surfed out. Sustenance required, and King Island’s produce is second to none. The friendly owners of the King Island butcher suggested a couple of local grass-fed rib eyes. Eat what the locals eat we thought – we obliged and cooked over fire out the back of our secluded little farm house accommodation. Melt in your mouth.

Mornings were largely spent dissecting weather forecasts over coffee, finding an appropriate location in our ‘bible’ – a map of the island with spots circled in red pen with notes from Eddy at King Island Surfaris. We’d deliberate, discuss, deliberate some more – and then take off in our Landy, which was stacked so full of boards that a three of us hang on the back, one out the side window.

The coastline is raw and rugged and seemingly untouched. As we carefully meander down bumpy access roads, wallaby bounce curiously the along the side of tracks, turkeys hang out in green pastures and cows stare us down like we’re idiots. We would arrive at another scenic vista and surf until we couldn’t paddle any more. Exactly what we were hoping for.

It’s comforting to know places like King Island still exist. A genuine surfing paradise. Oh, and for the record, a Piper Chieftan has two fuel tanks – only one of which is required to be full for takeoff.

Must do’s on King Island

King Island Bakery

Try the wallaby or crayfish pie.

King Island Butchery

Locally sourced, grass fed meat from the island.

King Island Club

Free pool and vintage pokie machine.

Cape Wickham Golf Club

We’re not golfers but there happens to be a really good surf spot right out front and coffee goes down pretty well.

King Island Dairy Cheese Shop

Free samples and cheese store for KI’s famous dairy.

The Southern Hemisphere’s Tallest Lighthouse

‘Huh, whatdoyaknow’ kind of spot.

King Island Surf Safaris

Give Eddy a ring – he might even share a couple of red pen secret spots with you.

Wild Harvest

We never made it here but heard great things – sea to paddock to plate.

Restaurant with no food

The famous boathouse often known as the ‘Restaurant with no food’ – a do-it-yourself King Island gourmet lunch or dinner.

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