About Yambacoona House
King Island Getaway
Yambacoona House is a beautifully restored Federation home located at the north end of King Island.
This homestead is perfect for golfing groups, families, or couples looking for connection with nature.
Yambacoona comfortably sleeps up to eight people so there is plenty of room for your family and friends to spread out and relax.
King Island Escape
Yambacoona House offers four bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, a sunroom, a formal dining room, a lounge room, plenty of parking, and 17 acres to explore.
The best beaches on King Island are also at your doorstep, with swimming and nature walks at Yellow Rock Beach, Quarantine Bay, and Disappointment Bay. The best surf breaks can be found at Martha Lavinia Beach, and Disappointment Bay, Phoques Bay, and Porky Beach offer
For the avid golfers, the world famous Cape Wickham Links and Ocean Dunes golf courses are a short drive away.
Yambacoona House Packages
Yambacoona House offers a range of packages so that you get the most out of your holiday.
Our Three Night Gourmet Package includes gourmet hamper with local produce and Tasmanian wine.
Our Four Night Golf Package includes gourmet hampers, wine, and your choice of golfing for up to four people King Island’s golf clubs.
And our Signature Package includes six nights, gourmet hampers, a private chef serving a four course dinner, massages, and a walking tour.
Meet Your Host
Gordon McKenzie and his family are fourth generation King Islanders.
Yambacoona House has been in the extended family for years and the McKenzie clan are the new custodians.
After undergoing an extensive restoration, Yambacoona House is settling into its new life as a short-term accommodation property and a family hub.
Holiday Accommodation
King Island
Yambacoona House is a great island getaway for a couple, a family booking, or a larger group of up to eight people.
The facilities include:
- Grand entry
- Sunroom
- 3 Bedrooms with queen beds
- One bedroom with two single beds
- Dining room
- Lounge room
- Large kitchen
- Bathroom with bath and shower
- Laundry with second shower
- Free Wi-Fi
King Island History
Yambacoona House Early Years
Yambacoona House has played a central role in King Island’s history. Throughout its life Yambacoona has been a homestead for cattle kings, a working cattle station, a wireless telegraph station, accommodation for visiting government officials, and the meeting place for the founders of the King Island Racing Committee.
This large Federation style property was built in 1902 by Francis Stephenson, one of the earliest pioneers to King Island. Stephenson had the entrepreneurial flair to build an agricultural empire of 21,000 acres.
It was this success that caught the eye of cattle king Sir Sydney Kidman, the great grandfather of Nicole Kidman. Sir Sydney purchased the property before it was then sold to the Government for the Soldier Settler Scheme for soldiers returning from World War 1.
First Australians on King Island
Yambacoona House is indebted to research by the King Island Council, and separate research by Archaeologist and Cultural Heritage Advisor Helen Batey-Smith in her report Yambacoona Estate, An Historical Timeline.
Tasmania was originally called Lutruwita by the Palawa, the traditional owners of Tasmania. The Palawa comprised of different languages groups with the Peerapper occupying the northwest coast.
First nations peoples passed through but did not permanently inhabit King Island. Archaeological evidence has found habitation on the island around 14,500 years ago with skeletal remains found on a small cave on the west coast.
Van Diemen’s Land Claimed for England
Captain Reed is believed to be the first European to discover King Island in 1799 however the island was deemed too far from the fledgling Sydney colony to warrant permanent settlement.
From 1800 to 1803 a French expedition then mapped the coast of New Holland, including the King Island coastline. In response to Baudin’s presence, the English sailed to the King Island coast in 1801 and claimed the island and the nearby Van Diemen’s Land for the British empire.
With the establishment of British colonies across the continent New Holland was renamed Australia in 1817 and Van Diemen’s Land was renamed Tasmania in 1856.
King Island Early Settlers
Some of the earliest English settlers on King Island were sealers and hunters who set camp at Phoques Bay. The bay sits adjacent to Yambacoona House.
Early King Island life is also intertwined with a vast array of ship wrecks. Minutes from Yambacoona house, you can see the wreak of the Shannon, still on Yellow Rock Beach, or see the remains of the Rebecca at Quarantine Bay. You can explore more of the island’s history at the King Island Museum.
Stay At Yambacoona House
What Our Visitors Say
We stayed at Yambacoona House and enjoyed it immensely. The house has so much space, it is tastefully presented, and the peace and quiet is an absolute blessing from the noise of the world.
The house has multiple fireplaces to create warmth which flows throughout the house, and two bathrooms make it easy to accommodate for large groups.
For our gourmet meals at Yambacoona House we sourced our King Island beef, cheese, crayfish and fresh organic vegetables from The Garden.
There is so much to see and do. Wildlife abounds around the property with interesting birds to be seen including peacocks, pheasants, turkeys, ducks, Cape Barren geese and swans, just to name a few. The resident wallabies are also a delight to watch.
Literally 5 minutes’ drive from Yambacoona House is one of the best beaches ever. Yellow Rock Beach has golden sand and faces a beautiful blue water bay. We fished and swam there almost daily.
Martha Lavinia, one of Australia’s best surf beaches, is on the east side of the island 15 minutes’ drive from away. While we don’t surf, it was great for walking and beachcombing.
Go north 15 minutes and you are at one of the most spectacular golf courses in Australia. Cape Wickham Links sits underneath the tallest lighthouse in the southern hemisphere. The lighthouse was made out of blocks of granite which were quarried just over the hill from where it stands.
Absolutely love this place and will be back!!
Ben Patton – Tasmania, Australia
