About 14 Eliza
The story of K’gari began with a bit of luck, and a deep love for the wild beauty of Orchid Beach. In 1989, long before the island acknowledged its Butchulla name, Simon Dibbs and the late Hans Pomeranz – partners in one of Sydney’s leading film editing studios – stumbled on a large plot of land high above the beach while on one of their regular fishing and beachcombing trips. Enchanted by the sweeping views from Waddy Point to Sandy Cape, they decided to build something modest yet meaningful — a place that honoured the landscape and gave shelter to creativity, connection, and rest.
Building anything on K’gari in the early ‘90s was no small feat. Materials arrived by 4WD, concrete was mixed by hand, and the crew — a talented group of film set builders temporarily sidelined by a downturn in the industry — brought both grit and imagination to the project. Over 14 intense weeks, they crafted a cyclone-safe, treetop bungalow that felt rooted in the island’s spirit.
The original house, now known simply as K’gari, quickly became a retreat for friends, family, writers, and wanderers. In the decades that followed, two more Studios – Kyeema and Mia Mia – were added to the land, each shaped by the same thoughtful hands and deep respect for the island’s ecology and remoteness. Together, they form a tranquil hideaway nestled in nature, just minutes from the sea.
From early fish dinners by lantern light to watching humpback whales breach from the deck, this place has quietly witnessed joy, creativity, and kinship for over thirty years. K’gari isn’t just a house – it’s the story of what happens when people fall in love with a place and take the time to build something lasting, from the ground (and sand) up.