Buttons by the Beach

Reekara Community Complex is a former primary school built for the children of WWII soldier settlers and was actively used between 1963 - 1997. When it closed, the Lions Club of King Island began utilising the building which is now home to a vibrant Arts & Crafts shop along with two activity spaces used for events, markets and functions. It is home to the Lions Den which includes club memorabilia. The building houses the NEVA bonnet collection - 200 specially designed bonnets stitched in tribute to the convict women and children whose lives were lost when shipwrecked in King Island waters in 1835. The grounds offer a great space for families and children to play in with bbq facilities available. Tour buses regularly stop in to give tourists a chance to soak up our unique remote island craft.

View our unique gifts and souvenirs crafted from Bull Kelp. Discover the process of cutting, scoring, stitching and manipulating the kelp to transform it into a variety of objects. Call in and enjoy a coffee while you browse through the wide range of kelp items, local produce, handmade gifts, art and crafts from artists and makers found on and off the island. King Island Kelp Craft is located in the Reekara Community Complex, which is the former Reekara Primary School building. With the support of the community, the local Lions Club stepped in with an initiative designed to preserve the building by utilising it as a Community Complex. The property remains open for functions, events and shopping for creative items in our quaint store.

King Island – an isolated and rugged walking experience. Worlds away from the crowds, you’ll breathe the freshest air in the world and be invigorated by the force of the Roaring Forties. Take a walk on the wild side! Walking King Island is so much more than a hike. Each guided experience unlocks the island’s rich and unique stories. Learn about the dark history of shipwrecks, about local flora and fauna, about the isolated and innovative way of life for the locals, and more. You’ve not been anywhere like here before. Whether you’re an experienced trekker or you just like to scroll, walking King Island’s coastline grants you the time and space to be fully present, appreciating the solitude and relinquishing your worries and stresses from ‘away’.