Saffire Freycinet appoints Josephine Turner to lead guest experience
With more than a decade of leadership experience across Tasmanian hospitality, Turner has held senior roles across the sector
Tasmania’s Saffire Freycinet, one of the world’s leading luxury lodges, has appointed Josephine Turner as Villa Host Manager, ahead of the opening of the Saffire Jewel Private Villa in December 2026.
The three-bedroom Saffire Jewel brings together generous shared living spaces, privacy and personalised service in a new accommodation offering designed to transform group and multigenerational stays at Saffire.
With more than a decade of leadership experience across Tasmanian hospitality, Turner has held senior roles with Saffire Freycinet, Pumphouse Point and Piermont Retreat, and most recently worked at Landscape Restaurant at The Henry Jones Art Hotel.
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Known for her people-first approach and creativity, Turner has built her career around delivering highly personalised guest experiences and developing effective hospitality teams. As Saffire Jewel Villa Host Manager, Turner will lead all villa operations and shape an intuitive style of service around each guest and their time at Saffire.
“The best hospitality is, at its core, deeply human. It’s about understanding what matters to each guest and creating moments that feel effortless, thoughtful and personal,” said Turner.
“Returning to Saffire to help bring the Jewel to life is incredibly special, particularly because the role allows me to combine everything I love about hospitality with this extraordinary sense of place.”
Dylan Counsel, General Manager, Saffire Freycinet, said Turner’s return comes at an important time for Saffire.
“Josie knows Saffire, understands our guests and has a genuine connection to this part of Tasmania. She has a rare ability to set a clear standard, bring out the best in those around her and create an environment where thoughtful service comes naturally. That leadership will be central to shaping the Jewel from the outset.
“Her appointment also adds further depth to an already knowledgeable team. Over the past year, we have welcomed specialists across hospitality, culinary and astronomy, each bringing a distinct perspective and a genuine desire to share their knowledge with our guests.”
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The appointment marks a welcome return to Saffire for Turner and comes as the lodge continues to strengthen the depth of specialist expertise across its team, spanning personalised hospitality, food and wine, and its Signature Experiences.
Several more additions have been made to the Saffire team over the past year, including Executive Chef Gareth Newburn, who brings more than 25 years of experience across luxury lodges, resorts, hotels and destination dining venues throughout Australia and New Zealand. Newburn was previously Executive Chef at Spicers Peak Lodge, part of Luxury Lodges of Australia, and has also led the kitchen at El Questro Homestead. His appointment brings extensive culinary leadership to Saffire, with a career shaped by destination dining, Australian produce and leading high-performing kitchen teams.
Saffire has also welcomed astrophysicists Dr Ryan Urquhart and Dr Adam Ussing, bringing specialist scientific expertise to Saffire After Dark, the lodge’s astronomy Signature Experience.
Dr Urquhart is an astrophysicist, researcher and science communicator specialising in black holes, neutron stars and high-energy astrophysics, while Dr Ussing’s work explores areas including dark matter and galaxy evolution. Both combine their scientific backgrounds with a passion for making astronomy accessible and engaging.
Launched in May 2026, Saffire After Dark invites guests to experience Tasmania’s southern night sky through telescopic viewing, astrophysical storytelling and interaction with rare meteorites and cosmic artefacts. The experience is part of Saffire’s collection of complimentary Signature Experiences.
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The depth of the team has also been strengthened by the appointment of Yohan Jeandon as Operations Manager, with responsibility for Saffire’s culinary and wine programme. Joining the team in late 2025, Jeandon brings more than 15 years of international hospitality experience across Australia, the UAE, China and France. His background spans luxury food and beverage operations and wine, including roles with The Ritz-Carlton, Crown Resorts and Sheraton Mirage.
Counsel said the appointments reflected Saffire’s belief that its people and their individual expertise are fundamental to creating memorable stays.
“What makes these appointments so exciting is the depth of expertise they bring to Saffire. These are people who have developed genuine expertise in their fields, but who also understand how to share that knowledge with warmth, generosity and a real sense of connection.
“Ultimately, it is about what this means for our guests. The landscape and architecture create the setting, but our people bring Saffire to life. It is their knowledge, their stories and the care they bring to individual moments that create an experience guests carry with them long after they leave.”
The appointments come as Saffire enters an important new chapter with the opening of Saffire Jewel, representing the most significant evolution of the property since Saffire first opened.
