Kangaroo Island

Kangaroo Island is located just off the southern coast of South Australia. The Island is about 155 kilometres long and is one of Australia’s most spectacular tourist destinations. The scenery here is diverse and the island is one of the best places in the country to see all of Australia’s unique wildlife species. Kangaroo Island can be accessed by air from Adelaide or by vehicular barge from the mainland. The islands economy is related to both farming activities and tourism. The population on Kangaroo Island is now in the vicinity of 4400 inhabitants. The diversity of the landscape is amazing and varies from windswept coastal headlands and high cliffs through dense forests, wetlands, sand dunes and perfect white beaches.

The wildlife on Kangaroo Island is fantastic. You will see Koala living high in the eucalyptus trees. Kangaroos and Wallabys are commonly sighted in the forests and surrounding pasturelands and along the beaches and in the surrounding southern ocean, you can find Penguins, New Zealand Fur Seals, Australian Sea Lions and Southern Right Whales which come close to the coast in protected bays to calve and suckle their young. Other wild life species that abound on Kangaroo Island include Platypus, Echidna, Cape Barren Geese and Ospreys. It is truly a nature lover’s paradise.

The main towns on Kangaroo Island are Kingscote, Penneshaw, American River and Sapphitetown The ferry arrives in Kingscote and it is the place to find most of the accommodation. There are plenty of quality places to stay on the island and accommodation is available in hotels, motel, guest houses and bed and breakfasts. You must book well in advance as there are lots of organised tours coming through that use up the local accommodation quickly. There are also many excellent tours available and the local tour operators know the islands attractions intimately. Many overseas tourists are also attracted to Kangaroo Island as it presents a microcosm of Australia’s wildlife all located in a relatively small geographical area.

If you are an Australian or from overseas, you will be delighted with what you will be able to see and do on Kangaroo Island.