Kangaroo Island: Southern Australia’s Wildlife Paradise

I recently went to Adelaide, Australia, for the Australian Tourism Exchange conference and had the opportunity to take a post-conference trip to Kangaroo Island. It was my first time visiting, and I loved it. I can’t wait to go back. Kangaroo Island is in South Australia and just a 25-minute flight from Adelaide.

There are also ferries that run back and forth several times a day from Cape Jervis, which is about an hour and a half drive from Adelaide. The other interesting aspect is that Kangaroo Island is inhabited. There are about 4,500 residents. It’s also quite large, six times the size of Singapore.

Plus, every single person I met at the conference was so excited to hear that I was going to Kangaroo Island. Almost all of them said that it’s like a zoo without walls or fences. There’s a ton of wildlife there, and it’s one of the few spots in Australia where you can actually see koalas in the wild. I saw koalas, kangaroos, echidnas, and lots and lots of birds. There’s a whole beach where there are sea lions. It’s so fantastic.

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Three Days in Kangaroo Island

Day 1

We hit the ground running on the first day. It was rainy, which was actually excellent because the Australian wildlife are more active in the rain. We started off by visiting The Cliffs, a brand-new golf course opening up this year. It was stunning, and the greens were absolutely beautiful. It was so fun to see something new they’re developing to provide more activities for tourists and attract people to the island. From there, we cruised to Cygnet River, which is famous for its koalas. It did not disappoint! We saw eight of them. They were climbing, eating, and moving around. We got extremely lucky because koalas sleep twenty hours a day, so the fact that we got to see them up and about was very exciting. Plus, many of them were so low in the trees that we could see them without binoculars.

Then, we had lunch in the bush, at a secret location that only the tour company had access to. Our guide cooked for us right there on the spot. We had grilled fish, a tasty salad with local produce, and wine made on the island. It started to rain a bit more, but we were under a massive tent, and it was just so peaceful being out in the bush, listening to the rain, hearing the birds, and eating a delicious meal. After lunch we hopped around the bush, checking out even more wildlife, including a trip to Seal Bay. We arrived pretty late in the day, so we were the only people there, and just like the koalas, the seals were really active. There were so many of them, probably seven or eight in the sand in front of us, and a few frolicking in the water, which was so cute. Two of them were cuddled up in the sand, sleeping near us. I think it was a mom and pup.

It was such a fantastic way to start the trip, but the fun wasn’t over. After our day getting to know Kangaroo Island, we arrived at the Southern Ocean Lodge. My goodness; it was incredible. It was right on the water and all one story. It only has twenty-three rooms, each facing the ocean, with a lounge area and fireplace that the staff would light at night. I’d come back from dinner to a warm, toasty fire, which was nice because it was fall in Australia. One night I slept with my sliding door open and could hear the waves crashing and see such incredibly bright stars. The Southern Ocean Lodge also has a wine cellar that offers all local, Australian wines and an outstanding restaurant. Instead of Michelin stars, Australian restaurants are awarded Chef’s Hats for their excellence. This restaurant had a nightly tasting menu, exceptional seafood, and super interesting dishes like cardamom ice cream. Regional, seasonal flavors are on the top of the list. It was out of this world.

Day 2

On day two we explored Flinders Chase National Park, which is 126 square miles large and full of hiking trails. People camp out there too. We enjoyed some spectacular views of the coast and pulled over quite a bit to take photos. The Remarkable Rocks were a big highlight, and we got to walk around them. They’re these massive granite rock formations carved by wind and waves over millions of years. The rocks were very sculptural, and the interplay of color and light was fascinating. They lived up to their name. We saw a huge colony of long-nosed fur seals. It was a beautiful day.

We were supposed to have lunch in the bush that day too, at an even more gorgeous place than on the first day. We were all enjoying our wine and relaxing when we noticed our driver had a perplexed look on his face. One of the girls in our group said, “What’s the matter, Frank? You forgot the food?” The group was just making fun, but then he said, “Kind of.” Everyone had a chuckle, and everything turned out for the best anyway. We went back to the Southern Ocean Lodge, had lunch there, and were treated to some midday seaside views and more phenomenal food.

After lunch we grabbed e-bikes and zoomed around the property around our hotel, including Hansen’s Bay Beach, a quiet and gorgeous spot, perfect for riding bikes along the beach. We stayed out well past sunset, but I had no qualms about being out after dark. In my experience in Australia, especially Kangaroo Island, everyone is really friendly. It felt like a very safe place to explore.

Day 3

The centerpiece of our final day was a tour with Wild Country Conservation, headed up by Caroline Paterson, a renowned wildlife specialist. One of the girls in our group, a native Australian, told us that taking a wildlife tour with a wildlife specialist in the bus was really rare, unique, and cool, and it certainly was. We saw lots of birds and tree frogs, and Caroline pointed out plant and insect species too. We stopped at one point, and she said, “Let’s just take some time to be quiet, listen, and see how many different things you hear.” I heard seven or eight distinct types of birds, frogs, and insects. We also saw kangaroos hopping around in the bush that day. It was remarkable and very interesting learning how to conserve wildlife.

Afterward we had a gourmet picnic lunch overlooking the water at Snelling’s Beach. We spotted dolphins out in the water, playing and jumping around while we enjoyed a simply delicious lunch of salad, chicken, and homemade ginger cookies. We also had more of that tasty local wine, clear weather, and perfect conditions, enjoying a meal by the turquoise water. Following lunch, we stopped at Emu Bay Lavender Farm, Cliffords Honey Farm, and Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Distillery. Just learning how people have taken these natural products and expanded them into so many items that people use was inspiring.

Kangaroo Island is just outrageous, in the best possible way. It’s unspeakably beautiful, and a destination for everyone because you’ll find high-end resorts, luxe family-friendly hotels, glamping, camping options, and everything in between. Kangaroo Island is a nature lover’s paradise. I can’t say enough good things about it.