Southern Australia’s Most Famous Tourist Attraction
Updated Apr 2022
Kangaroo Island is one of Australia’s favourite tourist destinations because of its abundant wildlife. A visit to this beautiful island is a must on your tour of Australia.
Getting There
First, get yourself to Cape Jervis in South Australia. This is where you get the very expensive ferry to Kangaroo Island. Make a reservation in advance by telephone if you are driving anything larger than a small car. Pedestrians can get on without a reservation. People with small cars need to book only a few days in advance except during holidays such as Christmas and Easter when you probably will not be able to go as people book months in advance.
Penneshaw
You will get off the ferry at the town of Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island. There is a campground (not the best facilities) and other accommodations here. You could spend the first night here or move on to one of the more famous island locations.
- The Kangaroo Island Visitor’s centre is located here on the main street where you can get maps and other information. There are also grocery stores and fuel stations to get some necessities before moving on.
- If you spend the night here, check along the shore and fence on both sides of the ferry terminal for Tammar Wallabies and Little Penguins. Don’t worry about the wallabies as you will have better opportunities to see them later, but it will be an opportunity to see penguins on the island. If you want a guide to find the penguins, you can book a tour at the visitor’s centre (before 5 p.m.). This is recommended as these tiny penguins will be challenging to find on your own. (There are also penguin-viewing tours in the town of Kingscote).
Flinders Chase National Park
At the opposite end of Kangaroo Island from the ferry terminal is Flinders Chase National Park (be sure to fuel up before you go). There is camping in the park and a few cottages for rent. Some accommodation can be found close by outside the park. If you are camping, I recommend staying at Western KI Caravan Park (3 km from the park entrance); a lovely place with clean washroom facilities. Stop at the park visitor’s centre to pay your entrance fee.
- The Remarkable Rocks are a group of large boulders with strange formations caused by thousands of years of erosion from the sea.
- New Zealand Fur Seals (also called Long-nosed Seals) are abundant at Cape de Couedic.
- There is a very nice lighthouse at the cape.
- Admiral’s Arch is a tunnel carved by the sea underneath the cape.
- Several hiking trails start from the Visitor’s Centre.
- Tammar Wallabies, Koalas and Cape Barren Geese are common around the Visitor’s Centre and at the Western KI campground, which is also a nature reserve. In addition, keep your eye open for the tiny but beautiful Scarlet Robin, and if you are lucky, you might see an Echidna. On hot days, you might also see a giant lizard called a Goanna (they stay in their burrows when it is cold).
Seal Bay
Heading back towards Penneshaw, our next stop was Seal Bay to see the Australian Sealions. These animals are rare and only found on the south coast of central Australia. This is one of only a few colonies. Their population is in decline, and if nothing changes, they will eventually become extinct. Their leading cause of death is fishing nets and eating garbage such as plastic bags, pollution, lack of food, and other causes.
You can walk down the boardwalk ($16) or take a guided tour ($33). The tour is worth the money as it is the only way to get down on the beach with the seals. People cannot go on the beach without a guide. Some people would be trying to touch the seals or get their photos taken with them. The seals could become aggressive and take off a couple of fingers or attack people. The guide is there to protect the seals and the people from each other and provide information about the seals. (recordings are available in other languages).
If you like wildlife at all, this tour is really worthwhile.
Birding
For bird watchers, the best places are Flinders Chase, the Western KI Campground, the town of American River, and some of the Conservation Parks. Ask at the Island Visitor’s Centre in Penneshaw or the park visitor’s Centre in Flinders Chase.
In the town of American River, you have the opportunity to find the rare Glossy Black Cockatoo if you are lucky. Also, at American River, look along the shore when the tide is out for Oystercatchers, Greenshanks, Curlews and other birds. There is a self-registration campground right on the coast.
Other Activities
These are just a few of the many things to do on Kangaroo Island. Get the Kangaroo Island Visitor Guide from the Visitor’s Centre for maps, accommodations, sights and activities. There is something of interest for everyone. Here are a few more of them:
- Quad tours
- Nocturnal wildlife tours
- Raptor Domain (raptor and snake displays)
- Wildlife Park (tame animals and some not so tame)
Tours
There are also three or five-day private tours starting from Adelaide. They will pick you up at your hotel (see the Kangaroo Island Visitor Guide).
The Sealink company that operates the ferry can also arrange tours and accommodations for you.
Enjoy a few beautiful days on Kangaroo Island. It is well worth the trip. (Check the weather if you are going in the winter. It can be rainy, gloomy and cold at times.)