Getting to Kangaroo Island. For an Adelaide day trip by coach (two hour journey) along the Fleurieu Peninsula to Cape Jervis hence ferry (approx 45mins.) to Penneshaw.
Kangaroo Island. 'Discovered' in 1802 by the explorer Mather Flinders, last settled by aboriginals over 500 years ago, though no one is sure why they left.
From the cliffs of the South Coast
battered by the waves of the Southern Ocean,
to bays and inlets and lagoons, rivers and streams,
many National Parks, abundant wildlife, flowers a profusion of colour in spring.
Flinder Chase National Park.
The bizarre granite rocks formations known as the Remarkable Rocks-
fascinating part of Kangaroo Island geology.
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Little Sahara with its sand dunes and ocean walks. Parndana Wildlife Park which we liked a lot.
The wildlife of the Island is diverse from
fur seals and sea lions, to black snakes, and sand goannas.
Consider yourself very lucky to see the very
elusive platypus. Not forgetting koalas only introduced
to the island 50 years ago or the unique
Island kangaroo or nocturnal animals such as the possum.
Stunning views from Prospect Hill. Climb Mt Thisby Lookout for views across the Island to Pennington Bay. Snellings Beach and Stokes Bay reached by a walk through a limestone arch-the whitest of sand beaches backed by rolling hills- some say two of the most beautiful beaches in Australia. Mention must also be made of Emu Bay, and Vivionne Bay.
Wildlife watching. Seal Bay, - one of the few places in the World humans able to view Australian Sea Lions in their natural habitat- accompanied by a Ranger of course. Did you know though pregnancy is 13 months, gestation is 10 months. Spending 3 days out to sea feeding. Pups are born in the bush behind the beach, and go to sea after around 3 months, taking 18 months to reach maturity.
Before white whalers arrived in the late 18th century
there were hundreds of thousands of seals in colonies along the coast,
by 1820 the sealers had all but wiped them out with only remnants remaining.
In 2004 the population was only 700+, and though up to 150 pups
born each year very few survive to reach maturity in 18 months.
Take great care not to disturb the seals and beware they can bite.
On a happier note near Cape du Couedic Admirals Arch has a
thriving rookery of New Zealand Fur Seals.
Beautiful Australia from the Rock to the Reef - a tourist guide with nice pictures.