Trying to get a close-up take a look at the cutest animals in Australia? From quokkas to koalas, the Nice Southern Land presents a delightfully numerous vary of wildlife encounters past its famously scary spiders, sharks and snakes. Learn on for our choose of the very best and most unusual Australian animal encounters in every Aussie state.
Stare upon koalas lazing within the eucalyptus timber at Kennett River, Victoria
When individuals consider lovely Australian animals, koalas inevitably prime the listing. Round Australia, there are nonetheless a couple of locations the place you’re allowed to cuddle a koala, however animal welfare consultants advise towards it for a bunch of causes; it’s greatest to look however don’t contact.
On a street journey southwest from Melbourne alongside Victoria’s famed Nice Ocean Highway you may cease in on lush tracts of forest behind Australia’s well-known southern surf seashores. Right here you’ll discover the Kennett River Koala Walk and one of many densest populations of koalas within the nation.
An hour’s meander alongside Gray River Highway ought to ship a number of sightings of those tufty-eared marsupials, often curled within the criminal of a gum tree munching on leaves or having fun with a 20-hour sleeping session.
Feed kangaroos on Kangaroo Island, South Australia
One half of Australia’s nationwide coat of arms, the kangaroo has been thrilling and confounding new guests to Australia ever since Captain Prepare dinner first encountered one in 1770. It’s unlikely you’ll miss seeing kangaroos someplace, whether or not it is on a bush stroll, on a golf course, or bounding throughout a rustic street at nightfall.
For a extra up-close and private expertise with these iconic macropods recover from to South Australia’s Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park. Luggage of kangaroo-friendly meals are offered right here for A$3 a pop, making it simple for guests to ingratiate themselves with the resident ‘roos, a novel subspecies named – funnily sufficient – the Kangaroo Island kangaroo.
The remainder of Kangaroo Island – often called Karta Pintingga to its Indigenous custodians – abounds with different Australian native species, roaming throughout 4405 sq km (1701 sq miles). Dolphins, sea lions and seals might be seen off the dramatic shoreline, whereas goannas, southern brown bandicoots, tammar wallabies and short-beaked echidnas (one other tremendous cute animal you’ll immediately fall in love with) could also be noticed on one of many many wildlife expeditions run by native operators.
Snap a selfie with a quokka on Rottnest Island, Western Australia
With distinctive options that very a lot appear to be they’re smiling, the diminutive Australian marsupial often called the quokka is among the loveliest of Australia’s many native species. There are lots of good causes to go to Rottnest Island, a 30-minute ferry journey from Fremantle, however seeing quokkas within the wild usually tops the listing. “Rotto” is nearly the one place you may see quokkas of their pure habitat as they have been protected against the launched predators that decimated them on the mainland.
The Rottnest Voluntary Guides Association (RVGA) runs “Meet the Quokkas” strolling excursions day by day at 9:30am and a pair of:30pm. All you’ll want is solar safety, water, respectable footwear and a digicam or smartphone to snap a selfie with the candy little issues in case you should (Chris Hemsworth famously did!). Naturally, it’s greatest to not intrude with these mini marsupials in any means that may misery them; ask your guides for the very best strategy.
Camp with wombats on the Bay of Fires, Tasmania
Wombats might be seen in lots of locations throughout mainland Australia, but it surely’s onerous to beat Tasmania’s gasp-inducing Bay of Fires for dependable encounters. A 50km (31-mile) sweep of pristine sands, rangy eucalyptus timber, and fire-red granite boulders working from Binalong Bay to Eddystone Level, the Bay presents browsing, swimming, boating, fishing and plenty of different diversions, however assembly its wombat inhabitants is probably the most well-liked exercise.
A number of wild tenting websites are dotted alongside the 70km (43.5 miles) of tracks that run via this protected space. When out strolling, maintain your eyes peeled for the distinctive sq. ‘scat’ (feces) of the native wombats, and your ears primed for any rustling within the undergrowth. Evidently, in case you’re fortunate sufficient to come across one among these sturdy however lovely marsupials, keep nonetheless and quietly watch it shuffle on its means. When you draw consideration to your self, the wombats will womble away with out hesitation.
Spot the elusive platypus in Eungella Nationwide Park, Queensland
Eungella National Park, one of many largest swathes of protected subtropical forest in Australia, can also be Queensland’s foremost platypus-spotting web site. Particular viewing platforms have been subtly built-in into the forest round Damaged River, one among this elusive monotreme’s favourite habitats.
Platypuses are notoriously shy, so the very best time to identify this distinctive duck-billed, egg-laying mammal is at dawn or sundown. Endurance is the important thing – set your self up quietly and comfortably and search for telltale trails of bubbles on the river floor. Chances are high the bubbles shall be adopted by a surfacing platypus. Nevertheless, don’t startle them – they’ll dive beneath within the short while, and can take refuge of their riverside burrows in the event that they sense hazard.
When you fail to see a platypus, you will not be alone. This author has seen one solely as soon as, regardless of many years of hopeful quests alongside Australia’s jap rivers. Other than admiring their illustration on Australia’s 20c coin, you may get near platypuses in enclosures on the Gold Coast’s David Fleay Wildlife Park, Sydney’s Taronga Zoo, and Melbourne Zoo to study extra about these slick-furred creatures.
Spot bandicoots by moonlight at Tjuwaliyn (Douglas) Scorching Springs Park, Northern Territory
Trying uncannily just like the long-nosed lovechild of a wallaby and a mouse, the bandicoot might be present in a number of elements of Australia. Within the Northern Territory, you may see the northern brown bandicoot at Tjuwaliyn (Douglas) Hot Springs Park, which sits on the normal lands of the Wagiman individuals and is house to many sacred websites.
The river and thermal swimming pools entice many wildlife species: Migratory birdlife, bandicoots, and even the elusive quoll — a noticed, carnivorous and notoriously shy marsupial. Bandicoots are nocturnal so your greatest probability of sighting them is to camp in a single day then look out for his or her gleaming eyes on an evening stroll.
Cruise by black-footed rock wallabies at Yardie Creek, Western Australia
If you’re drawn to West Australia’s Coral Coast by the prospect to comply with migrating humpback whales, snorkel amongst colourful corals at Ningaloo reef or swim with whale sharks, additionally take a time out to discover inland. At Yardie Creek, an open-air river cruise winds via pink and gold cliffs the place the very uncommon black-footed rock wallaby lives.
These lovely animals will not be a lot larger than a small canine, averaging round 4kg in weight, and so they have lengthy tails, which allow them to maneuver nimbly alongside the gorge partitions. The rock wallabies are nearly invisible, sitting camouflaged on this dry terrain, till one of many river cruise guides factors them out. When you’re fortunate you may additionally spot birds reminiscent of egrets, ospreys and Western bowerbirds.
Swim with bottlenose dolphins at Port Stephens, New South Wales
Dolphins is probably not distinctive to Australia, however Port Stephens (2½ hours north of Sydney) is one spot the place you may swim responsibly with these pleasant cetaceans. Greater than 140 bottlenose dolphins stay right here, greeting guests with infamous curiosity and playfulness. Though they reside within the harbor, bear in mind that they’re nonetheless wild creatures – there are strict guidelines laid out by NSW Parks & Wildlife on the way to work together with the dolphins in case you do determine to get within the water.
Eco-certified Dolphin Swim Australia is the one operator in New South Wales that’s permitted to let guests swim with wild dolphins. They’re going to present every thing you’ll want for a four-hour open-ocean swimming journey, together with an intensive briefing, wetsuits and a masks and snorkel. Relying on the time of yr, you may additionally spot migrating humpback whales whilst you’re right here.
