I’ve been neglecting this blog – mainly due to being too busy having a fabulous time seeing the sights of Australia. It’s been a hectic few months, but I’m taking some time in Sydney to post some updates on where I’ve been and what I’ve done.
So, to Kangaroo Island, which is just off the south coast of the aptly named state South Australia, and can be reached easily from the city of Adelaide.
And, for once in Australia, this island fully lives up to its name, as a hot bed of Australian wildlife. Koalas, echidnas, seals and, of course, roos, are all easily spotted on this stunning patch of land.
But first things first – you have to get there. I thought it would be a case of getting a bus to the Sealink ferry and exploring from there, but alas, the island is much bigger than it looks and you need transport to get around as well as an overnight stay. I then considered hiring a car and taking it on the ferry, but if you’re on a budget – like me – then this was not a viable option.
So, what to do? I ended up hunting around for a tour. There are several to choose from, but I opted for Groovy Grapes, which gave you two days on the island and the chance to see most of the main points of interest.
Bleary eyed, I rose from bed in anticipation of a 6am pickup from my hostel in central Adelaide. Our incredibly cheery guide (which sadly due to this being back in September, I can’t remember the name of) welcomed us all onto the minibus and we were on our way.
It’s important to note that the ferry can be pretty choppy, so if you’re prone to seasickness, take some tablets.
After a smooth sail across to the island, we were ready to see some sights. Stop offs included beautiful sandy bays and a honey farm. Honey in KI is the only kind in the world made with pure bred Ligurian bees, as they are so strict with the importation of honey from outside the island.
One of the highlights on day one was Seal Bay, where you can stand on a beach surrounded by sea lions lazing in the sand. They lie so still they almost don’t seem real.
KI is also home to large sand dunes – appropriately named Little Sahara. Here you can try your hand at sandboarding or sand tobogganing – much harder than it looks.
Soon it was time to go to our accommodation for the night – just outside Flinders Chase National Park. Rooms featured bunk beds and were fairly cosy – although the outside temperature wasn’t particularly warm. Dinner was provided, but before we could even think about eating, there was a rush of bodies to a nearby lone tree swaying dangerously in the strong winds.
In the half dark you could just make out a koala with her joey, clinging on to the swinging branches. For someone who has never seen a koala in the wild before, this was a goosebump inducing experience.
The next morning, fresh from our koala encounter, we were keen to see more of the wildlife that KI is so famous for. So we headed to Flinders Chase National Park and went on a walk – where we saw kangaroos galore, geese, and even more koalas.
Afterwards, we made our way to Admirals Arch – a natural landmark shaped by waves. The journey down was tricky, despite the well constructed wooden paths, as it was a howling gale and torrential rain. But this didn’t deter us, and we eventually reached the rock. Nearby there is a colony of adorable New Zealand fur seals, which you can get surprisingly close to. Naturally inquisitive, they will stare at you for hours if you hang around long enough (it’s very hard to leave).
Remarkable Rocks were next on the agenda – a group of strangely formed monoliths on the coast. After taking a range of carefully posed pictures channelling our inner Vogue models, battling wind and rain of course, we went back to the bus and went for lunch.
It was soon time to head back to Penneshaw for our ferry – but not before we saw an echidna at the side of the road. Notoriously shy, they tend to be difficult to spot. A word to the wise – do not run towards an echidna as some people on my tour did as you will scare them into curling into a ball or shuffling away.
The journey back to the mainland was rough to say the least (the sky and the sea blended together at points) but it gave me a chance to take stock of what had been a great tour with a very enthusiastic guide. She had seen the animals hundreds of times before but hadn’t lost her excitement. I would highly recommend it as a way to visit the island if you don’t have your own car. KI has certainly been one of my unexpected high points in this country.
Up next on the agenda is Adelaide – watch this space.
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