A remote, rural Australian experience at Kangaroo Island
, ET Bureau|
Sep 24, 2017, 12.01 AM IST
Picture an island of 4,405 sq km with a population of just 4,600 people and uncountable wildlife.
You don’t wake up to your News Feed but sea lions basking on pristine white beaches, koalas dozing on towering eucalyptus trees and kangaroos — many carrying their young joeys in the pouch — hopping across vast verdant spaces. This is Kangaroo Island (or KI, as locals call it) in South Australia — a remote, rural Australian experience.
It is divided into North Coast, which consists of rolling hills and secluded bays, and the rugged South Coast. The adventure in Southern KI begins with a drive down an almost never-ending road sheltered by eucalyptus trees on both sides.
Seal Bay and Admirals Arch have long-nosed fur seals that are fishing, surfing, napping and defending their territory. Seal Bay is home to the third largest colony of Australian sea lions in the world. Just a 10-minute drive from the Arch, Remarkable Rocks is an iconic landmark with granite boulders sculpted by rain, wind and pounding waves over a period of 500 million years.
Feed pelicans and koalas at the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park, click tammar wallabies that look like a finer version of the kangaroo, catch sight of camera-shy echidnas and be on the lookout for birds like the black cockatoo, magpie, cape barren geese, rock parrot and the little penguin. If you have time on hand, traverse the wilderness of the Flinders Chase National Park on foot; it has a network of walking trails and broad walks of varying levels of difficulty.
To be fully immersed in South Australian fishing and surfing culture, head to Vivonne Bay, a 5-km-long, white sand beach. If you are lucky, you can spot the southern right whale in the waters during the winter months. Swim in the shallow, calm waters and take in the spectacular views from Point Ellen and then get ready for the wildlife. The KI wildlife is active at night. Animals will pop up on the road from thick bush lands. So, make sure you drive slowly, dip the lights and carry binoculars.
The island’s 540-km-long coastline has everything from secret, rocky caverns to rolling hills and shimmering beaches by an aquamarine ocean. With old-fashioned beach shacks run by passionate locals and laidback, alfresco-style dining options, Stokes Bay on the northern coast makes for a great swimming and camping spot. The fun lies in making your way to the beach through natural, cave-like formations. Around Stokes Bay, you can find a few hidden jewels like the idyllic Snellings Beach, Western River Cove and King George Beach. Popular for snorkelling and rock fishing, Snellings Beach is also a place to enjoy a quaint island dining experience. Feast under the drooping canopy of 150-year-old fig tree, with flickering sunrays piercing through the giant leaves. End the meal with a dessert made of fresh figs plucked from the same tree. It is a gourmet experience like no other. On the way back, consider a quick halt at the Stokes Bay Bush Garden; it houses plants that are native to Australia, including banksias, dryandras, and grevilleas.
To explore the underwater world, go on a marine tour that takes off from Bay of Shoals and Emu Bay. View seals, sea eagles and osprey on ancient fossil beds or put on your wetsuit and swim with bottlenose dolphins in shallow, protected waters. Grab your scuba gear and marvel at gorgonian coral and magnificent fish, including blue devil, harlequin, truncate coralfish, boarfish and the elusive leafy sea dragon.
You don’t wake up to your News Feed but sea lions basking on pristine white beaches, koalas dozing on towering eucalyptus trees and kangaroos — many carrying their young joeys in the pouch — hopping across vast verdant spaces. This is Kangaroo Island (or KI, as locals call it) in South Australia — a remote, rural Australian experience.
It is divided into North Coast, which consists of rolling hills and secluded bays, and the rugged South Coast. The adventure in Southern KI begins with a drive down an almost never-ending road sheltered by eucalyptus trees on both sides.
Seal Bay and Admirals Arch have long-nosed fur seals that are fishing, surfing, napping and defending their territory. Seal Bay is home to the third largest colony of Australian sea lions in the world. Just a 10-minute drive from the Arch, Remarkable Rocks is an iconic landmark with granite boulders sculpted by rain, wind and pounding waves over a period of 500 million years.
Feed pelicans and koalas at the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park, click tammar wallabies that look like a finer version of the kangaroo, catch sight of camera-shy echidnas and be on the lookout for birds like the black cockatoo, magpie, cape barren geese, rock parrot and the little penguin. If you have time on hand, traverse the wilderness of the Flinders Chase National Park on foot; it has a network of walking trails and broad walks of varying levels of difficulty.
To be fully immersed in South Australian fishing and surfing culture, head to Vivonne Bay, a 5-km-long, white sand beach. If you are lucky, you can spot the southern right whale in the waters during the winter months. Swim in the shallow, calm waters and take in the spectacular views from Point Ellen and then get ready for the wildlife. The KI wildlife is active at night. Animals will pop up on the road from thick bush lands. So, make sure you drive slowly, dip the lights and carry binoculars.
The island’s 540-km-long coastline has everything from secret, rocky caverns to rolling hills and shimmering beaches by an aquamarine ocean. With old-fashioned beach shacks run by passionate locals and laidback, alfresco-style dining options, Stokes Bay on the northern coast makes for a great swimming and camping spot. The fun lies in making your way to the beach through natural, cave-like formations. Around Stokes Bay, you can find a few hidden jewels like the idyllic Snellings Beach, Western River Cove and King George Beach. Popular for snorkelling and rock fishing, Snellings Beach is also a place to enjoy a quaint island dining experience. Feast under the drooping canopy of 150-year-old fig tree, with flickering sunrays piercing through the giant leaves. End the meal with a dessert made of fresh figs plucked from the same tree. It is a gourmet experience like no other. On the way back, consider a quick halt at the Stokes Bay Bush Garden; it houses plants that are native to Australia, including banksias, dryandras, and grevilleas.
To explore the underwater world, go on a marine tour that takes off from Bay of Shoals and Emu Bay. View seals, sea eagles and osprey on ancient fossil beds or put on your wetsuit and swim with bottlenose dolphins in shallow, protected waters. Grab your scuba gear and marvel at gorgonian coral and magnificent fish, including blue devil, harlequin, truncate coralfish, boarfish and the elusive leafy sea dragon.
