Kangaroo Island

It’s iconic
Kangaroo Island more than earns its ranking as Australia’s fourth major tourism icon. You simply can’t beat its wildlife and wilderness. Being in South Australia, the wine is pretty good too.
 
Kangaroo Island (“KI” to the locals) is a short flight from Adelaide or a ferry ride from Cape Jervis. There’s so much to do on this island. Explore untouched bushland, fish on pristine beaches, see the wildlife, go on an eco tour or charter.
The Southern Ocean
Wildlife surrounds Kangaroo Island. The ocean is teeming with fish, sea lions and little penguin colonies. Stand on the shore in the cooler months and watch migrating southern right whales and their calves.
This place is like a zoo without fences, with rare bird life, tammar wallabies, short-beaked echidnas and plenty of kangaroos and koalas.
Stunning scenery
Absorb Kangaroo Island’s heritage and natural beauty at your own pace by car or four wheel drive (4WD). Go on a self guided audio tour, coach journey, four wheel drive (4WD) adventure, boat trip or fishing charter.


Island transport
There’s limited public transport on Kangaroo Island. SeaLink runs a twice daily coach service between Penneshaw, American River and Kingscote. It connects with the ferry service. Shuttle buses providing transfers between towns can be booked. If you don’t have a vehicle, ask your accommodation provider about shuttle services from the ferry or airport.

Driving and fuel
Nearly 1,600 kilometres of roads crisscross Kangaroo Island. Many of them, particularly the major routes connecting Penneshaw, American River, Parndana, Flinders Chase and Kingscote, are sealed and in good condition. Drive below 60 kilometres per hour on unsealed roads.
Buy fuel on Kangaroo Island at most of the larger towns. LPG (gas) is available at Kingscote and Penneshaw. Ensure you have a full tank before you head off for the day. Remember that petrol stations operate on island time and close at 6pm.

Car hire
Take your car on the SeaLink ferry or hire one on Kangaroo Island. A conventional two wheel drive (2WD) vehicle will do, although you'll be able to see more with a four wheel drive (4WD).
Kingscote, Penneshaw and the airport all offer a car hire service. If you’re planning to hire a car on the mainland, discuss your travel plans with the hire company. Some Kangaroo Island roads are unsealed and hiring restrictions may apply.

Drive safely
Kangaroos, koalas and wallabies are more active at dawn, dusk and overnight. If you’re travelling at these times, take extra care to protect the wildlife. If you do come across something, dip your lights, slow down and enjoy nature’s show! Be alert during the daytime too. Lizards and heath goannas love to lie on the warm roads.
Drive below 60 kilometres per hour on unsealed roads.

Penguin Pageantry

Join Little Penguins on their nightly procession from the waters around Kingscote and Penneshaw to cosy seaside burrows. The friendly folk of the Kangaroo Island Penguin Centre in Kingscote run nightly tours, and will also show you around their illuminating saltwater aquariums, containing a huge variety of island marine life including seahorses, amazing cuttlefish and reef fish.

Cruising Kangaroo Island

Location: Across Island
Tour times: Tours operate all year around (weather dependent). Please phone Cruising Kangaroo Island for tour times and all bookings.
Telephone: 0409 096 847

Cruising Kangaroo Island operate kayaking tours at carefully selected locations across the Island. Accompanying you on your tour will be an experienced local guide who will ensure a safe, enjoyable and relaxing time on the water. Tours are usually 2 or 3 hours in duration and are undertaken at a very casual pace with regular stops to admire the stunning surrounds. Gliding across the pristine waters you are likely to see dolphins, sea eagles, pelicans, fish, ducks, swans and much more. What better way to see this beautiful island, then from the sea.

Seal Bay Conservation Park

Walk among the nation's third largest and most accessible colony of Australian sealions as these cute creatures doze in the sun after lengthy fishing forays in the Southern Ocean. Various tours are available at the hugely popular Seal Bay Conservation Park: you can join a park ranger for a guided walk on the beach, or take a self-guided tour on the more accessible boardwalk.

Kangaroo Island Marine Adventures

Location: Kingscote Jetty
Opening Hours: Daily 9.00am and 1.00pm, subject to weather. Bookings essential. 
Telephone:0427 315 286 or 0418 816 515

Take a one-hour, half or full-day excursion from Emu Bay and soak up the fun and meet the marine life on this comfortable, purpose-built craft. Join an environmentally focussed pleasure cruise and experience the thrill of swimming with dolphins in their natural habitat, enjoy spectacular scenery, snorkelling, ancient fossil beds, sea eagles and osprey as you explore the magnificent north coast.

Kangaroo Island Bush Getaway Adventures

Location: South Coast Road
Opening Hours: Daily. Closed Christmas Day
Telephone: 0407 784 975 or 0427 597 329

Offering you a fun-filled day of paintball and quad bike tours, Kangaroo Island Bush Getaway Adventures is a must! With 9 fun paintball playing fields to choose your adventure from and 250 acres of beautiful, natural Kangaroo Island landscape for you to see on a guided quad bike tour. Enjoy both these activities with added fun including yabby and marron catching, koala viewing and Kangaroo Island's wildlife in its natural environment.

Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action

Location: Jetty Road, Vivonne Bay
Opening Hours: Bookings essential
Telephone: (08) 8559 4296

Enjoy nature-based adventures at breathtaking Vivonne Bay. To get the adrenalin pumping, try sand boarding or quad-bike (ATV) tours. Ride quad bikes (available for children over 6 years or be a passenger from 5 years old) through 500 acres of bushland trails - a great way to see kangaroos and other wildlife in their natural environment. Those that do not want to ride themselves can join the guide in the lead vehicle. Surfboards and double or single kayaks are also available for hire.

Adventure Caving at Kelly Caves

Location: South Coast Road, Flinders Chase
Opening Hours: 10-4.15pm
Telephone: (08) 8553 4464

Tour this beautiful cave system of caverns and sinkholes. Showcase tours run daily. The more daring can also book an adventure caving tour for a deeper look into this underground world of ornate calcite formations.

Little Sahara

Location: Off the South Coast Road, Vivonne Bay
Opening Hours: Open access
Telephone: n/a
This is an area of spectacular white sand-dunes, surrounded by bush vegetation. Climbing over the first ridge you are confronted by a second, much higher dune which, when scaled, reveals...yes, more dunes. Take your sandboard and climb to the top of the razorback ridges and enjoy a thrilling ride to the bottom. There's no charge for your enjoyment of Little Sahara but please respect this environment and leave only footprints behind. Sandboards and toboggans are available for hire from Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action at Vivonne Bay (08 8559 4296) and Vivonne Bay General Store (08 8559 4285).

Conservation Volunteers

Volunteers to form “Green Team” for Kangaroo Island Surfing Music Festival and Fantastic Noodles Kangaroo Island Pro.

Surfing South Australia has joined forces with Conservation Volunteers (CV) to form a Green Team for the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour Event on Kangaroo Island. This team, managed by a CV Team Leader will help to minimize the impact of the event on the surrounding environment through environmental education and surveying of fauna and flora to ensure it is protected.

Read more: Conservation Volunteers