Kangaroo Island
Lying less than 20 kilometres off-shore from the tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula, the pristine coastline, striking landscapes and abundant wildlife of Kangaroo Island (Australia's third largest) has led it to become South Australia's most exciting ecological drawcard. Having beenestranged from the mainland for nearly 10,000 years, the island's isolation has evolved into its greatest asset, and the lack of both development and destructive introduced species like foxes, cats, and rabbits, has allowed much of the environment and its thriving native fauna population to remain virtually unchanged. An amazing thirty percent of the island is now protected by numerous parks and wildernessareas, and visitors can expect to see wallabies, koalas, lizards, sea lions and seals, and as the name would suggest, plenty of kangaroos. Those who travel west to the majestic Flinders Chase National Park may even be lucky enough to spot some of Australia's shyer creatures, such as the spiny echidna and the ever elusive platypus. Kangaroo Island is also a bird watchers paradise, boasting over 200 species which range from colourful lorikeets and parrots, to fairy penguins, pelicans, emus, albatrosses and the rare Cape Barren goose.
The most common way to get to Kangaroo Island is via a ferry. KangarooIsland Sealink operates two vehicle/passenger ferries departing from Cape Jervis (Fleurieu Peninsula) and arriving at the island's eastern most settlement of Penneshaw all year round. During the summer, the passenger only KI Express affords visitors to Adelaide easy access, operating daily out of Glenelg (see Inner Adelaide). The remaining option is to fly, and several airlines offer daily flights from Adelaide Airport, all landing at the island's main town of Kingscote. Once there, apart from the free shuttle bus which runs between Kingscote and Penneshaw, public transport is almost non-existent, so your own vehicle would be a definite advantage. Alternatively, there's an excellent variety of tours on offer, as well as numerous places to rent cars, mopeds, and bicycles (see Tours & Trips under Things To Do). There's also an excellent range of places tostay, ensuring a pleasant stay for any traveller on any budget.
Most visits to Kangaroo Island begin at the peaceful resort town ofPenneshaw, set on the white sandy shores of Hog Bay. The town's main attraction is its colony of fairy penguins, who reliablywaddle up the beach to their burrows every evening. Guided tours run bythe National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) depart just after sunsetfrom the Penguin Interpretative Centre, situated right beside the main ferry terminal. The township itself offers several good accommodationalternatives, as well as a pub, and a number of places to grab a bite.Penneshaw is also home to the friendly Kangaroo Island Gateway VisitorsCentre, which provides visitors with camping permits, park passes, and anything else you might like to know.
About 30 kilometres from Penneshaw following Hog Bay Road, a short and scenic detour skirts by the magnificent waterways of the PelicanLagoon bird sanctuary, before terminating at the tiny settlement of American River 10 kilometres down the road. The village was named after a group of American sealers who built and launched a 35 tonne schooner here in 1804, and today its sheltered estuary is still a notedspot for boating and fishing. The daily pelican feeding (4:30pm) on thetown's wharf, is also a major tourist drawcard.
Back on Hog Bay Road, 30 kilometres beyond the turn-off to AmericanRiver, Kingscote is Kangaroo Island's largest town and main tourist centre. Surprisingly, Kingscote became first recognised Europeansettlement in South Australia, only to be abandoned in favour of the mainland less than four years later. Documenting the difficult conditions faced by the states first pioneers, the Hope Cottage Museum is one of a number of National Trust classified historical sites, all of which can be found a little north of the present town centre.
Although famed by an intriguing past, Kingscote is best known on the tourist trail for it's fairy penguins and pelicans. The first of the penguins begin to return to their burrows just after dusk each evening,and the NPWS operates two nightly tours, leaving from the Ozone Hotel on Kingscote Terrace at 7:30 and 8:30 pm (add an hour during daylight saving). During the afternoons, flocks of pelicans looking for an easy meal take centre stage at the town's jetty, putting on quite a show as they squabble for the complimentary fish. The jetty is also a greatspot to drop in a line, with trevally, garfish, and huge South Australian whiting all regularly taking the bait.
During the hotter months (and there's plenty of those in South Australia) Kingscote's tidal pool is the best spot close to town for arefreshing swim. 18 kilometres north of Kingscote, the brilliant blue waters and white sandy shores of Emu Bay is a better option, though you'll need your own transport to get there.
