Discover The Beauty of Kangaroo Island

Discover The Beauty Of Kangaroo Island

This South Australian island is full of wildlife, great produce and some wild winter walks.

Wander to Reeves Point, near the township of Kingscote on Kangaroo Island, and you’ll find a lone mulberry tree. The mulberry, still faithfully producing fruit, is the last surviving tree of hundreds planted on the island by South Australia’s first European settlers.

Located 16km across Backstairs Passage from the mainland, the island’s relative isolation makes it a haven for wildlife of all kinds.

You don’t have to rely on chance encounters to interact with the island’s wildlife.

Among the avenues of eucalyptus trees at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary visitors tilt their faces skyward, exclaiming over dozens of koalas sleeping the day away.

At Raptor Domain audiences are introduced to everything from a falcon to a barking owl, wedge-tailed eagle and black-breasted buzzard, in an entertaining presentation, that also teaches people what they can do to help preserve the environment of some of Australia’s threatened and endangered birdlife.

And there are opportunities to hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies at Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park and Aquarium.

These days, visitors tend to visit the island to replenish their soul. Australia’s third largest island (after Tasmania and Melville Island) has deserted white sand beaches aplenty, lagoons, and coastline that will take your breath away.

While many holidaymakers visit in summer to enjoy walking, snorkelling and swimming, those who visit in winter experience another side to the island. When you stand on one of its rugged limestone clifftops being pummelled and buffeted by the wind, it’s impossible not to feel fully alive.

Today, some of the island’s most renowned industries have been born of a similar determination coupled with ingenuity. Emu Ridge is South Australia’s only commercial eucalyptus distillery. Essential oil is distilled from the leaf of the Kangaroo Island narrow leaf mallee and is made using the traditional method. The island is also a sanctuary for Ligurian bees. It is now the only place in the world where a pure strain of the Ligurian bee exists. At Clifford’s Honey Farm, about 10,000kg of honey are produced annually. In such a pristine environment it seems fitting that the food scene is driven by quality and purity, with local seafood including marron, sheep milk cheeses and honey often making an appearance on menus.

Whether you’re drawn to Kangaroo Island for its food and wine, flora and fauna, or simply rest and relaxation, you’ll return home fully satisfied.