One day, someone mixed all the climatic zones and populated them with the funniest animals that you will never find anywhere else. And that, according to the unofficial version, is how Australia came to be. Kangaroos, koalas, wombats, dingoes… you can’t get to the mainland without meeting them live. What to visit in Australia, where to see the flora and fauna in full – from reptiles lurking in the sands to whales breaching the waves of reserves and parks with unique animals?
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
If you’re in the suburb of Carrambin, an 8-hour drive from Sydney, stop by to visit the animals. There are also cafes and souvenir shops scattered around the reserve.
Entrance fee to Carrambin Wildlife SanctuaryEverything here is designed for conservation: a hospital for orphaned and injured wildlife, conservation programmes, and an ‘extinction trail’ where you can learn about lost species.
The reserve is home to a variety of flora, and there’s more to see than just watching: frisky kangaroos are happy for a treat, fluffy koalas don’t mind a cuddle, and colourful birds and ever-sleepy loris enjoy being stroked.
A small train takes visitors around the reserve – the journey is included in the price of the entrance ticket.
At the Wild Sky show, birds of prey fly freely over your heads – catch those feathers! Stunts are performed by a variety of Australian birds: red-backed aries, pink-billed pelicans, and Australia’s largest birds of prey, the wedge-tailed eagles. Be sure to stay until the end of the show to have your photo taken with one of the flying beauties.
» READ MORE – Sydney’s 21 attractions: What Makes It Special?
Penguin Parade (Phillip Island)
What to see in Australia if you want to see wild penguins?
On Phillip Island, an hour and a half from Melbourne, the Little Penguins bustle about every day. That’s the real name for the busily rolling birds, because they’re only 35cm tall, three times smaller than their northern relatives.
Every evening, after a hearty meal of fishing, an army of tiny feet move from the water to the sand dunes where their dens are located. This island is home to the largest number of Little Penguins in the world, so there are special conditions for nature protection – you can’t disturb the little ones, only contemplate and admire them.
Admission ticket to the penguin paradeThe most tourists are around December to January, so be on the lookout for bookings if you’re planning a trip during these dates. Come early to get the best seats, and bring warm clothes – the evenings by the water are not hot. Arrive after sunset – that’s when the tired workers come out of the water, looking on in amazement at the crowd of onlookers.
Te Pinnacles Desert (Perth or Cervantes)
Two hours from Perth, in Nambung National Park, lurks a small but highly entertaining desert called Te Pinnacles. It’s an earthly Mars, where kangaroos and emus jump instead of aliens, and fierce lizards hide in the thorns.
On expanses of golden sand, thousands of pinnacles – limestone pillars of all heights, shapes, and sizes – strive to rise. Pink cockatoos bask on them in the sunshine, and people can only admire them – you should not interfere with the fragile nature.
The golden desert can be visited on foot or by car; the traffic is one-way. You can park along the road and go out to look at the rocks.
The views are especially beautiful in the morning and at night, except that at night you can also admire the stars. The desert is far from the city, so there is almost no light pollution in the sky – the Milky Way and planets can be seen well, even better through telescopes and astrobinoculars. There’s a gift shop nearby and a science centre with talks on natural processes.
Pinnacles Desert TourVisit between August and October, when it’s not too hot and the wildflowers come to life. If you want to stay longer, the nearest town for rent is Cervantes, just 20 minutes away. Nearby Perth is Koala Park, where for $30 you can snuggle up to a fluffy koala with its warm nose against your shoulder. Isn’t that a miracle?
Kangaroo Island (Adelaide)
A 35-minute flight from Adelaide or a 45-minute ferry ride from Cape Jervis and you’re on an island full of animals, from koalas to harbour seals!
Full day excursion to Kangaroo IslandAs well as wildlife, there are cliffs, sandy beaches, forest edges, farms, and apiaries with honey sold all over Australia.
- There are marsupials jumping freely on the grass, and special marsupials, called kangaroos from Kangaroo Island, which differ from the usual ones by their redder colour and elongated face. Be careful – in the evenings, these hoppers like to jump on the carriageway
- Fattened koalas sit in the trees and giant pink-billed pelicans are in the neighbourhood. If you stay out late into the evening, you’ll see the appetite of these predatory beasts of prey
- Echidnas and platypuses hide in their dens, but sea lions and seals are quietly lounging on the beaches of Seal Bay Reserve. You can get very close to them, but do not touch them – guards are closely watching
- Baby penguins come out after sunset. They, fed and tired after fishing, go from the ocean to their dens on the coast, just like their brethren from Phillip Island
Kangaroo Island is a must-try for eucalyptus wine and Ligurian honey. Luckily for those with a sweet tooth, it comes in many variations, even sealed in chocolate and ice cream.
If you don’t want to look for animals in their natural environment, head to one of the nature reserves. There are several:
- Parndana Park or the aquarium in Kingscote. There you’ll see well-fed and contented moustachios, and the moustachios will be waiting for treats
- There is also a private farm, Paula’s Place, which is home to emus, parrots, a flock of kangaroos, and koalas, with photo opportunities for a fee
On the southern part of the island, there is a desert – Little Sahara, with an area of only 2 square kilometres, a snow-white, though tiny canvas with sand dunes. Here, from the warm sandy mountains, you can enjoy sandboarding, barefoot walking, and quad biking.
Dolphin Cruise (Jervis Bay)
A 2-hour drive from Sydney, Jervis Bay has the whitest beaches in the world (according to the Guinness Book of World Records) and whales, dolphins, and large turtles swimming in the waters.
All these underwater creatures can be seen from the shore, but if you want to see them up close, or better still, in motion, get on a cruise ship. Australia is extremely rich in wildlife, so dolphins and whales are diverse: grey, blue, with more or less elongated faces. Pay attention to the shoals swimming by – you will most likely be lucky enough to see several species.
Dolphins swim all year round and whales swim from May to November during migration.
What else is great about Jervis Bay?
- The waters are shallow and warm, so you can swim or snorkel rather than just lie on the beach if you want to
- The bay is located in the national park, where there are parrots and kangaroos. The latter, by the way, sometimes jump on the beaches as well
- On the coasts, there are shops of Aborigines, where they sell national clothes and souvenirs: boomerangs, jewellery, and others
- Nearby cafes serve fresh seafood and drinks from nearby wineries
Australia is not the most typical resort, but if you want to hug someone fluffy and smelling of eucalyptus, see someone giant and noisy jumping out of the water, and treat someone small and potato-like, then it’s worth a visit and your wishes will definitely be fulfilled.
Hernán Piñera / commons.wikimedia.org / CC BY-SA 2.0 
Daphne-be Frenchie / Unsplash 
LeutherCommerce / Pixabay
beasternchen / Pixabay
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