australia’s wild side: the best places to see native wildlife

Australia is home to an abundant variety of wildlife that can’t be found anywhere else on the planet. Here is your guide to where to find them.

Sea lions – Montague Island, NSW

This is an experience you will never forget. Just off the coastal town of Narooma lies Montague Island: home to a colony of fur seals and thousands of little penguins. A guided snorkel safari bring you quite literally face to face with these friendly seals in their crystal blue home. Watch them dive and play around you, leaving trails of little bubbles in their wake. Make sure you take the time to explore the corals and little caves of the bay, keeping an eye out for the abundance of sea-life and the occasional turtle. No previous snorkelling experience is required for these tours.

Wombats - Cradle Mountain-Lake St Claire National Park, TAS

Cradle Mountain has long been famous for its abundance of native wildlife and bushland beauty. As dusk starts to settle, the wombats of Cradle Mountain will start to appear from their hillside burrows. Follow the boardwalk at Ronny Creek from the car park to Dove Lake to watch these gentle marsupials graze, explore and occasionally venture close out of curiosity. Winter is the best time to spot wombats wandering through alpine grasses of their natural habitat.

Quokkas – Rottnest Island, WA

By far the quokka is one of Australia’s cutest and happiest creatures. Located just a short ferry ride outside of Perth on Rottnest Island lives an abundant colony of quokkas who are quite happy and confidant to pose for a photo or even a selfie. Be aware that it is illegal to touch or feed these animals, so keep a respectful distance or bring your selfie stick to capture this moment in time. Quokkas are nocturnal animals and come most lively just before it starts to get dark.

Platypus – Eungella National Park, QLD

The platypus: one of Australia’s most elusive, ancient and unique creatures that can only be found in a few places around the country. Broken River in the Eungella National Park is one of these few places and is renowned as being one of the best spots to frequently see platypi in the wild. Set out at dawn or dusk and when on the lookout, watch for air bubbles rising breaking through the water’s surface as platypi forage at the bottom of riverbanks. These web-footed mammals can be shy so be sure to approach quietly or watch them glide through the river from a distance. A twenty minute drive away is Rainforest Scuba in Finch Hatton, offering freshwater dives or a chance to get close to local platypi, turtles and fish.

Koalas – Magnetic Island, QLD

Located just a ferry ride away from Townsville is Magnetic Island, home to Australia’s largest wild koala population. Follow the historical track of Forts Walk at Horseshoe Bay through the gumtree forest and remains of old WWII military camps with your eyeline skyward. If you are lucky, you may spot a fury grey nestled in the arm of a gumtree or on a lower branch munching on some leaves. It is a rare sight to see one of Australia’s most loved animals out in the wild so count yourself extremely lucky if you catch a glimpse of one.

Cassowary – Mission Beach, QLD

A prehistoric ratite that is notoriously difficult to spot in the wild, the Cassowary is sadly endangered making it all the more rewarding if you find one. Take a long-weekend camping trip along Mission Beach in far North Queensland to hopefully sight one of the area’s 100 Cassowaries foraging in the wild. The early morning is the best time to see these giant birds wandering through the wilderness or along some of the beaten-out tracks. Patience is key when on the lookout, so soak in the stillness of the rainforest and breath its air deeply and hopefully you will catch a glimpse of these ancient creatures.

Tree Kangaroos – Crater Lakes National Park, QLD

Tree Kangaroos are only found in rainforests of far North Queensland and with a limited wild population they are a rare sight to see. Set off beneath the canopy in the late afternoon when the rain is a drizzle and the air is a little misty to hopefully catch glimpse of a Tree Kangaroo perched on an outer branch. Their pendulous orangey-brown tail hanging down from the canopy is the easiest way to spot these creatures. If you spot one, keep quiet and calm to not scare this beautiful animal away.

Emus – Coorong National Park, SA

A bird watchers paradise, Coorong National Park is one of the few places in Australia to spot an Emu in its natural habitat. Find this national treasure scavenging through the bush scrub in the early morning along the coast. Be sure to keep your distance and appreciate from afar as emu are cautious creatures who are known to be territorial, especially around their young.