subject: Get up close to Australian animals on Kangaroo Island [print this page] Get up close to Australian animals on Kangaroo Island
After Melville and Tasmania, Kangaroo Island is the 3rd largest island in Australia. It's situated 112 km from the metropolitan city of Adelaide making it easy for anyone wanting to visit this lovely place.
The largest town on Kangaroo Island is Kingscote which was called Reeves Point when it served as a settlement area in 1836 for Europeans. Its name was altered when a proposal was made that the town become South Australia's capital. Unfortunately this didn't happen because Kingscote did not have sufficient resources to support its increasing population. Instead, Adelaide became the capital of South Australia.
Much of Kangaroo Island's economy comes from agriculture. This includes beef farming; potato, canola and grain farming, as well sheep grazing. Cattle which are reared in the high rainfall areas produce beef that is known for its outstanding quality.
Tourism and the fishing industry are also important for the economy. Kangaroo Island is visited by 140,000 people annually. About 25 percent of them are European tourists. The island is renowned for the unrivaled size of the southern rock lobsters which are caught off the coastline. South Australia's only producer of eucalyptus oil.
The climate is temperate in this part of the world. June - September are the winter months which are wet and mild. October - May are the summer months which are warm and dry. Summer temperatures hover around 25C due to cooling sea breezes. Winter may be quite chilly with temperatures around the 13 to 16C mark. Remember to pack a jersey if you are visiting at this time of the year.
About half the island is blanketed with vegetation. One quarter is comprised of wilderness protection areas, national parks, and conservation parks. These include Cape Bouguer Wilderness Protection Area, the Flinders Chase National Park, Ravine des Casoars Wilderness Protection Area, and Gantheaume Conservation Park. All are popular visiting sites.
At Seal Bay you'll be able to enjoy a guided walk to observe sea lions basking in the sun. During a visit to Flinders Chase National Park, you'll see the Remarkable Rocks. These huge boulders have been incredibly sculpted by Mother Nature. Other places of interest are the Kelly Hill Caves, Cape Willoughby, and the enormous sand dunes at Little Sahara.
At Kingscote you can see delightful penguins in the Kangaroo Island Penguin Center, while the Murray Lagoon has an abundance of bird life. There's a lookout on Mount Thisby which was built in 2002 to honor Matthew Flinders, the first man to circumnavigate Australia. Here you can see amazing 360 degree views of the island.
There is plenty of accommodation in Kangaroo Island. Rent a cottage on the beach at Island Beach, Stokes Bay, Snelling Beach or Emu Bay. You will also find a lot of comfortable backpackers' houses where you can share inexpensive lodgings. In addition to bedrooms, these houses have large living areas, dining areas, and fully equipped kitchens. Some also have games rooms. Your other choices include motels and hotels, B&Bs, caravan and camping sites, holiday apartments and resorts.
