21 Australian wildlife encounters for 2021
Australia is one of the world’s great wildlife destinations. The country has thousands of species that can’t be found anywhere else – some of them cute, some of them deadly but impressive. Fortunately, Australia’s tourism industry is admirably well set up for visitors wanting close Australian wildlife encounters. These go well beyond the clichéd quokka selfies on Rottnest Island or hand-feeding kangaroos at Featherdale in Sydney, too.
As part of the Australia in 2021 series, Australia Travel Questions has picked out 21 of the best Australian wildlife encounters to try in 2021 – and here they are…
Four wildlife encounters in New South Wales
Dolphins: Around the Australian coast are several spots where you can swim with dolphins. Adelaide’s dolphin swimming cruises are probably the most convenient. But an arguably more exciting dolphin encounter is kayaking with dolphins in Byron Bay, New South Wales.
Kangaroos: The ultimate Australian animal lives in much of the country, but there are several kangaroo species. The eastern grey kangaroos are the most prevalent, and they can be seen at the Euroka Campground in the Blue Mountains National Park. Other good places to see kangaroos include Anglesea Golf Course on the Great Ocean Road, Halls Gap in the Grampians and Cape Hillsborough beach in Queensland.
Pademelons: One of the lesser-known marsupial species lives in the Nightcap National Park in northern NSW. You’ll also see unusual owls and frogs on a wildlife tour using night vision goggles from Byron Bay. The Nightcap is one of Australia Travel Questions’ 21 Australian national parks to visit in 2021.
Spiders: No-one comes to Australia wanting to meet highly venomous spiders. But the Sydney funnel web sure is fascinating – as you’ll discover on a behind the scenes tour of the Australian Reptile Park on the Central Coast. The tour includes milking a funnel web for its venom.
Two Northern Territory wildlife encounters for 2021
Camels: Australian camels are so valuable, they’re exported to the Arabian Gulf. You can find out why on an Uluru camel ride in the shadow of Australia’s famous big red rock. This is one of Australia Travel Questions’ 21 things to do in the Northern Territory during 2021.
Saltwater crocodiles: You absolutely don’t want to get in the water with a saltwater crocodile. But they’re magnificent to observe from a boat. Crocodile-watching cruises are available on Yellow Water in Kakadu National Park, and the Corroboree Billabong near Darwin. If you’re in Queensland, croc cruises are available on the Daintree River and Proserpine River.
Three Australian wildlife encounters in Queensland
Koalas: You can spot wild koalas in several parts of Australia, but you have to hone in if you want to get a photo of yourself cuddling a koala. The Kuranda Koala Gardens near Cairns in far north Queensland is a good bet.
Humpback whales: During the winter months, humpback whales migrate up and down Australia’s east coast. They tend to stop in Hervey Bay, a 290km drive north of Brisbane. But from Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast, special snorkelling cruises allow tourists to swim with the humpbacks.
Platypuses: The platypus is notoriously elusive, but plenty of platypuses hang out in the Eungella National Park. You’ll find them from the viewing platform over the Broken River. An alternative platypus hotspot is Queensland town of Yungaburra in the Atherton Tableland.
Three South Australia wildlife encounters in 2021
Australian sea lions: The rare Australian sea lion can be spotted at various colonies between Kangaroo Island and the Houtman-Abrolhos Islands near Geraldton, WA. But you can swim with some particularly friendly ones at Baird Bay near Ceduna on the Eyre Peninsula.
Great white sharks: There’s only one place in Australia where you can do a cage dive with great white sharks. That’s the Neptune Islands – a three hour boat ride away from Port Lincoln. The sharks get unnervingly close.
Southern right whales: The gentle giants of the Southern Ocean can be seen in several spots along the Australian coast. Whale-watching cruises from Albany in Western Australia are one option, but you can see southern right whales from the clifftop viewing platform at Head of Bight.
Two Australian wildlife encounters in Tasmania
Wombats: Maria Island has plenty of convict history, but there is nowhere else in Australia where wombats are so abundant and easy to see. Encounter Maria Island runs ferries over to the island.
Tasmanian devils: The Narawntapu National Park isn’t exactly short of native wildlife. Wombats, Bennetts wallabies and Forester kangaroos are active at night. But expect them to be drowned out by the grunting calls of the Tasmanian devils.
Three Australian wildlife encounters in Victoria for 2021
Australian fur seals: Apollo Bay is one of the best holiday towns on the Great Ocean Road. That’s partly because it’s close to the Marengo Reefs Marine Sanctuary, where a colony of Australian fur seals lives. Apollo Bay Surf and Kayak runs kayaking tours that head out to see the seals.
Emus: The Tower Hill Reserve near Warrnambool teems with all manner of wildlife, including echidnas and kangaroos. But this extinct volcanic crater is particularly notorious for its emus. They’ll steal your picnic lunch if you’re not careful.
Weedy sea dragons: These weird creatures look like ultra-flamboyant pieces of seaweed, and hang out in Port Phillip Bay. You can go snorkelling with weedy sea dragons from Portsea on the Mornington Peninsula.
Four wildlife encounters in Western Australia
Stingrays: At Hamelin Bay near Margaret River in south west WA, friendly stingrays have gathered in the shallows for years. They’re generally unbothered about paddling humans coming to stroke their velvety backs.
Penguins: No prizes for guessing what you’ll see on Penguin Island near Rockingham… The little penguins here are the smallest species of penguins on earth. Cruises out to Penguin Island also include dolphins, sea lions and pelicans.
Whale sharks: The biggest fish on earth pass by the Ningaloo Reef, a 13 hour drive north of Perth. During the March to August whale shark season, it’s possible to go snorkelling with them. Swimming with whale sharks tours depart from Exmouth.
Woylies: Also known as brush-tailed bettongs, woylies are shy nocturnal creatures that can be tough to find. Tours departing from the Western Australian town of Busselton go to a private reserve to have evening tea with them.