Wildlife Experiences
Outsize personalities like Paul Hogan (a.k.a. Crocodile Dundee) and the late, greatly mourned wildlife expert Steve Irwin helped make Australia’s animals famous – or was it the other way around? Australia is synonymous with kangaroos, koalas, wallabees and wombats, and renowned for lethal creatures like saltwater crocodiles and taipan snakes. (While there are some dangerous animals here, accidents are rare if precautions are taken.) Still mostly undeveloped, Australia is home to a variety of unique and extraordinarily diverse animal life. If your trip wouldn’t be complete without seeing some of these iconic animals, consider adding a wilderness experience to your itinerary. The rainforests and wetlands of Queensland and Kakadu in particular teem with birds, reptiles and mammals – a real Crocodile Dundee adventure. Australia also offers a number of excellent wildlife parks, where visitors can interact with animals in natural surroundings and are pretty much guaranteed to see koalas and kangas up close.
topNorthern Queensland
North of Cairns, the Queensland landscape grows increasingly rugged and unspoiled. Ancient rainforests cover much of the eastern portion, and are rich with rare and diverse wildlife as well as spectacular scenery. Rainforest excursions can be as short as one day or as long as you like. A visit to the village of Kuranda, near Cairns, is fun and family-oriented, offering lots of interaction with the local fauna – it’s a great choice if your time is limited. More adventurous travelers can take a guided tour by 4WD or helicopter into the wilder, less accessible regions of the north: Daintree National Park is filled with astonishingly beautiful forests and beaches, while Cape York Peninsula is a true wilderness experience.
topKuranda
Surrounded by World Heritage rainforest, this picturesque mountain village 15 miles northwest of Cairns makes a great day trip. From Cairns, the Kuranda Scenic Railway travels over 15 hand cut tunnels and splendid waterfalls. Once in Kuranda, you can visit the Butterfly Sanctuary, BirdWorld, and the Koala Gardens, shop at the local craft market or take a walk through the rainforest. Stop by the nearby Tjapukai Cultural Park to see traditional dances and learn about local aboriginal cultures. Return back to Cairns on the Skyrail Cableway, which glides you above the rainforest canopy (reservations recommended).
Butterfly Sanctuary
8 Rob Veivers Drive, Kuranda
Tel: +61 7 4093 7575
Open daily 9:45am-4pm; closed Dec 25
The largest butterfly enclosure in Australia, this aviary is home to over 1500 tropical butterflies, all local rainforest species.
BirdWorld
Heritage Market, Rob Veivers Drive, Kuranda
Tel: + 61 7 4093 9188
Open daily 9am-4pm
Visitors to this unique exhibit are surrounded by the largest single collection of free-flying birds in Australia. Almost 80 species live here, many rare and endangered.
Koala Gardens
Heritage Market, Kuranda
Tel: +61 7 4093 9953
Open daily 9am-4pm
Kuranda’s newest wildlife attraction is one of the few places in the world where visitors can actually hold and cuddle a koala. Also on exhibit are kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, freshwater crocodiles, lizards and snakes.
Heritage Market
Rob Veivers Drive, Kuranda
Open daily 9am-3pm
Tel: +61 7 4093 8060
Offering souvenirs, arts & crafts, and several eateries, this center is also home to BirdWorld, Koala Gardens and the Butterfly Sanctuary. A free coach links the Heritage Market to the Skyrail and Scenic Railway terminals.
Original Rainforest Markets
Corner of Therwine & Thoree St, Kuranda
Open daily 9am-3pm
First started in 1978, these markets sell goods exclusively by artisans and craftspeople, including locally designed fashions, hand-crafted jewelry, and local honey, coffee, fruits and nuts.
Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park
Western Arterial Road, Caravonica, 15 min north of Cairns
Tel: +61 7 4042 9900
Fax: +61 7 4042 9990
Open daily 9am-5pm; closed Dec 25. Evening entertainment and buffet, 7:30pm daily; advance booking essential.
This park showcases the indigenous culture of the “Rainforest People.” Guests can take part in interactive activities like face painting, didgeredoo playing, bush food sampling and boomerang and spear throwing. Performances include traditional dances, Creation and History Theatre presentations and a medicine show.
topDaintree National Park
A World Heritage Area, the Daintree Rainforest covers nearly 470 square miles of Northern Queensland. It’s the oldest rainforest in the world, home to the world’s greatest diversity of plant and animal species, and contains the highest number of species that are rare, or threatened with extinction. A visit here is an opportunity to see exotic wildlife, pristine rainforest, and spectacular beaches. Hiking trails range from easy and accessible to challenging. It rains often here, usually in short, torrential bursts, with bright sunshine in between. Daytrips to the region from Cairns are possible, or if you’d prefer a longer stay, there are a number of lodges and resorts in the Daintree area. It’s advisable to explore the region with a guide, especially if you plan to go off the paved roads – several local operators offer guided 4WD tours. Take a boat trip on the Daintree River and look for crocodiles and birdlife, or learn about the local flora and fauna on a day or night rainforest walk.
Warning: The prevalence of jellyfish near the Northern Queensland beaches during the summer months (Nov-Mar) makes swimming in the ocean dangerous, and even life-threatening. Visitors are advised to wear stinger suits or stay out of the water completely during these times.
Port Douglas
This quaint seaside town features many 19th century buildings, several excellent restaurants, and beautiful Four-Mile Beach.
Cow Bay
Centrally located on the Daintree coast, this area offers lots to see and do – snorkeling, kayaking, exploring the inland rainforest, trying local delicacies. The Daintree Discovery Center here is worth a visit, with its 76-foot Canopy Tower and interactive displays about the local wildlife.
Cooper Creek
This area between the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation features the most diverse mangrove ecosystem in Australia, and contains a treasure trove of rare and ancient species. The mouth of the creek, at scenic Thornton Beach, offers magnificent views of Thornton Peak.
Cape Tribulation
So named by the famed navigator Captain Cook, because this was the point where all their troubles began, this is one of the few places in Queensland where the rainforest meets the sea. Paddling a sea kayak around the headland is an exhilarating way to experience both rainforest and reef, and the secluded beaches here are particularly lovely. (Before swimming, be sure to check signs – saltwater crocodiles frequent some beaches.)
topCape York Peninsula
If you really want to leave civilization behind, the Cape York Peninsula is one of the world’s last untouched wildernesses. A mix of coastal rainforest and dry savannah, it offers a rich variety of landscapes and wildlife. Roads are rugged all year round and often impassable during the wet season, so you might consider a tour by air.
Cooktown
Australia’s first European settlement was founded in 1770, when Captain Cook and his crew stopped here to make repairs to their ship. Today, it’s a small, historic frontier town, with monuments to Cook and to the Chinese who traveled here for the gold rush in the late 1800s. Be advised that traveling here from Cape Tribulation requires a 4WD.
Black Mountain National Park
Known for its formations of massive, precariously stacked granite boulders, this park is a place of significance to the local Aboriginal tribes. It’s also home to three rare animals found only here: the rock haunting frog, the Black Mountain skink, and the Black Mountain gecko. (4WD advised when traveling here.)
topFeatured Tours
Cape Tribulation Wilderness Safari
Experience the best of the pristine Daintree region on a personalized 4WD tour. Departing from Cairns or Port Douglas, your safari might include a visit to majestic Mossman Gorge National Park, a Daintree River cruise, and spectacular views from Alexandra Lookout before going off-track to the top of Donovan’s Range and down to the isolated beaches of Cape Tribulation.
Cape York Helicopter Safari
The Cape York Peninsula north of Cooktown is about as remote as it gets. Few roads penetrate the wilderness, and even those are impassable much of the year – so the best way to see the phenomenal beaches, waterfalls and dunes is from the air. Cape York Helicopter Safaris show visitors the best of the cape: gorgeous swimming holes, empty cays, river banks where Australia’s largest crocs bask, or marshlands teeming with birds. You decide where to go, how long to stay, and where to spend the night. There are a wide range of accommodations available, from rustic to luxury.
topAccommodations
Cockatoo Hill Retreat
Daintree, North QueenslandPerched on a rainforest ridge between Port Douglas and Cape Tribulation, in the heart of Daintree, this boutique resort offers four exclusive tree lodges. Swimming pool, gourmet dining.
Haggerstone Island
370 miles north of CairnsA remote paradise near the tip of Cape York, this resort offers three thatched-roof dwellings, each right on the white-sand beach. It’s barefoot luxury, adventure and seclusion in a virtually uninhabited part of Australia.
topKakadu National Park & Arnhemland
Located in the Northern Territory’s Top End, some 90 miles east of Darwin, Kakadu is Australia’s largest national park and the first to be designated a World Heritage Area. Known for its diversity of wildlife, the park is home to a third of all Australia’s bird species, as well as over 60 mammal species and 117 reptile species. The landscape is just as diverse, featuring rocky escarpments, lush wetlands, plunge pools and waterfalls. While there are many things to see and do throughout the year, seasonal changes mean that your experience will vary according to the time you visit. During the dry season, birds, crocs and other animals flock to the Yellow Waters lagoon, and the plunge pools and gorges are more accessible. In the wet season, the floodplains are full and the waterfalls are at their most dramatic (and best viewed from the air, as some roads will be impassable). Surrounded by the region of Arhnemland, Kakadu is Aboriginal land leased back to the government – in addition to wildlife, it’s rich in Aboriginal art and culture.
Bowali Visitor Center
This award-winning interpretive center is a great place to start your visit and get familiarized with Kakadu’s landscapes and seasons.
Yellow Water
Not to be missed, this land-locked billabong transforms into a wildlife refuge in the dry season, attracting millions of migratory birds. The area can be explored by walking along the boardwalk, but a commercial boat cruise is the best way to see it.
Mamukala Wetlands
A covered observation platform lets visitors view the thousands of migratory geese who congregate here in Sept-Oct.
Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Center
This center gives viewers an understanding of the relationship between the local aboriginal peoples and the land, plants and animals of the region.
Ubirr Art Site
Probably Kakadu’s most spectacular Aboriginal rock art site, it features paintings dating back 20,000 years, as well as sweeping view of the Nardab floodplain.
Bardedjilidji Walk
One of Kakadu’s most interesting short walks, it takes you through layered sandstone outcrops that have weathered into pillars and caves. (Check wet season access.)
Nourlangie Rock Art Site
Located within a steep red escarpment, this site contains some of the park’s best-known Aboriginal paintings, including Namarrgon, or “Lightning Man.”
Gunlom Waterfall
View this waterfall from the serene plunge pool at the base, or climb to the top for sweeping southern views of the park. (Check wet season access.)
Yurmikmik Walking Tracks
This area offers a series of creek, waterfall and lookout walks, which are particularly enjoyable in the wet season. (Check wet season access.)
Jim-jim Falls Plunge Pool and Twin Falls Gorge
Located at the end of a challenging 4WD track, the falls are reduced to a trickle during the dry season, but the plunge pool and gorge are surrounded by spectacular cliffs. During the wet season these dramatic falls can be viewed on a scenic flight.
Arnhemland
Surrounding Kakadu, the region of Arhnemland is one of Australia’s largest Aboriginal reserves. Known for its remoteness, it’s the country’s premier bird-watching destination, home to an incredible variety of species. Most of Arhemland is off-limits to non-Aboriginals, so booking a guided tour is essential.
topFeatured Tours
Lord’s Kakadu & Arnhemland Safaris
Make the most of this extraordinary region on a tour with Lord’s Safaris. Owner Sab Lord was raised in Arnhemland – growing up with the local Aboriginals means he shares a mutual respect with them, and enjoys privileged access to some of the area’s best-known secrets. You’ll visit art and wilderness sites few others get to see, in the hands of a knowledgeable Aboriginal guide. Lord’s offers customized charters of Kakadu and Arnhemland lasting from two days to two weeks, for small groups of two to six participants. Choose from camping or accommodated tours.
Kakadu Helicopter Safaris
Based out of Darwin, these tours take you off the beaten track to experience some of Australia’s most spectacular and remote landscapes. Your pilot/guide will show you the heart of Australia’s pristine wilderness – cascading waterfalls, giant rock formations, ancient Aboriginal rock art and a unique diversity of wildlife. Explore Kakadu World Heritage National Park, Arnhemland or the amazing Kimberley region of Western Australia – or see it all on the ultimate eight-day Kimberley and Kakadu Safari.
topAccommodations
Bamurru Plains
Located just west of Kakadu, on the Mary River floodplains, this exclusive camp offers “Wild Bush Luxury.” Each of the 9 individual suites is designed to blend in with the surroundings and allows guests to really experience the sights and sounds of the bush.
topWildlife Parks
Often located a short distance from a major city, Australia’s wildlife parks and reserves offer up-close views of the local fauna, usually in a natural environment. Some places allow you to feed, pet or hold the animals as well. A visit to one of these parks is a memorable part of any trip – even if you don’t venture out into the Australian wilderness, you’ll get to experience the unique creatures that have evolved here due to Australia’s isolation and varied climates.
topNew South Wales
Featherdale Animal Park
217-229 Kildare Road, Doonside (40 mins from central Sydney)
Tel: +61 2 9622 1644
Open daily 9am-5pm; closed Dec 25
In this park just outside Sydney, you can hand-feed a wallaby, kangaroo or emu, get face-to-face with a koala, and discover the world’s largest collection of Australian native animals (many of them rare and endangered), all in a natural bush environment. Facilities include a café and picnic areas.
topAustralian Capital Territory
Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve
Paddys River Road (Tourist Drive 5), Tidbinbilla
Tel: +61 2 6205 1233
Email: tidbinbillanaturereserve@act.gov.au
Open 9am-6pm; Daylight savings: 9am-8pm
Located in the mountains 40 minutes outside Canberra, this 13,450 acre reserve lets visitors walk among kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, birds, emus and other wildlife in their own native habitat. Lucky visitors might spot platypuses too.
topQueensland
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
Jesmond Rd, Fig Tree Pocket, Brisbane
Tel: +61 7 3378 1366
Mirimar boat cruise departs daily from the Cultural Centre Pontoon in Brisbane at 10:00am (cruises take 1.5 hrs)
Open daily 8:30am-5pm;1:30pm-5pm Anzac Day, Apr 25; 8:30am-4pm Dec 25
Founded in 1927, this is the world’s first and largest koala sanctuary. Visitors can cuddle the koalas, feed kangaroos and lorikeets, hold snakes, and watch a Tasmanian devil demolish his dinner.
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
28 Tomewin Street, Currumbin (60 miles south of Brisbane)
Tel: 1300 886 511
Email: get.closer@cws.org.au
Open daily 8am-5pm, 1pm-5pm Anzac Day; closed Dec 25.
This eco-accredited sanctuary on Australia’s Gold Coast is home to more than 1400 native animals and birds in natural bushland and rainforest settings. Nightly Adventure Tours are available, along with a number of other interesting wildlife shows and displays.
Australia Zoo
1638 Steve Irwin Way, Beerwah (50 miles north of Brisbane)
Tel: +61 7 5436 2000
Open daily 9am-5pm
Founded by the parents of Steve Irwin, Australia’s beloved Crocodile Hunter, this zoo/wildlife park offers a huge range of animal encounters. Reptiles (pythons, tortoises and especially crocs) are featured prominently, but there’s also a Tiger Temple (featuring underwater viewing); Australia’s largest Asian Elephant facility, where visitors can hand-feed elephants; and of course, the chance to interact with koalas, kangas, echidnas, and other local fauna.
Mon Repos Conservation Park
Mon Repos Beach (9 mi from Bundaberg)
Bookings: +61 7 4152 8888
240 miles north of Brisbane, this park is a world-famous marine turtle rookery. Green, flatback and loggerhead turtles nest here from Nov-Mar on an accessible mainland beach. Night tours allow close encounters with the turtles, though viewing is supervised to make sure the animals aren’t disturbed. Turtle watching is very popular – advance booking is essential, and fees apply.
topNorthern Territory
Alice Springs Desert Park
Larapinta Drive
Tel: + 61 8 8951 8788
Email: asdp@nt.gov.au
Open 7:30am-6pm; closed Dec 25
In this thoughtfully designed park, visitors stroll through three carefully recreated desert habitats – Sand Country, Woodland and Desert Rivers – and see plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. You can also view the secret world some of the more elusive animals in the Nocturnal House.
Territory Wildlife Park
Cox Peninsula Road, Berry Springs (45 mins south of Darwin)
Tel: +61 8 8988 7200
Open daily 8:30am-6pm; closed Dec 25
This park is home to hundreds of indigenous species – bats, raptors, marsupials, even saltwater crocodiles. See the animals close-up in their natural habitats as you walk through tree-top aviaries, stroll along the creeks and lagoons and watch daily interactive presentations.
topWestern Australia
Broome Crocodile Park & Malcolm Douglas Wilderness Wildlife Park
Crocodile Park: Cable Beach Road, Broome
Apr 1-Nov 30: Open Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, weekends 2-5pm; Feeding tours 3pm daily, guided tours 11am Mon-Fri
Dec 1-Mar 31: Open daily 4:15-5:45pm; feeding tours 4:30pm
Wildlife Park: Great Northern Highway (10 miles outside of Broome)
Tel: +61 8 9193 7824
Open daily 2-5pm; Crocodile feeding 3pm
Established in 1983 by documentary filmmaker Malcolm Douglas as a research center, Broome Crocodile Park is home to over 1,000 crocodiles, including Nile, Freshwater and Saltwater. Douglas’ newly opened wildlife park covers 30 acres and features cassowaries, dingoes (including the rare white), hundreds of kangaroos, wallabies, emus and jabirus. Several aviaries house a large number of local birds. In the billabongs at the park entrance, 200 crocs participate in a feeding frenzy twice a week.
Shark Bay Marine Park
Off Northwest Coastal Highway, Denham (528 miles north of Perth)
General information: +61 8 9948 1590
Dolphin Information Centre: +61 8 9948 1366
Don’t let the name discourage you – this World Heritage Area is a wonderful family destination, filled with hundreds of miles of spectacular landscapes and a wide range of rare and interesting species. Interact with wild dolphins at Monkey Mia beach, spot eagles from Eagle Bluff, and visit the stromatolite columns, “living fossils” similar to the earliest life on earth, at Hamelin Pool.
Yanchep National Park
National Park Road, Yanchep, 6035 (45 min north of Perth)
Tel: +61 8 9561 1004
Wild kangaroos, koalas and a huge number of birds are resident in this 7,022-acre park. Explore the spectacular scenery and wildlife on your choice of several interesting trails, including the Koala Boardwalk. The park also features a network of 600 caves – daily tours of Crystal Cave are offered.
Cohunu Koala Park
Lot 802 Nettleton Road, Byford (35 min from Perth)
Tel: +61 8 9526 2966
Open daily 10am-5pm; closed Dec 25
On this 37-acre property, visitors can stroll the natural bushland and hand-feed the roaming animals. Have your picture taken holding a koala – meet and see dingoes, kangas, wallabies, wombats and parrots.
Caversham Wildlife Park & Zoo
Whiteman Park, Lord Street, Whiteman (9 miles from Perth)
Tel: +61 8 9248 1984
Open daily 8:30am-5:30pm; closed Dec 25
Caversham houses one of the largest collections of native fauna in Western Australia. Visitors can get up close with koalas, feed kangaroos and interact with wombats, pythons, raptors and other animals. The park’s Farm show features shearing and sheepdog demonstrations.
Karakamia Sanctuary
Lot 201 Lilydale Road, Chidlow (1 hr east of Perth)
Tel: +61 8 9572 3169
This 680-acre sanctuary in the Jarrah Forest is home to threatened native species including woylies, southern brown bandicoots, tammar wallabies, and the magnificent red-tailed black cockatoo (or “Karakamia”), after which the park was named. Experience the magic of the sanctuary on a two-hour guided walk at dusk, when these rare animals are most likely to be seen.
Eagles Heritage Raptor Wildlife Centre
Lot 303 Boodjidup Rd, Margaret River
Tel: +61 8 9757 2960
Open daily; closed Dec 25
This park and rehabilitation center houses the largest collection of eagles, hawks, falcons and owls in Australia, in a natural bushland setting. Visitors can see these birds of prey up close – you can even have one sit on your arm during the twice-daily flight displays.
topSouth Australia
Cleland Wildlife Park
Mount Lofty Summit Road, Crafers (20 minutes from Adelaide)
Tel: +61 8 8339 2444
Email: clelandwildlifepark@saugov.sa.gov.au
Open daily 9:30am-5 pm; closed Dec 25
Surrounded by open bushland habitat, visitors can hold a koala, or feed and wander among kangaroos, wallabies, and waterfowl. There are also displays of dingoes, reptiles, Tasmanian devils, bilbies, and a variety of wild birds.
Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary
Stock Road, Mylor, VIA Stirling (25 minutes from Adelaide)
Tel: +61 8 8370 9197
Warrawong is home to 100 species of birds and many rare native mammals, most of which are nocturnal – for the full experience, join the daily guided sunset walk. Warrawong is also the location of Australia’s only successful platypus breeding program, and best place to see this elusive species.
topVictoria
Healesville Sanctuary
Badger Creek Road,
Healesville (1 hr from Melbourne)
Tel: +61 3 5957 2800
Email: hs@zoo.org.au
Open daily 9am-5pm
Showcasing over 200 species of Australian animals, this sanctuary offers unique ways to interact with them as well. Go behind the scenes on a raptor encounter or night tour; be an assistant zoo keeper for a morning; or view the inner workings of the wildlife veterinary hospital.