Kangaroo Island

A weekend away

It’s pretty self-explanatory where Kangaroo Island can be found, you’re not going to get many people asking you what part of the world is that in.

Sitting off the coast of South Australia it’s both a destination and a kind of Noah’s Ark.

Because the island was cut off from the mainland some 20,000 years ago the animals have adapted and evolved to suit their local surrounds.

As a weekend getaway from the capital city of South Australia, Adelaide, it makes a wonderful experience for both wildlife spotting and culinary grazing.

About an hour south down the coast then a 40-minute ferry ride across the straits will see you dropped in the small village of Penneshaw.

There are also some wonderful walks on the island, including the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail, a six-day meander along the southern coast, you can choose to tackle this trail as a multiday hike and carry all your supplies or base yourself in one of the local accommodation options and use the drop-off/pick-up service.

The island is Australia’s third largest and will often catch out unprepared visitors who will often find themselves struggling to cover the kilometers between the sights, our tip is to leave plenty of time to drive between the parks and towns.

The 2019 bushfires that devastated large chunks of the western region have mostly passed into the memory banks of the locals, although the scars are still visible if you look around.

Over 200,000 hectares were destroyed and countless native animals perished in the blaze.

The island is rightly celebrated for its culinary delights, with Ligurian honey, wineries, craft beers, artisan cheeses and fresh seafood on offer in the few little villages dotted across the landscape.

So, if you ever find yourself nearby, the island is worth the time and effort to visit, it’s wild but accessible, an extraordinary location with some rich wildlife and excellent food, there’s plenty to love.