On our whirlwind Aussie tour, we spent only two nights on Kangaroo Island.  Such a short time to mingle with the kangaroos, wallabies and koala that are protected there.

KI is accessible from Adelaide via ferry or small plane.  On this jam-packed trip, there was no time to waste, so we flew in from Adelaide on an early morning flight.  Our accommodations for the trip were about an hour and a half away, at the Western KI Caravan Park.  We had to stop at a local market in Kingscote to buy provisions for our stay – a rustic cabin with kitchen facilities.  True KI “glamping” indeed.  Our first stop on the way to the western side of the island was Seal Bay.  We attempted to have a picnic lunch, but shortly after settling in at a picnic table, rain was added to the poor weather repertoire of cold and wind.  It seemed as if we have superpowers to control the weather, but only by bringing the opposite of the desired effect.

After our frigid lunch, we braved the weather to watch the seals on the beach.  Visitors must buy a ticket for a guided tour to see the seals up close for 45 minutes.  The time flew by as we were entertained by the antics of teenage hoodlum seals that were wrestling each other and harassing other seals that were trying to take a snooze on the beach.  Meanwhile, a mischievous pup lost his mommy while chasing a seagull.  To reunite with one another, the mother and pup would call out to each other and be drawn together by their cries.  They would verify they were a “match” by scent – and onlookers can tell by the way the pup jumped around that he knew he was no longer lost.

Anxious to see more wildlife, our next stop was to get settled into our cabin.  The site was a nature preserve, but where was all of the wildlife?  Perhaps they were sheltering themselves from the inclimate weather.  

Before dusk, we went to see the Kelly Hill Caves, which is a dry limestone cave.  We also hiked around that property a bit, and I saw an echidna there.  I was still getting a bit impatient about not seeing any koalas or ‘roos yet. 

We returned to the cabin in the late afternoon and walked through a small reserve on the property that was home to many wallabies and koalas, who appeared to still be in hiding.  Then we heard what sounded like a donkey belching.  Looking around, and then up, we saw a koala perched in a tree over our heads.  Finally, the wildlife show began.

Not too long after returning to the cabin to make dinner, the field just off of our porch was filled with kangaroos and joeys feeding.  Our dinner theater was the interaction of all of the wildlife before us.

The following morning, we went to Flinders Chase National Park.  We arrived so early that the visitors’ center wasn’t open yet, so we had to hang out in the parking lot for about a half-hour before buying our parking pass.  The welcome wagon consisted of a panhandling ‘roo that looked like it had a few too many the previous night.  It lumbered right up to us, very sluggishly. 

Once we paid our admission into the park, we checked out Remarkable Rocks, the Cape de Courdic lighthouse and Admiral’s Arch. This area is also home to New Zealand fur seals, that you can smell from a mile away.

Later in the afternoon, we took a hike at Sandy Creek.  We followed a bumpy gravel road to the trailhead, which looked like it hadn’t seen visitors in months.  Taking the seemingly unmaintained trail was worth it, though.  We found a private beach with an outcrop of rocks and an arch.  It was fascinating to have such an incredible place all to ourselves. 

The following morning we set out for the airport to begin the next leg of our Aussie adventure.  The drive was treacherous, as we had to avoid running over the wallabies that flooded the road, looking for their breakfast.   Sad to leave so soon, but anxious to embark on the next leg of our journey, we bid farewell to our local hosts.

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