Kangaroo Island (KI) was named by Matthew Flinders because of the number of kangaroos he saw on the Island. Flinders missed the super abundant but very small Superb Fairly Wrens, they are everywhere. The main species on KI are Kangaroo Island Kangaroos (actually Western Grey Kangaroos) and Tamar Wallabies. Tamars do still live on some offshore Islands off WA and AWC has brought a population into one of its mainland Sanctuaries. While the roos are actually western grey kangaroos, they are mostly dark brown in colour.

The Tamar Wallabies, now extinct on mainland Australia, number between 60,000 and 100,000. They do not really know how many, but they are all over the Island. Sadly there is a bit of road kill, Tamars, kangaroos, goannas and possums.

The goannas blend almost perfectly with the bitumen road. Fewer are killed on the dirt tracks. The Doc thinks people are driving to fast, The Doc missed everything except a small snake, about 1.5 times the size of a pencil and not much thicker. He saw it just before he run over it. Road kill does mean the abundant wedge tail eagles do not not to hunt very often.

Most tourists arrive by ferry from Cape Jervis, on the very tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula. It is a 45 minute ferry ride to Penneshaw. The English explored the east of the Island (Flinders) and the French the west (Captain Baudin). They meet at Encounter Bay at Victor Harbour on the Fleurieu Peninsula. The names on the Island reflect this fact, names like Cape du Couedic , Ravine des Cosoars and Cape Gantheaume being in the West and South of the Island.

Not much at Penneshaw besides the ferry terminal, a nice pub, a few shops and some lichen coloured rocks. There is a Fairy penguin colony (they were at sea during The Doc’s visit), abundant wildlife, a small boat harbour and the desal plant – yes a desalination plant. Enjoy the photos.

The day visitors are then driven for 2 hours down to Flinders Chase National Park on the opposite end of the Island, about a 190km round trip from Penneshaw. Here they see Remarkable Rocks, Admirals Arch, the New Zealand Fur Seal colony and Cape du Couedic Lighthouse. Perhaps a quick visit to the Flinders Chase Visitors Centre. A great combination, but very little of KI overall.

Those visiting for 2 days stay overnight at Kingscote the business centre on the Island. They would get to also visit the Australian Seal Lion Colony at Seal Bay, perhaps Kelly Hills Caves and they may visit Raptor Domain (raptor shows, e.g. owls, wedge tail eagles, etc.) and watch the pelican man at Kingscote. The Doc has added the nearby Bay of Shoals to the Kingscote photos.

Back to the west of the Island you pass through Bunker Hill Lookout as we go to Remarkable Rocks, lichen covered granite boulders sitting on a headland. It took about 500 million years to get the formation. Tourists would not see the sunset or sunrise photos, you do. In The Doc’s experience few people arrive before 9.30am and most are gone by 4.30pm.

Then a 10 kilometre trip to Cape du Couedic Lighthouse, named after a French Captain killed in battle against the English. Again you get sunset shots. The Doc waited 2 weeks for that sunset! It took even longer (2.5 weeks) for the first decent sunrise. The nearby Weir’s Cove has been included.

About half a kilometre away is Admirals Arch. The Doc never managed to get a sunset shot despite trying a few times. No decent shots of the NZ Fur Seals either, but you can see the seals laying on the rocks and under the Arch. The seals fish for 3 days and then come in and rest or feed their young pups. The upcoming KI Wildlife Report has some good shots of the Australian Fur Seals.

What the photos do not convey well is the swell coming in from the Great Southern Ocean. The swells churns, buffets and erodes the coastline, often several metres high. The 2 small islands are North and South Casuarina Islets. As The Doc was driving down to the car park he saw a plume of water over the middle on South Casuarina, the water spray had to be over 30 metres to be seen, perhaps a lot higher.

So ends the tourist shots. Fortunately, the Doc saw many more places on Kangaroo Island. You can see several in Part 2. Part 2 of the Report has several sub parts based on the 7 regions of the Island. Each Regions will get its own Report, here.