Wildlife of South Australia and Victoria
South Australia
South Australia is referred to as the gateway to the Outback and, if you are arriving from Victoria or New South Wales, it would certainly feel like that. Beyond Adelaide, the state capital, the road west heads into the vast desert of Western Australia, while the road north heads into the desolate centre of the country.
The state is sparsely populated outside of the city, with around three quarters of the 1.8 million people (as of 2022) living in Adelaide. The northern and western areas are some of the driest in Australia. This makes it a perfect place to get away from human civilisation – with plenty of opportunities to see wildlife.
I thoroughly enjoyed my adventures around South Australia, and I strongly suggest that you don’t write it off because it doesn’t have the same status as its neighbours. The scenery and wildlife make it well worth a visit.
A tale of two road trips
I travelled into SA from the centre, along the highway through the Outback, on a road trip from Alice Springs to Adelaide. We drove past the mountains of Ikara-Flinders Ranges and stopped off at the coast south of Port Augusta.
On a separate road trip shortly after, I travelled from Adelaide to Melbourne. Just south of Adelaide is Kangaroo Island, a nature lover’s dream. The island is small and accessible, yet still has much to see. There are plenty of kangaroos, as you’d expect, plus much more wildlife – including marine mammals. Back on the mainland, following the coastal road south towards Victoria, is greener territory, that sees more rainfall and lower temperatures – at least outside of summer.
Kangaroos and wallabies
Australia’s most famous marsupials populate every state in Australia, and the South is no different. It would be impossible to miss them on a trip around this state. I spotted many and I still found it amazing each time. They would often stop, observe me for a short while, then hop away to safety.
Unfortunately, these animals often fall victim to the roads, as the shortage of natural predators they roam freely. Please take care when driving – for your sake and theirs.
Echidna
A contender for the cutest of Australia’s wildlife – although competition is strong for top spot – is the echidna.
Often spotted in the undergrowth, with their pointy nose scouring the earth. Most easily identified because of their spikey protection that keeps predators at bay. This one was spotted just by the road, and it’s not uncommon for them to make an almost-suicidal crossing. Again, please be aware.
Seals and sea lions
A welcome surprise for me on Kangaroo Island was the Australian sea lion colony at Seal Bay (it should, therefore, be renamed Sea Lion Bay). Here, we took a guided walk along the beach – these are offered to ensure the sea lions aren’t disturbed. It allows a close encounter with the sea lions that make the beach their home. We spotted a very cute baby sea lion waddling through the sand to the sea.
Further along the southern coast, and into Victoria, you are more likely to spot fur seals – both the Australian and New Zealand species. They tend to hang out on rocks and can be seen on various points along the coast, including near the many lighthouses we passed.
Victoria
Melbourne, and the nearby Great Ocean Road, are surely the biggest draws for tourists to the state of Victoria. While it is the smallest state on the mainland by land size, it is the second most populated, due largely to its capital city. That means undeveloped areas are harder to come by than in other states, particularly along the coast. Yet Victoria does have important wildlife, not least, a population of blue penguins in St. Kilda, as well as koalas along the picturesque Great Ocean Road.
Koalas
Koalas can sleep up to 20 hours a day! I discovered this isn’t down to laziness, instead, it is largely because of their diet, which is low in energy, and the effort required to break down its food. I also discovered they are adept climbers and have a strong leap – I saw a mother, with a joey on its back, as it jumped expertly from tree to tree.
If you encounter these lovable creatures around dusk, you’ll hear a surprisingly extraordinary amount of noise when they start to stir. Along the Great Ocean Road, you can stop off at various points to find koalas amongst the gum trees. The koalas I spotted were in Great Otway National Park, not far from the road that runs through it. As always, take care while driving – koalas occasionally come down to ground level.
Well, having seen them up close, I must place koalas as strong contenders for Australia’s cutest animals.
Penguins
Last but not least, there’s another potential candidate for Australia’s cutest animal.
The blue (or fairy) penguin has colonies in both Victoria and Tasmania. On St Kilda’s beach, guided tours invite you to see the penguins with minimal interference for the tiny birds. It was a lot of fun to watch as these tiny creatures came in from the sea, before waddling along the rocks to their nests.