My amazing Australia wildlife tour: Kangaroo Island to Cygnet Bay

Australia is a massive country, there’s no doubt about that. However, if you plan your multi-centre Australia holiday with care, and add the odd domestic flight, you can cover a huge amount of ground. Within just a couple of weeks, you’ll be able to see very different areas of Australia, giving you a really varied experience. 

While the native Australian wildlife was the primary focus of my trip, I also added other destinations, activities, and highlights. I visited some stunning vineyards and had some superb wine-tasting experiences. I also saw some truly breathtaking scenery, ate a lot of amazing Australian food, and learned loads about the wonderful indigenous culture. Throughout the trip, I stayed in a mix of unforgettable accommodation, which added a whole extra dimension to my holiday.

Getting to Australia

I flew with Malaysia Airlines from London to South Australia's capital, Adelaide, with just a quick connection in Kuala Lumpur. As well as Adelaide, Malaysia Airlines has a good network of international flights into Australia, with additional arrivals in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth. 

After spending my first week travelling around South Australia, I took a domestic flight from Adelaide over to Perth. My time in Western Australia was split between Perth and its surrounding suburbs, and the remote Dampier Peninsula near Broome.

When to set off on an Australia wildlife tour 

I travelled to Australia during the last two weeks of April. In Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, and Perth, the weather was reliably sunny and mild. Although there were clear skies every day, I was comfortable in long trousers and a hoodie. The Barossa Valley was a little bit warmer (early 20s), while in Broome and the Dampier Peninsula the temperature was over 30 degrees. However, it was the dry season in these Northern regions, so it wasn’t uncomfortably hot. 

During Australia's summer season (Dec-March), Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and Perth will be considerably warmer, but still very tolerable. Up in Broome, you need to visit during the dry season, which runs from April to October. 

If you're hoping to swim with the whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef (near Exmouth), the best season is between mid-March and the end of October. July and August are the best months to see Australia’s 'Big 3' - whale sharks, manta rays and humpback whales.

Arriving in Adelaide 

Although I didn't spend too long in Adelaide, I did manage to fit in a roof climb of the iconic Adelaide Oval sports ground. Once I was togged up in a rather fetching blue jumpsuit and harness, I quickly climbed up onto the stadium's roof. I was secured onto the gantry with a sturdy lead, so it all felt very safe. 

The roof climb provides great views of the surrounding area and the River Torrens that runs right through Adelaide. You can also see the Oval’s pitch and the stand named after the Australian cricket legend Don Bradman. My guide also gave me a quick lesson in AFL (Aussie Rules Football), as the Oval is home to the Adelaide Crows Aussie Rules Football team, but I'm still not sure I understand it!

Kangaroo Island 

For me, Kangaroo Island is a real secret gem of South Australia. I’m surprised, but very happy, that it’s not better known. It’s Australia's third largest island (roughly 100 miles long) but has a small population of only 5000 people. This means that it still feels remote and untouched. 

Kangaroo Island is a true wildlife paradise. I can’t recommend it highly enough. I had dozens of wonderful close encounters with wild koalas, kangaroos, possums, seals, sea lions, wallabies, pelicans and galahs (an Australian species of cockatoo) to name just a few. A shared or private guided tour of the island is a must, because the guides know all the best spots to see the native wildlife and they’ll share their expert local knowledge. 

My guided tour also included a delicious morning tea served by a deserted beach, with freshly made traditional lamington cakes. For lunch, I had a high-class picnic on a stunning clifftop, with soft drinks, wines and local beers overlooking the Southern Ocean cliffs. It was just bliss!

Getting to Kangaroo Island is a breeze. I hopped on the 45-minute ferry from Cape Jervis to Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island, and I was picked up on arrival. To make the most of my time on the final day on Kangaroo Island, I opted for the 25-minute flight back from Kingscote to Adelaide, which was a thrilling experience in itself.

Staying at Sea Dragon Lodge

My accommodation base was the truly wonderful Sea Dragon Lodge on Kangaroo Island’s Dudley Peninsula. It's a spectacular coastal estate that boasts a stunning secluded beach, with gorgeous ocean views from all the boutique villas. There are breathtaking views of the surrounding hillsides, cliffs, and the ocean. The impressive old Cape Willoughby lighthouse is located just next door. 

As you might hope on Kangaroo Island, there is a lot of resident wildlife on the grounds of Sea Dragon Lodge. Whilst enjoying an outside balcony bath, I watched a whole family of kangaroos happily grazing from the back of my villa. Magic! 

I recommend spending at least three nights here, so that you have a whole day for touring the island and another for enjoying the grounds and facilities of Sea Dragon.

Visiting Southern Ocean Lodge 

I also visited Southern Ocean Lodge, which is a world-class property and the jewel in the crown of the famous Baillie Lodges. It’s also a member of the highly-esteemed collection of Luxury Lodges of Australia. The property is perched on a secluded bit of coastline, and all the rooms have the most amazing views of the Southern Ocean. After being completely destroyed by the terrible bushfires on Kangaroo Island in 2020, it reopened in December 2023. Now, it has rightly been voted Australia’s best lodge.

Vineyards of McLaren Vale and the Barossa Valley

During my time in Adelaide, I took two private wine tours to the surrounding vineyards. I explored the McLaren Vale with Small Batch Wine Tours and visited the Barossa Valley with Coast and Co. Tours. On both tours, the guides were very knowledgeable and well-connected with the local vineyards. They were able to tailor the tours around our preferred tastes.

 McLaren Vale is only 15-20 minutes’ drive from central Adelaide, so it’s very convenient for day trips from the city. I visited the Yangarra Estate, Gemtree Wines (which is bio-dynamic) and finished at Oliver’s Taranga, which was perhaps my favourite. Their ‘Duke’ port is to die for. I also stopped for a fabulous lunch at the The Salopian Inn, which was just excellent. 

The Barossa Valley is one of the most famous wine-producing regions in Australia. It’s around 50 minutes from Adelaide, so it's still very achievable on a day trip. However, I opted to stay in the valley for the night at The Louise, an excellent five-star lodge, which is also part of the Luxury Lodges of Australia collection. 

During the day, I visited the Torbreck, the Elderton 1894, and the Henshkey winery, the oldest in the region. Alistair Ashmead from Elderton told heartfelt stories about his family history on the vineyard and the story of the wine named after his mother. Lunch in the Barossa was at the amazing Vintners restaurant.

It’s possible to do both McLaren Vale and the Barossa Valley as a self-drive, but who wants to drive when there is wine tasting to be done!?

Spending time in Perth 

Perth is a brilliant base for exploring Western Australia, and I really enjoyed it. The city is small and compact but has everything you could possibly want. There’s a great choice of quality hotels and fabulous restaurants. 

I stayed in the fabulous QT hotel located right in Perth city centre. It was very cool and funky. The popular rooftop bar is a great spot for sundowner cocktails. The Yagan Square Amphitheatre is also definitely worth checking out. It offers free public arts and music performances, with lots of street food and drink options. 

There’s so much to see in the immediate area surrounding Perth, such as the vibrant seaside suburb of Fremantle, with its low-rise beachside location and chilled-out vibes. The streets are filled with great cafes, restaurants, pubs and boutique shops. There are also interesting and unusual tourist sites, such as the old Fremantle Prison with its labyrinth of underground tunnels built by prisoners.

Swimming with sea lions 

One of the highlights of my whole trip was swimming with wild sea lions at Rockingham (approx. 45 mins south of Perth, 30 mins from Fremantle). The early morning ‘Three Island Wildlife Snorkel’ was arranged by Perth Wildlife Encounters. It offers a combination of wild dolphin spotting, snorkelling with sea lions, and the ferry to Penguin Island. 

Only minutes after leaving the jetty we saw a very playful pod of bottlenose dolphins in the bay, and it was a great feeling to see them in the wild. Next, we were taken to the limestone reefs and rocky outcrops around Penguin Island where we donned our wetsuits and snorkel gear (included) to frolic with the rarest sea lions in the world. 

After a few seconds of getting accustomed to how close they come to you, these agile sea creatures were incredibly curious, and it was a joy to spend some time in their underwater world. It reminded me of playing with my friend’s springer spaniel, but just underwater! They are the puppies of the sea!

Meeting quokkas on Rottnest Island 

Rottnest Island is Western Australia's very own Island getaway. Located just 19 kilometres off the coast of Fremantle, it boasts a casual atmosphere and picturesque scenery with some of the world's finest beaches and bays. 

The island’s most famous inhabitants are the super-cute quokkas. They are small furry marsupials with naturally smiling faces. They’re usually nocturnal, although there were plenty around the ferry port and general stores that were very friendly and wide awake!

Broome and the Dampier Peninsula 

After a few days in Perth, I flew up to Broome and connected straight onto another flight to Cygnet Bay. The light aircraft journey from Broome to Cygnet Bay with Air Kimberley was an experience in itself, and the views from the plane were simply astounding. The red earth, the parched interior, the mind-bendingly beautiful estuaries and the multi-coloured coastline was a real sight to behold. I definitely recommend it to anyone visiting Broome.

Staying at Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm 

Cygnet Bay is a working cultured pearl farm just North of Broome. I stayed in one of their air-conditioned permanent tents with private ensuites and plenty of creature comforts. After lunch, I took a 1-hour Pearl Discovery Tour, which explained the history of the pearling industry, followed by a demonstration of opening oysters and harvesting pearls. 

I also took the 2-hour Waterfall Reef Tour by speedboat. This area has unique tides only found in the Kimberley region, and they create the world’s largest tropical tides (up to 10m!). At the right time of the month, these huge tides expose a unique natural phenomenon called the Waterfall Reef. It’s a coral reef in the middle of the ocean with a cascading waterfall caused by the rapid outgoing tides. I’ve never seen anything like it!

I also spent a wonderful morning with Rosanna Angus from Sunday Island (who was voted Australia’s best tour guide in 2023). She spoke to us about her people and the history of the nearby Sunday Island. She discussed her experiences of growing up in and around the Christian mission that was set up on her island. It was really lovely to spend some time chatting with her and getting an insight into Australia’s indigenous culture.

Exploring Broome’s Roebuck Bay 

Back in Broome, I spent the morning with the guys from Broome Whale Watching on their brilliant Snubfin Dolphin Cruise around Roebuck Bay. I can’t recommend this cruise highly enough - it was just great. It was a large, comfortable yacht with a knowledgeable captain, a lovely crew, and great drinks and snacks. 

We spotted snubfin dolphins, bottle-nose dolphins, dugongs, sea snakes and flat-back sea turtles. There is a chance to get wet and hang off the back of the boat in a net whilst the boat gently drags you along. It’s possible to also see humpback whales between mid-June and September, but the snubfin dolphins are there all year round.

My final thoughts 

If you’re a wildlife-lover who likes to be active during your holidays, combining South Australia and Western Australia is ideal. I packed a great deal into a short time frame, but I feel that I did justice to both regions. I saw lots of native Australian wildlife, and I had experiences, such as snorkelling with the sea lions, that will stay with me forever. 

If you want to see quieter, less-travelled parts of Australia and have a perfect mix of native wildlife, stunningly beautiful countryside, luxury accommodation, world-class wineries and endless gourmet food options, then Southern and Western Australia are for you. Likewise, if this is your second trip to Australia, and you’ve already explored the popular East Coast, this trip will give you a whole new perspective on the country.

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