Kangaroo Island - Best for Holidays
South Australia's Holiday island Full of Interest and Charm
Nov 10, 2009
Here can be found striking coastal scenery and safe, sandy beaches, dense mallee bush and rolling green hills, busy little fishing towns and peaceful havens. And everywhere wildlife in profusion.
Kangaroo Island - its Situation and Size
Lying just south across Backstairs Passage from the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia, the island is the third largest in Australia, after Tasmania and Melville Island, but its population is only just over 4000, though in summer, numbers swell. They come to explore the island's rich history, get close to nature and enjoy the peace and tranquility of a slower pace of life.
History of Settlement of Kangaroo Island
An Aboriginal tribe inhabited the island until just over 2000 years ago when they unaccountably disappeared and it was not until Captain Matthew Flinders sailed round the north coast in 1802 and gave the island its name that Man once again inhabited the land. The French explorer, Captain Nicolas Baudin, met up with Flinders that year in Encounter Bay and then sailed on to circumnavigate the island.
Within a few years, whalers and sealers had established a settlement at American River.
Much of the island on the western side is a wilderness protection area and Cape du Couedic boasts a sizeable fur seal colony. They haul themselves out of the water to bask on the shelving rocks and enjoy a rest from their hunt for food. Further east along the south coast is Seal Bay where a colony of Australian sea lions sprawl on the sand, ignoring the tourists and their guides.
Koalas were once extinct in South Australia but around a dozen animals were introduced to the island in the 1920s and now they number over 27,000. Tourists are guaranteed a sighting of these shy creatures along the Koala Walk.
And of course, there are kangaroos. They are also unfazed by man and it is possible with care to get quite close to them, keeping a safe distance away from their claws. They are often darker in colour than mainland kangaroos and distinctive from the much shyer Tammar wallaby which is a soft grey colour.
There are over 260 species of birds on the island ranging from the delightful Scarlet Robin to the majestic Sea Eagle which can be seen soaring over the cliffs.
But whatever type of holiday is preferred - strolling along deserted sandy beaches or visiting historical lighthouses, tramping through virgin bush or relaxing in luxurious accommodation, Kangaroo Island fits the bill. It's indeed best for all kinds of holidays.
HOL101
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