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A personal introduction to Australian wildlife
Just 16 kilometres off South Australia’s southern coast and a 30 minute flight from Adelaide, Kangaroo Island - KI to the locals - is a repository of Australian wildlife. The island’s diverse landscapes are home to sea lions, fur seals, kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, echidnas, platypus, goannas, 253 bird species (many of which are rare or endangered), possums, bandicoots and even whales which pass through in winter. Many of Kangaroo Island’s plants and animals are clearly different from their mainland relatives, such as the distinctive Kangaroo Island kangaroo, the endangered black cockatoo and the sooty dunnart - a small marsupial carnivore which is found nowhere else on earth. Wildlife aside, Kangaroo Island boasts stunning coastal scenery - and the sheep and cattle farmers produce some extraordinary quality foods, complemented with elegant wines from the local grape growers. Former wildlife ranger and islander Craig Wickham, Exceptional Kangaroo Island founder, has assembled a team of dedicated outdoor enthusiasts who combine the roles of naturalists, historians, drivers, guides and story tellers to share their knowledge of the island’s plants, animals and people - and who deliver their promise of ‘good food, good wine and wildlife in the wild’. Suggested Itinerary Day 1
Start the day with an orientation of the island. Seek out koalas in tall Eucalyptus trees, drive through some of the finest wool growing areas and learn of the emergence of world class olive oil and wine grapes from the island (which has a classic Mediterranean climate). Break for lunch in a private bush setting and enjoy a seafood barbeque before visiting a sea lion colony, where you are able to walk right on the sand as they rest between fishing trips. Day 2 Flinders Chase National Park’s wilderness covers the entire west end of the island, bounded by an extraordinary coastline with an ancient sea grotto which is home to fur seals, soaring granite sculptures and plunging limestone cliffs. Enjoy an elegant picnic on the clifftops or secreted away in the bush before visiting the habitat of kangaroos and wallabies and observing them feed. Day 3 Meet the locals on a custom-designed ‘food safari’ visiting boutique wineries, free-range egg producers, artisan cheese makers and sampling a range of local honeys. Break for lunch at Two Wheeler Creek winery and try the island’s prized freshwater crayfish, marron. In the afternoon, visit a local artist who derives inspiration from the island’s wildlife and spectacular natural beauty.
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