Our Top 5 Wildlife Spotting in Australia + Bonus
We had to dedicate a post to the wildlife of Australia so that you too can spot these wonderful animals on your visit!
We spotted all of the following in our visits to Melbourne and Sydney! Here is our list and our photos (except when otherwise noted) in no particular order….
Top 5 Wildlife Spotting in Australia + Bonus
Kangaroo
Did you know it’s said there are more kangaroos than there are people in all of Australia? Australia is estimated to be home to about 50 million kangaroos and the human population is only 25 million!
Kangaroos are marsupials and they can range in size up to 6ft tall and weigh over 200 lbs. The females have the familiar pouch that holds baby kangaroos -AKA joeys until they complete development. They can even hop pretty far-up to 25 feet! Seeing one in person is quite magical!
We loved visiting the Moonlight Sanctuary in Melbourne and were able to interact with the kangaroos roaming across the park and feed them! If you get a chance, check it out! (see our Melbourne post for details)
Cockatoo
The sulfur crested variety is a fairly common find especially in the cities. They are hard to miss due to their loud laughs-screechy and loud sounds. They are not afraid of people, so watch out!
Koala
Known to be another Australian classic, these furry animals have tailless bodies and large round heads with fluffy ears and cute spoon-like noses. They are herbivorous and mostly their diet consists of eucalyptus leaves, hence they like hanging out on eucalyptus trees. They are known to spend up to 20 hours a day sleeping and you might even catch them mid climb fall asleep!
Wallaby
They are part of the same family as kangaroos, but smaller or mid sized comparatively. They are herbivores (eat plants).
Platypus
They are part of the mammals family known as monotremes (those that lay eggs). They have a semi-aquatic way of life complete with waterproof fur, flat tails, and broad body. It has spurs that can release venom, making it one of the rare venomous mammals!
BONUS: Little Penguin Colony
The Little Penguin Colonies are native to Southern Australia and New Zealand. There are about 17 other species of different colonies around the world. The little penguin colony are the smallest in penguins in the world only reaching 13 inches (33cm) in length and about 2.2 pounds (1kg) in weight.
Photo Courtesy of Phillip Island
You can watch them in their natural habitat at Phillip Island as they waddle home at dusk after a long day of swimming! It’s called the penguin parade for a reason and is a magical sight to see! Check out our Melbourne post for details!
For more inspiration on how to spend time on your Australian getaway check out our Australia Destination page along with Melbourne and Sydney things to do!
Thank you for reading and spending time with us!
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