5 animals you need to see in the wild at least once

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How many of these cuties have you seen?

Australia’s top five animals might not be ‘big’ but they are mighty. And seeing these iconic animals in the wild on beautiful beaches or bush walks is as awe-inspiring as it gets.

1. Koala, Magnetic Island, Qld

Spot wild koalas high in the veil of branches against a blue sky in the gum trees lining the picturesque Forts Walk. Magnetic Island (Yunbenun) is home to northern Australia’s largest colony of wild koalas.

You can see them here curled up like rolls of carpet, asleep in the crooks of trees. Or moving slowly in single-minded grace to graze on gum leaves. While local star Rod the Cod is a draw for divers visiting Magnetic Island, fans of the Netflix series Izzy’s Koala World will be hoping it’s the herbivorous marsupials making cameos.

Koala in gum tree on Magnetic Island
Spot wild koalas high in the veil of gum tree branches. (Image: Tourism Australia)

2. Quokka, Rottnest Island, WA

It’s simply not possible to reach peak quokka. The world’s happiest animal remains a beacon for visitors to Wadjemup (Rottnest Island) who come for the cute marsupials and stay for the carefree (and car-free) Rotto vibes.

These adorable animals are only found off the coast of Perth and are best known for becoming a social media sensation, posing with a cute grin for the camera.

The ultimate main character move in 2024 is to go to Rotto and clock a quokka without posting it to your Insta feed. Go on, we dare ya.

Quokka on Rottnest Island
Meet the world’s happiest animal on Rottnest Island. (Image: Tourism Australia)

3. Wombat, Maria Island, Tas

Did you know that wombats can sprint up to 40 kilometres an hour? Or that they produce cube-shaped poo?

You will feel like you’re in an episode of BBC’s Planet Earth when wandering around Maria Island’s chiselled landscape looking for the endemic Tasmanian wombat. This species is smaller than its mainland mates and has a diverse habitat that stretches from the coast to the alpine areas of Australia’s most southern state.

Wombat eating grass on Maria Island in Tasmania
Wombat’s are faster than you think… (Image: Tourism Australia)

4. Kangaroo, Pebbly Beach, NSW

Spotting roos through the canvas mesh of your tent at Pebbly Beach Campground is as iconic as it gets. It’s easy to spot the resident herbivores hunched over the grass that encircles the beach in Murramarang National Park .

The best time to see kangaroos on NSW’s Pebbly Beach is at dawn and dusk when the sea and the sky become one. Sometimes you will see the macropods using their long muscular tails and hind legs to bound across the sand. Other times you will see a baby Joey cradled in a mother’s pouch.

Kangaroos on Pebbly Beach in NSW
It’s easy to spot the resident herbivores on Pebbly Beach. (Image: Destination NSW)

5. Platypus, Great Otway National Park, Vic

When British scientists first saw the platypus in the late 18th century, some of them were said to have thought the specimen was a hoax. Yes, this native Australian monotreme appears most extraordinary, with the beak of a duck seemingly grafted onto the head of a four-legged animal.

It’s one of many reasons why spotting these endangered creatures in Victoria’s Great Otway National Park is such a thrill. While your ecologist guide at Otway Eco Tours can’t guarantee you will see platypuses in the wild on a canoeing tour, they have a 95 per cent success rate.

Platypus swimming in water
This native Australian monotreme appears most extraordinary. (Image: Getty Images/phototrip)
Carla Grossetti
Carla Grossetti avoided accruing a HECS debt by accepting a cadetship with News Corp. at the age of 18. After completing her cadetship at The Cairns Post Carla moved south to accept a position at The Canberra Times before heading off on a jaunt around Canada, the US, Mexico and Central America. During her career as a journalist, Carla has successfully combined her two loves – of writing and travel – and has more than two decades experience switch-footing between digital and print media. Carla’s CV also includes stints at delicious., The Sydney Morning Herald, and The Australian, where she specialises in food and travel. Carla also based herself in the UK where she worked at Conde Nast Traveller, and The Sunday Times’ Travel section before accepting a fulltime role as part of the pioneering digital team at The Guardian UK. Carla and has been freelancing for Australian Traveller for more than a decade, where she works as both a writer and a sub editor.
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2 new walks join Australia’s most exclusive hiking collection

The Great Walks of Australia just got greater.

The nation’s most prestigious network of guided multi-day hikes has expanded to 15 with the addition of two spectacular new experiences – the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa Signature Walk and the Kangaroo Island Signature Walk, both operated by the Tasmanian Walking Company.

Launched in 2013 as part of Tourism Australia’s Signature Experiences program, Great Walks of Australia represents the gold standard in nature-based tourism – think all-inclusive, fully guided adventures through the country’s most breathtaking wilderness areas.

Hiking to the heart of Australia

A decade in the making, the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa Signature Walk is a first-of-its-kind experience offering exclusive overnight stays inside the World Heritage-listed national park. Developed in partnership with Aṉangu Traditional Owners, the five-day journey traverses 54 kilometres from the domes of Kata Tjuṯa to the base of Uluṟu, blending premium comfort with deep cultural connection.

Walkers stay in new eco-sensitive camps and a private lodge, feast on chef-prepared meals under desert skies, and learn stories passed down over tens of thousands of years. Guided by Indigenous partners and expert storytellers, this walk redefines what it means to travel respectfully on Country.

The island is back

Across the water, the Kangaroo Island Signature Walk celebrates South Australia’s wild southwest coast on a four-day guided journey through Flinders Chase National Park. Traversing the most scenic stretches of the 46-kilometre Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail, the experience pairs rugged cliffs and ancient forests with heritage lighthouse accommodation at Cape du Couedic, chef-prepared local produce and premium South Australian wines.

Guests walk lightly, supported by expert guides, and can expect encounters with sea lions, wallabies and echidnas along the way. True to the Tasmanian Walking Company’s sustainability ethos, the walk is 100 per cent carbon neutral and certified under Advanced Ecotourism Australia.

A new chapter for Great Walks of Australia

Tasmanian Walking Company Kangaroo Island Signature Walk Day 1 Cape Du Couedic Light House Sunset
Stay in heritage lighthouse accommodation at Cape du Couedic on the Kangaroo Island Signature Walk. (Image: Declan Hartley Brown)

Executive Officer of Great Walks of Australia, Genevieve Matthews, says the new additions add “both heart and a new edge” to the collection.

“One experience has guests journeying through the ancient landscape of Australia’s Red Centre, and the other set along the spectacular rugged coastline of South Australia,” she said.

“These new additions to the collection extend the offering to our loyal walking community, showcasing some of the most globally recognised and breathtaking landscapes in the country.”

Tasmanian Walking Company co-owner Brett Godfrey said it was a privilege to share these landscapes through responsible tourism.

“Both Uluru-Kata Tjuta Signature Walk and Kangaroo Island Signature Walk represent not only world-class hiking experiences, but also a profound respect for the landscape, cultural heritage, and environment in which they take place,” Godfrey said.

Six of the 15 Great Walks are based in Tasmania, continuing to set the pace for luxury hiking in Australia.

All Great Walks of Australia

Tasmanian Walking Company Kangaroo Island Signature Walk Day 3 Remarkable Rocks
The Kangaroo Island Signature Walk is one of two new Great Walks. (Image: Declan Hartley Brown)

Scenic Rim Trail, Qld

4 days | 60 km | March–November

Bay of Fires Signature Walk, Tas

5 days | 33 km | October–May

Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa Signature Walk, NT

5 days | 54 km | April–September

Kangaroo Island Signature Walk, SA

4 days | 46 km | September–December and February–May

The Maria Island Walk, Tas

4 days | 25–43 km | October–April

Classic Larapinta Trek in Comfort, NT

6 days | 72 km | April–September

The Arkaba Walk, SA

5 days | 45 km | March–October

Three Capes Signature Walk, Tas

4 days | 48 km | Year round

Cape to Cape Walk, WA

4 days | 41 km | March–June and September–November

Seven Peaks Walk, Lord Howe Island, NSW

5 days | 45 km | April–May and September–November

Flinders Island Walking Adventure In Comfort, Tas

6 days | 42 km | October–April

Twelve Apostles Signature Walk, Vic

4 days | 44 km | September–May

Freycinet Experience Walk, Tas

4 days | 37 km | October–April

Murray River Walk, SA

4 days | 40 km + 70 km boat cruising | May–September

Cradle Mountain Signature Walk, Tas

7 days | 65 km | October–May