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

Carla Grossetti Carla Grossetti
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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)

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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)

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Carla Grossetti
Carla Grossetti has written across print and digital for Australian Traveller and International Traveller for more than a decade and has spent more than two decades finding excuses to eat well and travel far. A prestigious News Corp cadetship launched her career at The Cairns Post, before a stint at The Canberra Times and The Sydney Morning Herald gave way to extended wanders through Canada, the US, Mexico, Central America, Asia and Europe. Carla was chief sub editor at delicious and has contributed to Good Food, Travel & Luxury, Explore Travel, Escape. While living in London, Carla was on staff at Condé Nast Traveller and The Sunday Times Travel desk and was part of the pioneering digital team at The Guardian UK.
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Exploding supernovas & gold fever: discover the past at this outback Qld town

    Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
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    Under wide-open outback skies, discover a fossicking gem that’s managed to slip under the radar.

    While the name Clermont may feel new to even the most intrepid traveller, its gilded history stretches back centuries. You’ll find it just off the highway, humming quietly under the hazy veil of Queensland’s outback sun. It’s here, hemmed in by mountains and perched atop soil heavy with the earth’s treasures, that one of Australia’s most accessible outback adventures awaits.

    Thanks to deposits of gold, copper and gemstones – souvenirs left by exploding supernovas and the heave of tectonic plates – Clermont became a centre point of Queensland’s Gold Rush. And now? Australia’s fossicking capital is yours to discover.

    Getting there

    car driving along Capricorn Way in queensland
    Take a drive through Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. (Image: Sean Scott/ TEQ)

    You’ll find Clermont in Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. To get here, it’s an easy three-hour drive over sealed roads from Mackay. Or, if you’re heading from the Sapphire Fields of Emerald, the drive will carve out just over an hour from your day.

    Whether you’re road-tripping through outback Queensland or just tracing your way through all that Australia has to offer, Clermont is remote but easily accessible.

    Best accommodation in Clermont

    Theresa CreekDam in clermont
    Camp by Theresa Creek Dam. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

    All accommodation comes with a generous helping of country hospitality here. The choice is yours between modern hotels, parking up the camper or pitching a tent.

    Theresa Creek Dam lies just outside town. Begin each day with crisp country air and bright outback sunrises. Spend the night under the sparkling country stars and your days out on the dam fishing or kayaking. Even if you aren’t camping, be sure to save space in your itinerary for an afternoon on the red dirt shore.

    To stay closer to town, opt for a central hotel to base yourself between exploring and fossicking, like Smart Stayzzz Inn and Clermont Country Motor Inn.

    Things to do in Clermont

    three people on a tour with Golden Prospecting
    Join a tour with Golden Prospecting.

    One does not visit Clermont without trying their hand at fossicking. There are strict rules when it comes to fossicking, so stick to areas dedicated for general permission and make sure you obtain your license beforehand. Try your luck at McMasters, Four Mile, Town Desert, McDonald Flat and Flat Diggings. To increase your odds, sign on for a tour with the expert team at Golden Prospecting. They’ll give you access to exclusive plots and expert advice along the way.

    Once you’ve tried your luck on the gold fields, head to the Clermont Township and Historical Museum. Each exhibit works like an archaeologist’s brush to dust away the layers of Clermont’s history. Like the steam engine that painstakingly relocated the entire town inch by inch to higher ground after it was decimated by flooding in 1916. See the tools that helped build the Blair Athol mine, historic fire engines, shearing sheds and all sorts of relics that make up Clermont’s story.

    The historic Copperfield Chimney offers a change of pace. Legend has it that fossickers found a solid wall of copper here, over three metres high, kick-starting Queensland’s first-ever copper mine.

    Bush Heli Services flying over clermont queensland
    See Clermont from above with Bush Heli Services. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

    For hiking, nearby Dysart is the best place to access Peak Range National Park. Here, mountainous horizons stretch across the outback as if plucked from another world. Set off for a scenic drive along the Peak Downs Highway for access to countless geological wonders. Like the slanting rockface of Wolfang Peak. Summit it, and you’ll find yourself looking out across a scene surely conjured up by Banjo Paterson. Dry scrub dancing in the warm breeze, grazing cattle, eucalypts and the gentle creak of windmills. Don’t miss visiting Gemini Peaks, either, for one of the park’s best vistas, and a blanket of wild flowers after rain.

    Then, take to the skies with a scenic helicopter tour with Bush Heli-Services. Shift your perspective and cruise above all the sights from your trip. Spots like Lords Table Mountain and Campbell’s Peak are best viewed from the skies.

    Before you head home, be sure to explore the neighbouring townships. Spend a lazy afternoon in the shade of Nebo Hotel’s wrap-around verandahs. The hotel’s 1900s dance hall has since been replaced with one of the area’s biggest rodeo arenas, so consider timing your trip to line up with a boot scootin’ rodeo. Or, stop by a ghost town. Mount Britton was once a thriving town during the 1880s Gold Rush. It’s been totally abandoned and now lies untouched, a perfect relic of the Gold Rush.

    Best restaurants and cafes in Clermont

    meal at Commercial Hotel
    Stop into the Commercial Hotel Clermont.

    Days spent fossicking, bushwalking and cramming on history call for excellent coffee and hearty country meals. Luckily, Clermont delivers in spades.

    Lotta Lattes Cafe is beloved by locals for a reason. Start your days here for the best caffeine fix in town and an impeccable brunch menu.

    For a real country meal, an icy cold beer and that famed country hospitality, head straight to the town’s iconic hotel: the Commercial Hotel (known endearingly to locals as ‘The Commie’). It’s been a staple in Clermont since 1877. The hotel even survived the flood of 1916 when it was sawn in two and moved to higher ground.

    Naturally, time spent in the outback must include calling into the local bakery. For delicious pies and a tantalising array of sweet treats, make Bluemac Bakehouse your go-to while in town.

    Discover more of The Mackay Isaac region, and start planning your trip at mackayisaac.com.