Where to see Australia's unique wildlife

Australia boasts a weird and wonderful menagerie of creatures on land, sea and air.

Kangaroo

One half of the national coat of arms (the other is the emu), the kangaroo is one of the country’s most celebrated animals. There are four different species of kangaroo: The Red; Antilopine; Eastern Grey; and Western Grey. The Red holds the distinction of being the world’s largest marsupial; some males stand as tall as six feet and weigh in at 200 pounds.

Fast fact: There are more kangaroos than humans in Australia (roughly 50 million versus 25.7 million), with an estimated 15.8 million red kangaroos alone.

Where to see them: You’ll find kangaroos all over Australia. They’re social creatures, so chances are if you see one there are more close by. They rest during the heat of the day, so the best time to catch sight of them is at dawn and dusk.

Kangaroo with its joey — The kangaroo is one of Australia’s most celebrated animals.

Koala

When it comes to the Aussie animal most visitors want to tick off their list, chances are it’s the koala. This impossibly cute tree-dwelling marsupial mammal survives on a diet exclusively made up of eucalyptus leaves. The trees are also their home, with koalas spending up to 19 hours a day sleeping in them before waking up to feed at night, making them largely nocturnal. While koalas have a pouch like kangaroos, they are more closely related to the wombat.

Fast fact: While they look all chubby and cuddly, koalas have seriously sharp claws and when threatened can run as fast as a rabbit.

Where to see them: Due to the fact that they spend most of their time up trees, koalas can be elusive to spot in the wild. Keep an eye out for them along the Great Ocean Road and on Raymond Island in Victoria, and around Port Stephens and Port Macquarie in New South Wales.

A Koala holding onto a branch — Koalas survive on a diet exclusively made up of eucalyptus leaves.

Wombat

These chubby creatures live in burrows and emerge at night to feast on a diet of grasses, bark and roots. Consisting of three species – the Common Wombat, the Northern Hairy-Nosed Wombat and the Southern Hairy-Nosed Wombat – wombats are an evolutionary wonder: they have a pouch like other marsupials but it faces backwards so that it doesn’t fill with dirt when they are digging. And its rump consists mostly of cartilage so that when it retreats headfirst into its hole it is almost impossible for predators to get a grip on.

Fast fact: Wombats’ poop is shaped like a cube. The theory is that as they mark their territory by defecating, the shape stops it from rolling away.

Where to see them: Wombats thrive in cool, damp environments, so you have a good chance of spotting them in places like Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park and Maria Island in Tasmania, Wilsons Promontory National Park in Victoria, and the Southern Highlands, less than two hours from Sydney.

Wombat looking at the camera — Wombats live in burrows and emerge at night to feast on a diet of grasses, bark and roots.

Possum

When you are out and about at night in Australia, whether in the heart of Sydney or in the wilds of Freycinet National Park in Tasmania, chances are you will catch a glimpse of either a Common Brushtail Possum or a Common Ringtail Possum, the most prolific of Australia’s 23 species of possums.

With their soft fur and sweet faces, possums are one of the easiest marsupials to spot as they are quite adventurous in the pursuit of food. And if you can’t see them, you’re sure to hear them; researchers have identified at least 18 different sounds made by possums including screeching, hissing and grunting.

Fast fact: Both brushtail and ringtail possums have prehensile tails, which they use as a type of hand to cling to trees and carry things.

Where to see them: Brushtail and ringtail possums are found all over the country and are easy to spot when feeding at night – just look up.

Possum looking into the camera — Possums are one of the easiest marsupials to spot.

Wallaby

A marsupial cousin of the kangaroo, wallabies are widely found across the country. Smaller than kangaroos, there are some 30 species of wallaby in Australia including the Rock Wallaby, Swamp Wallaby and the Tammar Wallaby, all of which hop to get around, tend to be more active at dawn and dusk, and carry their young in a pouch. Unlike kangaroos, however, wallabies are solitary creatures.

Fast fact: If a wallaby becomes pregnant while she still has a joey (baby) in her pouch, she can pause the gestation of the new embryo until its sibling has vacated the space.

Where to see them: Wallabies are widespread and plentiful, which means you are in with a good chance of seeing these delightful little creatures in any of Australia’s abundant National Parks.

Kookaburra

Australia is home to abundant birdlife, but none is more genuinely wondrous than the kookaburra. Also known as the Laughing Kookaburra, this Kingfisher is famous for its loud and clear call that sounds like a hearty belly laugh but is actually a method to warn other birds off its territory.

Fast fact: Kookaburras are believed to pair for life, so when you see one bird its mate will most likely be nearby.

Where to see them: Found predominantly on the East Coast, you will usually hear them before you see them.

Kooraburra — Kookaburras are famous for their loud and clear call that sounds.

Tasmanian Devil

Found exclusively on the island state from which it gets its name, this carnivorous marsupial is actually a lot like its Looney Tunes cartoon persona, a snarling, irascible whirlwind of teeth and attitude. With a vocabulary of growls, grunts and snarls, they are vociferous (and slightly vicious) when threatened or protecting their food.

Fast fact: Further cementing its reputation, the Tasmanian Devil has the most powerful bite of any animal in the world based on its size.

Where to see them: As the devil is nocturnal, it is difficult to see in the wild; instead visit the Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park in Taranna, an easy drive from Hobart, Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, north of Hobart, or Devils @ Cradle Wildlife Park near Cradle Mountain National Park.

Two Tasmanian Devils — Tasmanian Devils are found exclusively on the island state from which it gets its name.

Also watch out for…

Echidna

This little egg-laying mammal is covered in sharp spikes and eats a diet largely made up of ants, hence its alternative name, the spiny anteater. They thrive in all manner of habitats, too.

Emu

The other half of the coat of arms, this flightless bird is the second biggest in the world after the ostrich; they can grow up to 6.5 feet tall. You’ll find them across mainland Australia.

Emus crossing the road — Emus are the second biggest birds in the world after the ostrich.

Platypus

One of only two egg-laying mammals in the world (the other is the echidna), the platypus has a ducklike bill, webbed feet, is covered in fur and sleeps 14 hours a day on average.

Dingo

Australia’s native wild dog, dingoes are found throughout the mainland states, including in the Northern Territory, and are known for their characteristic howl.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

You’ll hear these cheeky native birds screeching loudly during the summer months as they dart from tree to tree or hang upside down from electricity wires.

Quokka

Native to Rottnest Island in Western Australia, the cuddly quokka is quite possibly Australia’s happiest marsupial, whose delightful grin has featured in many a cute selfie and social media post.

Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated.

Just 15 years ago, Federal Mills was a very different place. Once among the most significant industrial sites in Victoria, the historic woollen mill was one of a dozen that operated in Geelong at the industry’s peak in the mid-20th century, helping the city earn its title as ‘wool centre of the world’. But by the 1960s global competition and the rise of synthetic fabrics led to the slow decline of the industry, and Federal Mills finally shuttered its doors in 2001. Within a few years, the abandoned North Geelong grounds had become makeshift pastoral land, with cows and goats grazing among the overgrown grass between the empty red-brick warehouses. It was a forgotten pocket of the city, all but two klicks from the bustle of the CBD.

Geelong cellar door wine bar — Geelong has shed its industrial identity to become an innovative urban hub with reimagined heritage spaces. (Image: Ash Hughes)

Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct

Today, the century-old complex stands reborn. The distinctive sawtooth-roof buildings have been sensitively restored. An old silo is splashed with a bright floral mural, landscapers have transformed the grounds, and the precinct is once again alive with activity. More than 1000 people work across 50-plus businesses here. It’s so busy, in fact, that on a sunny Thursday morning in the thick of winter, it’s hard to find a car park. The high ceilings, open-plan design, and large multi-paned windows – revolutionary features for factories of their time – have again become a drawcard.

Paddock Bakery andPatisserie — Paddock Bakery and Patisserie is housed within the historic wool factory. (Image: Gallant Lee)

At Paddock , one of the precinct’s newer tenants, weaving looms and dye vats have been replaced by a wood-fired brick oven and heavy-duty mixers. Open since April 2024, the bakery looks right at home here; the building’s industrial shell is softened by ivy climbing its steel frames, and sunlight streams through the tall windows. Outside, among the white cedar trees, families at picnic benches linger over dippy eggs and bagels, while white-collar workers pass in and out, single-origin coffee and crème brûlée doughnuts in hand.

Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design

Paddock Bakery can be found at Federal Mills. (Image: Gallant Lee)

“A lot of people are now seeing the merit of investing in Geelong,” says Paul Traynor, the head of Hamilton Hospitality Group, which redeveloped Federal Mills. A city once shunned as Sleepy Hollow, and spurned for its industrial, working-class roots and ‘rust belt’ image, Geelong has long since reclaimed its ‘Pivot City’ title, having reinvented itself as an affordable, lifestyle-driven satellite city, and a post-COVID migration hotspot.

And the numbers stand testament to the change. In March 2025, and for the first time in its history, Greater Geelong became Australia’s most popular regional town for internal migration, overtaking Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Current forecasts suggest Geelong will continue to outpace many other Australian cities and towns, with jobs growing at double the rate of the population.

Tourism is booming, too. The 2023-24 financial year was Geelong and The Bellarine region’s busiest on record, with 6.4 million visitors making it one of the fastest-growing destinations in the country. It’s not hard to see why: beyond the city’s prime positioning at the doorstep of the Great Ocean Road, Geelong’s tenacity and cultural ambition stands out.

As Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design, Geelong is swiftly shaking off its industrial past to become a model for urban renewal, innovation, sustainability and creative communities. The signs are everywhere, from the revitalisation of the city’s waterfront, and the landmark design of the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre and Geelong Arts Centre, to the growing network of local designers, architects and artists, and the burgeoning roster of festivals and events. That’s not even mentioning the adaptive reuse of storied old industrial buildings – from Federal Mills, to Little Creatures’ brewery ‘village’ housed within a 1920s textile mill – or the city’s flourishing food and wine scene.

The rise of a food and wine destination

Restaurant 1915 is housed within a restored former boiler house. (Image: Harry Pope/Two Palms)

Traynor credits now-closed local restaurant Igni, which opened in 2016, as the turning point for Geelong’s hospo industry. “[Aaron Turner, Igni’s chef-patron] was probably the first guy, with all due respect, to raise the bar food-wise for Geelong,” he says. “People now treat it really seriously, and there’s clearly a market for it.” While Igni is gone, Turner now helms a string of other notable Geelong venues, including The Hot Chicken Project and Tacos y Liquor, all within the buzzy, street art-speckled laneways of the CBD’s Little Malop Street Precinct. Many others have also popped up in Igni’s wake, including Federal Mills’ own restaurant, 1915 . Housed within the cavernous boiler house, 1915’s interior is dramatic: soaring, vaulted ceilings with timber beams, exposed brick, a huge arched window. The share plates echo the space’s bold character, playing with contrast and texture, with dishes such as a compressed watermelon tataki, the sweet, juicy squares tempered by salty strands of fried leeks, and charred, smoky snow peas dusted with saganaki on a nutty bed of romesco.

The Woolstore , one of The Hamilton Group’s most recent hospo projects, opened in February. It occupies a century-old riverside warehouse and exudes a more sultry, fine dining ambience. Much like Federal Mills, the blueprint was to preserve the original brickwork, tallowwood flooring and nods to the building’s former life. That same careful consideration extends to the well-versed, affable waitstaff as well as the kitchen. Head chef Eli Grubb is turning out an eclectic mix of ambitious and indulgent mod Oz dishes that deliver: strikingly tender skewers of chicken tsukune, infused with hints of smoke from the parrilla grill, and glazed with a moreish, sweet gochujang ‘jam’; nduja arancini fragrant with hints of aniseed and the earthy lick of sunny saffron aioli; and golden squares of potato pavé, adorned with tiny turrets of crème fraîche, crisp-fried saltbush leaves, and Avruga caviar, to name but a few stand-out dishes.

Woolstore menu — Woolstore’s menu is designed for sharing.

Breathing new life into historic spaces

On the city’s fringe, hidden down a winding side road with little fanfare, lies a long-dormant site that’s being gently revived. Built from locally quarried bluestone and brick, and dating back to the 1870s, the complex of original tin-roofed mill buildings is lush with greenery and backs onto the Barwon River and Buckley Falls; the audible rush of water provides a soothing soundtrack. Fyansford Paper Mill is one of few complexes of its time to survive intact. It feels steeped in history and spellbindingly rustic.

“We were looking for an old industrial place that had some charm and romance to it,” explains Sam Vogel, the owner, director and winemaker at Provenance Wines which moved here in 2018. When he first viewed the building with his former co-owner, it was in such a state of disrepair that the tradie tenant occupying the space had built a shed within it to escape the leaking roof and freezing winter temperatures. “To say it was run down would be an understatement,” he notes. “There was ivy growing through the place; the windows were all smashed. It was a classic Grand Designs project.”

Provenance Wines moved to Fyansford Paper Mill in 2018. (Image: Cameron Murray Photography)

The team has since invested more than a million dollars into their new home. Where paper processing machinery once sat, wine barrels are now stacked. Vaulted cathedral ceilings are strung with festoon lights, and hidden in plain sight lies a shadowy mural by local street artist de rigueur Rone – one of only three permanent works by the artist.

While the award-winning, cool-climate pinot noir, riesling and chardonnay naturally remain a key draw at Provenance, the winery’s restaurant is a destination in itself. Impressed already by whipsmart service, I devour one of the most cleverly curated and faultlessly executed degustations I’ve had in some time. It’s all prepared in a kitchen that is proudly zero-waste, and committed to providing seasonal, ethical and locally sourced meat and produce under head chef Nate McIver. Think free-range venison served rare with a syrupy red wine jus and a half-moon of neon-orange kosho, shokupan with a deeply savoury duck fat jus (a modern Japanese take on bread and drippings), and a golden potato cake adorned with a colourful confetti of dehydrated nasturtiums and tomato powder, and planted atop a sea urchin emulsion.

handcrafted pieces — Bell’s handcrafted functional pieces on display.

The complex is home to a coterie of independent businesses, including a gallery, a jeweller, and its latest tenant, ceramicist Elizabeth Bell, drawn here by the building’s “soul”. “There’s so much potential for these buildings to have new life breathed into them,” says Bell, whose studio is housed within the old pump room. “Even people in Geelong don’t know we’re here,” she says. “It’s definitely a destination, but I like that. It has a really calming atmosphere.”

A Melbourne transplant, Bell now feels at home in Geelong, which offers something Melbourne didn’t. “If this business was in Melbourne I don’t think it would’ve been as successful,” she notes. “It’s very collaborative in Geelong, and I don’t think you get that as much in Melbourne; you’re a bit more in it for yourself. Here it’s about community over competition.”

Where to see Australia’s unique wildlife