Aussie wildlife: Top 6 animal encounters around Australia
Promoting Australian wildlife is not only important in terms of tourism dollars but it also raises awareness of the need for conservation. Here are six amazing places to see animals in their natural habitat around the country.
Swimming with dolphins at Port Stephens, cuddling a Tassie devil joey at Cradle Mountain or watching penguins march across the sands at Phillip Island are just some of the animal experiences people will cross the country — or the world — to enjoy.
Tourism Australia managing director John O’Sullivan says our animal encounters are a source of distinction.
“Australia has the most appealing wildlife experiences in the world, with the exception maybe of Africa,” O’Sullivan tells BW Magazine.
“Our animals are completely unique and a real strong point for us to attract international visitors.”
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O’Sullivan says promoting Aussie wildlife is not just important in terms of tourism dollars, but also to raise awareness of the need for conservation in this area.
“We have become, like everything in tourism, more sophisticated in the way we tell our story,” he says.
BW Magazine shone the spotlight on six top animal encounters around Australia.
TASSIE DEVILS
Visitors have long been drawn to Cradle Mountain in Tasmania for its natural beauty. But Devils@Cradle wildlife sanctuary is well worth a visit too.
The sanctuary provides a unique opportunity to get up close to this marsupial, which was forced into extinction on the mainland and remains endangered in Tasmania.
You can join a keeper tour, visit the hand-rearing nursery to meet the next generation of devils, participate in after dark feeding or the ultimate up-close experience — a behind-the-scenes tour with pre-dinner drinks and a meal.
Most importantly your entry fee ($20 adult/$12 child) goes toward important conservation work to ensure these beautiful and unique Aussie animals don’t disappear.
TURTLES
Every year Mon Repos near Bundaberg comes alive with hundreds of tiny loggerhead turtles born on the beach from November to late March.
And you can be part of the natural spectacle as the newborns make their way from the sand where they are born to the water’s edge.
The beach has the largest number of nesting marine turtles in the South Pacific and, as such, is an important place for the conservation of these beautiful, endangered animals.
Trained rangers take groups out each night during the season to watch as turtles lay eggs early in the season and, later, to see them hatch. Children are welcome but, as the experience is dependent on nature, be prepared for it to last
long into the night.
GREAT WHITES
Port Lincoln in South Australia is the only place in the country you can cage dive to see great white sharks in their natural environment.
There are several companies offering the unique heart-racing experiences, with some differences. Adventure Bay Charters uses music to attract the sharks and then lowers participants into the water in a world-first clear walled and fully-contained Aqua Sub, which keeps you dry.
Calypso Star Charters is a government-licensed operator which uses natural fish berley to attract the great whites.
While you can never guarantee a sighting of an animal in the wild, experts claim the best time to see a great white shark, which are classified vulnerable and a protected species, is from April to June.
QUOKKAS
When actor Chris Hemsworth and family visited Rottnest Island off the coast of Fremantle in Western Australia, he couldn’t wait to post his #quokkaselfie. And he’s not the only one, as the cute little marsupials are a massive drawcard to the area.
And while the nocturnal animals are wild, they are friendly and often approach visitors, which has led to the popular practise of having a selfie with them.
Rangers warn, though, that visitors should not attempt to touch them or feed them. There’s a wide range of accommodation to suit all budgets on the island, including newly-opened eco resort Discovery Rottnest Island.
And once you’ve had your quokka fill, there’s much to do, from swimming in secluded bays and beaches to trail walks and even a segway tour.
DOLPHINS
It’s not unusual in many parts of Australia to see dolphins jumping through waves, or to even have a close encounter in a zoo or from a boat. But Dolphin Swim Australia gives you the opportunity to actually swim alongside dolphins in their natural habitat.
Located in Port Stephens on the NSW mid-north coast — known as the dolphin capital of Australia — participants hold onto a rope tethered across the open underside of a catamaran and dolphins naturally come and swim through the waves the vessel creates, just metres from you.
Wearing a mask and snorkel, you can watch these marine animals under the water as they swim with you, often within arm’s reach.
The best part is you can rest safe in the knowledge they swim with you for their own enjoyment.
PENGUINS
There’s no denying the popularity of these cute flightless birds. Phillip Island, 90 minutes from Melbourne, has become synonymous with the daily waddle of the penguin parade.
You can view these cute black and white creatures from the stands set up on Summerland Beach, or choose a variety of penguin viewing packs for a more intimate look at the colony.
Like so many wildlife experiences in Australia, the Phillip Island Nature Park funds important conservation work to protect the environment for these unique animals.
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