The 10 best places to see kangaroos and koalas in Australia

Where: Kangaroo Island, SA

What to see: Kangaroos and koalas

There are no prizes for guessing what animals you’ll encounter on Australia’s third-largest island. The native wildlife here is extraordinarily abundant, so keep your eyes peeled for more than just kangaroos: seals, sea lions, platypi and echidnas all call Kangaroo Island home. Best yet, this spot also hosts a teeming koala population. The best places to see them are in conservation spaces, Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park, and in the wild along Cygnet River.

Best time to visit: Winter is low season, making it ideal if you want to escape the crowds, but also if you want to spot southern right whales and sea lion pups. Spring is great if you want to see joeys emerge from their mothers' pouches.

Where: Magnetic Island, QLD

What to see: Koalas

Out of all Magnetic Island’s majestic hikes, the Forts Walk is an absolute must-do. The walk is an easy one, and can even be done in your beach get-up. Hiking boots or not, the walk is worth it for the wow factor of coming across a cuddly little koala in the wild. It’s not uncommon to come across multiple furry friends sleeping in the trees that line this hike. To keep the action going, you can catch the Magnetic Island shuttle bus to the nearby Koala Park by Selina, where conservation and education are the main priorities. Tour the park, have breakfast with your new furry friends and the park rangers, or even spend the night.

Best time to visit: May to October is the dry season. Pleasant temperatures, lower humidity and clear skies make it ideal for outdoor adventures, spotting koalas and snorkelling.

Where: Lucky Bay, WA

What to see: Kangaroos

As it turns out, it’s not only humans who love the whiter-than-white sand at Lucky Bay. Kangaroos regularly dwell right on the water’s edge at Lucky Bay and in the bordering bushland of the Cape Le Grand National Park. Kangaroos are also nocturnal animals so your best bet at an encounter will be visiting the beach in the early morning or at sunset when they're out and about. With its clear blue waters and furry visitors, it doesn’t get much more Aussie postcard than Lucky Bay.

Best time to visit: Around sunrise and late evening at sunset are when kangaroos are most active. Also, if you want to avoid the summer crowds, visit in the shoulder seasons of autumn or spring.

Where: Eyre Peninsula, SA

What to see: Kangaroos

South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula is a rugged beauty with its beautiful cliff faces and rocky shores. Amongst those coastlines lie plenty of bouncing kangaroos. Take it to the next level with one of the most up close and personal experiences you can get with wild koalas in Australia at Mikkira Station, where you can camp amongst a koala colony. Note: it is not open during summer due to bushfire risks. If you’d just like to pop in during the day, the ex-sheep station is also a perfect spot for a picnic, where you might also come across one of the free-roaming emus. The property is gated, so make sure you give the tour operators a call over here to get a key for your visit.

Best time to visit: Between the cooler months from May to October, when the breeding season begins. By the end of winter and into spring, koala joeys emerge from their mother’s pouches and can be seen climbing and exploring.

Where: Port Stephens, NSW

What to see: Koalas

If a couple of hours of koala spotting isn’t enough for you, you can spend the whole night at the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary. You'll really be amongst nature in one of the property's 20 glamping tents, but if you prefer four solid walls, you can opt for the deluxe rooms or suites. Wake up in the morning and embark on the sanctuary skywalk, which brings you that little bit closer to the koalas in their perches. All the koalas here are in great care at the koala hospital after being sick or injured.

Best time to visit: Arrive as close to 9am as possible since koalas are most active in the early morning when feeding and morning veterinary rounds occur.  

Where: Yanchep, WA

What to see: Koalas and kangaroos

So, here’s the thing – koalas aren’t actually native to Western Australia. Never fear, because Yanchep National Park is home to a koala colony introduced way back in 1938. The koalas you'll spy from the raised boardwalk are actually descendants of the koalas from Kangaroo Island in South Australia. There are also nine hiking trails, bound to bring you face-to-face with one of the park’s many kangaroo inhabitants. The best part is you’ll find all this wilderness just 40 minutes away from Perth.

Best time to visit: During spring for mild weather, spectacular displays of blooming wildflowers and native wildlife being active. Also, kangaroos are highly active at dusk. 

Where: Raymond Island, VIC

What to see: Koalas

This little plot of land may be lacking in size, but it makes up for it with a majorly dense koala population. More than 200 koalas call Raymond Island home and they can be visited via a super short ferry ride from Paynesville in the Gippsland region of Victoria. The island’s famed ‘Koala Trail’ begins right as you step off the ferry. You’ll only need to walk two kilometres for an almost guaranteed furry friend sighting in the wild.

Best time to visit: From September to November (spring), joeys begin riding on their mothers' backs. Keep in mind that koalas are most active in the early morning and at dusk when they move around to feed.

Where: Tidbinbilla Valley, ACT

What to see: Koalas and kangaroos

Did you know that Tidbinbilla is the only place in the ACT where brush-tailed rock wallabies can be found? Just a 40-minute drive from Canberra’s CBD, you’ll find a wonderland of Australian wildlife that’s being taken care of by rangers and volunteers, but is also still left to roam free. How’s that for having your cake and eating it too? Tidbinbilla Reserve is known for breeding endangered populations back to abundant life and includes its koala population, which has been cared for since 1939. Visit the Eucalypt Forest that fences off any predators to spot an adorable little koala doing its thing, or embark on one of the park’s 21 trails to spot a kangaroo, or even an emu or platypus. Tidbinbilla uses a per-vehicle entry fee – make sure to pre-book your entry. 

Best time to visit: Early mornings or late afternoons are ideal since animals are most active during these cooler periods. The Reserve opens at 7.30am.  

Where: Jirrahlinga, VIC

What to see: Koalas and kangaroos

Just over one hour from Melbourne's CBD, this native wildlife sanctuary-cross-zoo is home to many dingoes and over 200 native animals. At Jirrahlinga Wildlife Sanctuary, you can see Australian native fauna, including kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, birds, reptiles, dingoes, echidnas and more. Keepers are knowledgeable and friendly, and if you're lucky, they'll let you get up close with the koalas, hold a snake or have an up-close encounter with a lizard. Look out for the bird near the office that does a perfect imitation of the office phone ringing, followed by, "Hello, Jirrahlinga?"

Best time to visit: Autumn and spring have great weather; summer is too hot, and the animals are less active in winter. Arrive in time for the daily keeper presentations and avoid the school holidays, if possible. 

Where: Port Macquarie, NSW

What to see: Koalas

If you're crazy about koalas, this is where you should go. The Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie does some genuinely incredible work in fighting to save one of the world's most adorable animals from extinction. A licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility, this place takes in injured koalas, nurses them back to life and then releases them back into the wild. A volunteer-run not-for-profit, the Koala Hospital is free to enter, with donations and gift shop sales all directly funding their conservation efforts. Expect to meet koalas, check out a koala museum, go on a guided tour and head behind the scenes to see the koalas in the hospital. 

Best time to visit: The koalas are most active early in the morning and at dusk. Avoid the middle of the day when the koalas are asleep.