Top tips for a weekend drive to Kangaroo Island
As islands go, South Australia’s Kangaroo Island (or KI as the locals call it) is deceptively large, boasting a 509km coastline and measuring 155 km from east to west, so you’ll definitely need a car for this out of town island experience.Kangaroo Island, South Australia
Close to: Adelaide. 100km to Cape Jervis (via McLaren Vale and the Fleurieu Peninsula on the M2, then the B23), then a 45-minute ferry to Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island.
Day or Weekend: Make it a long weekend or a week if you can. For a memorable splurge, stay at Southern Ocean Lodge. Couples and groups will love the options at Lifetime Private Retreats and the ocean views and private beach at BlueSeas Beach House.
Hidden Gem: For something completely different, rent a toboggan or sandboard and hit the 70-metre high sand dunes at Little Sahara.
Everybody goes to: The beach at Vivonne Bay (named as one of Australia’s best beaches) has a long sandy beach so you should have a stretch to yourself, plus crayfish boats at the jetty.
Take home: Honey and honey products from Clifford’s Honey Farm.
For a visit from Adelaide, start early and drive to Cape Jervis, about an hour southwest, and catch the ferry. With your car secure below-decks you can enjoy a relaxing 45-minute cruise, although, at times, weather conditions can induce a significant ocean swell.
The ferry docks at the township of Penneshaw and you’ll soon be enjoying Kangaroo Island’s native wildlife, great food, boutique drops (of the beer, wine and spirit varieties), as well as some of Australia’s most iconic picture-postcard views.
Get into the swing of island life by heading straight to Sunset Food & Wine for lunch. Ok, so the sunsets are spectacular later on, but a long lunch accompanied by stunning water views is a perfect introduction to KI, especially when the menu heroes local produce and wine.
If you want to buy direct, check out The Oyster Farm Shop for oysters, marron, abalone and King George whiting (look for the old petrol pumps and blue shack at American River) then follow up with some sheep cheese at Island Pure Sheep Dairy and perhaps coincide your visit with the daily sheep milking.
To taste more local produce, in liquid form, head to Dudley Wines, the pioneer winery on the island, which also features clifftop views of the island’s north coast. If you’re more a beer person, you’ll love Kangaroo Island Brewery where eight craft beers are available for tasting.
Then there’s Kangaroo Island Spirits – a boutique distillery creating premium gins, vodkas and liqueurs. Even if you aren’t into spirits, a visit to see the quirky distillery is a must. At this stage, you might be thankful for appointing a designated driver.
But, for many, star billing on KI is awarded to the amazing scenery and wildlife. Top of everyone’s list are Admirals Arch and the Remarkable Rocks – and remarkable they both are…and conveniently close to each other. Admirals Arch also features a colony of fur seals, while the Remarkables provide fabulous photographic opportunities of the tortured, sculpted rocks at any time of the day.
Close by is Kelly Hill Conservation Park and Caves offering guided tours through the ornate cave formations. If you like the idea of crawling through an underground maze of smaller caverns, take the Adventure Tour.
To see sea lions, continue to Seal Bay. Opt for the Seal Bay Experience for a guided walk on the beach among these majestic creatures. To get even closer, take a two-hour “swim with wild dolphins and sea lions” tour.
Another impressive wildlife experience is Raptor Domain, which is a refuge for injured or orphaned birds of prey and reptiles – put on a glove and you might have a kookaburra, owl or Wedge-tailed eagle fly to you.
And keep a look out when driving. Kangaroo Island is often described as a natural zoo – there are lots of kangaroos (of course), echidnas often potter about, koalas love to laze in the tall trees, and you might even spot a rare glossy black cockatoo. You may even see a platypus during the two-hour Platypus Waterholes Walk.
You could cram all this into two days, but a long weekend or, better still, a relaxing week, is the best way to enjoy a Kangaroo Island drive experience.
Related: Five car ferry trips to try on your travels
Related: Top five wildlife viewing spots
Related: Top five islands you can drive to
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