Kangaroo Island - Introduction

Kangaroo Island is a true wildlife sanctuary. Owing to its isolation from the mainland, the Island has suffered less from the impact of European settlement and retains more than half of its native ‘old-growth' vegetation - a vast area of some 2,250 square kilometres. Similarly, the Island has been spared the damage done by foxes and rabbits, ensuring the integrity of native bushland. It is a pristine wilderness - a place that has offered protection to substantial populations of native Australian animals, a place of beauty and a place of escape.

Kangaroo Island (or ‘KI' as the locals call it) is also big and surprisingly diverse. If you traverse its 155km length you'll find soaring cliffs, dense forest, towering sand dunes, wetlands and massive arcs of bone white beach.

Some 4,400 folk live here, most of them primary producers, many of them descended from Islanders who have farmed the land and fished the seas for generations.

Naturally enough, being surrounded by fertile lands and rich waters, Kangaroo Island produces some of Australia's finest gourmet foods. Gastronomic adventurers should get ready to be amazed by the likes of freshly caught King George Whiting, sheep's cheese, marron, a unique variety of honey and an exciting range of varietal wines.