Where to find Australia’s animals – the Big Five in the wild!!
Last updated on March 15th, 2025 at 05:54 am
Having constantly seen the following question about finding Australian animals in the wild on travel forums….
“Where can I see kangaroos and koalas in the wild?”
….I thought I should give a few tips on where and how to see these Australian animals in the wild – most especially the “big five” – Kangaroos, Koalas, Platypus, Echidnas, and Wombats!!
BTW I made that up (the Aussie big five thing). But, Africa’s not the only place with cool animals – right?
In reality the big five should probably be at least the big ten or fifteen and include the few other favorites, plus one or two that are hard to see in the wild any more.
Update: I have finally written another post focusing on some of the other iconic animals of Australia – emus, crocodiles, possums, kookaburras, goannas, quokkas, dingoes, penguins, dugongs and crocodiles!
If you are reading this, then most likely, like me you are not a fan of zoos or even so-called ‘wildlife centers’ and you want to see the real thing. I will warn you that some of the places I mention have become rather well known you may not be the only one there spotting the animals! However, the animals are not tamed or fed – they simply free-range in a known locale.
Key for spotting platypus and wombats – dawn and dusk – particularly dusk are the best times as they are nocturnal! The end of winter and spring is a better time for platypus as they are more active during the day then.
So where to see these Australian animals in the wild?
First – A Quick Guide to help you plan your trip
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Accommodation – book a hotel with booking.com or Tripadvisor, or, a hostel with Hostelworld
For the best walks get AllTrails so you have offline maps to guide you.
Car rental – compare prices and get the best deals with Rentalcars.com
Tours and Activities – find the best tours with GetYourGuide or Viator. These are my top picks for you:
- Port Lincoln Mikkira Station Wild Koala Safari Tour in South Australia
- Kangaroo Island full day tour in South Australia
- Great Ocean road, koalas, and kangaroos in Victoria
- Tasmania Wilderness and Wildlife Guided Tour
- Maria Island day trip from Hobart
- Finch Hatton Gorge Hike, Swim & Platypus Adventure
The Big Five Australian animals and where to find them in the wild!
The following lists give you a few good spots to see each of the big five Australian animals in the different states of Australia!
Okay first things first. I have a Wildlife Lovers Tip!
My wildlife lovers tip? Go to Tasmania
One of the best places to easily see a lot of the Australian animals is to simply go to the (generally missed off the schedule) wildlife-rich island of Tasmania and hire a car for a few days. (If you are on your own and on a tight budget, it really is worth trying to find others to share the cost to do this.)
If you don’t have a car there are some great tours you can join and you will get a good taste of the island and the wildlife there through those. This one is a 5-day budget tour using hostel accommodation that hits the key spots including Cradle Mountain. And this one is a wildlife and nature focused 6 day tour – the Tasmania Wilderness and Wildlife Guided Tour.
Whatever is right for you – just do it! You can’t miss Tasmania if you are a wildlife and outdoor lover and its easy to see so many Australian animals here! So lets start with Tassie….
1. In Tasmania
Where to find Koala in the wild in Tasmania
Nope – Tasmania is not a natural habitat for koala. So you wont see them in the wild here. But you will see a lot of other Australian animals!
Where to find Kangaroos in the wild in Tasmania
Narawntapu National Park is known for the wildlife. Animal spotting here is good any time of year and there would be something wrong if you didn’t see at least kangaroos and pademelons. You should be able to find pretty much all the good stuff here – kangaroos, Bennett’s Wallabies, Tasmanian Devils, Quolls, Tasmanian Pademelons (like a small kangaroo), Echidnas and platypus! But at least you will see kangaroos!
Hint: Taking the back roads can be fantastic. I had my girls squealing in the back of our camper one evening as we drove to Narawntapu National Park via a back road. Why? It was really difficult to drive without hitting a possum or pademelon unless I drove at 10kms hour. That’s what we ended up doing and very worth it despite having to tent up in the dark! We saw a Tassie Devil en-route too – bonus!
Where to find Platypus in the wild in Tasmania
There are a few known hangouts for platypus in Tasmania but I never managed to see more than their water circles and bubbles in the water in these spots – not even in the Warrawee Forest Reserve near Latrobe which is purported to be the platypus capital of the world. (I have no idea what I was doing wrong – so make sure you give it a shot!)
Other known spots are Fern Glade near Burnie, and Geeveston. But for a pretty much guaranteed sighting, book to stay at a real Aussie pub – the Empire Hotel in Deloraine. You can go on a FREE Platypus tour that leaves daily from the hotel. That’s one of the best bargains in Aussie!
Where to find Echidna in the wild in Tasmania
For echidnas it depends on the time of year, but if you drive around in the summer months you are very likely to simply see them on the side of the road – especially around the Cradle Mountain area. Inside Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is a good place for spotting them.
Note that you can stay in the park which is great for wildlife spotting. The Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village, and, Cradle Mountain Hotel offer accommodation and Discovery Parks offers luxury to basic cabins as well as powered and unpowered sites. They have guided walks and plenty on offer so you will see wildlife (including Tasmanian Devils) with them!
Where to find Wombats in the wild in Tasmania
Again, if you visit Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park you have an excellent chance of spotting these absolutely gorgeous furry little creatures. You’re most likely to see them at dusk grazing in open grasslands.
The other virtually guaranteed spot is on Maria Island. Go alone on the ferry from Triabunna. Or if you need transport, or want more than just walking on the island, try this excellent day trip from Hobart. It has a wildlife focus – on land and in the water!
Where to stay in Tasmania on your Australian animals hunt!
Definitely book a night at the Empire Hotel in Deloraine for your platypus! And of course at Cradle Mountain- Lake St Clair for wombats and other wildlife – try Discovery Parks or the Cradle Mountain Hotel! I would also book to stay just outside Narawntapu National Park so you can maximize your time there. Otherwise move around the island and enjoy all it has to offer outside of Hobart. It is a beautiful island.
Book a hotel with booking.com or Tripadvisor, or, a hostel with Hostelworld!
2. In Victoria
Where to find Koala in the wild in Victoria
The absolute best thing to do is to spend the night at the Kennet River Holiday Park – You can camp or stay in a cabin. Be around at dusk when the local koalas are more likely to be moving around. Be warned – they can make a lot of noise. Koalas growl! Its great to hear this so I highly recommend at least a night here.
Not far away is the Cape Otway Lighthouse, so if you are heading on, drive down to the lighthouse and you are very likely to see koalas in trees alongside the road. We saw a lot of koalas here.
Another great place to see koalas is on the aptly named “Koala Walk” on Raymond Island. You wont get them to yourself so easily, but you will see them. Take a free ferry (if you are walking or biking) from Paynesville to the island and literally go for a walk! Raymond Island is in the lovely Gippsland area about four hours east of Melbourne. Perfect if you are taking the coastal route to Sydney (which has some great coastline so is highly recommended.)
A great three day trip from Melbourne, if you don’t have a car, is this one that will get you to a lot of wildlife as well as some key beauty areas in Victoria – including the Great Ocean Road.
Where to find Kangaroos in the wild in Victoria
Combine a trip to Kennett River with a visit to see the resident population of Eastern Grey Kangaroos at the Anglesea Golf Club on the way. Tick of the first two of the big five in a day! Literally drive into the golf course – although it might be a good idea to avoid the weekend and a mass of golfers.
Wilsons Promontory National Park is another “guaranteed” spot. Go to the “Prom Wildlife Walk” (Its on google maps) and you will see kangaroos. Emus and wombats are very likely as well.
And finally, around Halls Gap in the Grampians you will be hard pressed to miss the kangaroos and wallabies – once again the golf course is a sure bet!
Where to find Platypus in the wild in Victoria
For a reasonable chance of seeing platypus, try the confluence of the Yarra and Plenty Rivers near Melbourne. Another possible spot is the Yarra River at Warrandyte State Park.
Another option is to take this 2 Day Great Ocean Road Tour and Platypus paddle to give yourself a high chance of seeing these amazing creatures in the wild!
(If you are desperate and happy to see platypus that not really in the wild, you can drive up to Healesville Sanctuary and watch the resident platypuses at play.)
Where to find Echidna in the wild in Victoria
The most likely place, not guaranteed, but close to, is again, Raymond Island in Gippsland east of Melbourne. Get a bike and cycle the island and you are very likely to see at least one shuffling echidna.
The other good place is the Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve, which, if you don’t have a car, is included in this three day trip from Melbourne.
Where to find Wombats in the wild in Victoria
Probably the best bet is Wilsons Promontory National Park on the “Prom Wildlife Walk” – its on google maps. The Tidal River Camp ground is a great place to camp the night and see them too.
You are quite likely to see them in Tower Hill Reserve as well, but I’d put my money on Wilsons Prom.
Where to stay in Victoria on your Australian animals hunt!
Most people base themselves in Melbourne, but there are plenty of great places out of the city. For by far the closest encounters with koalas book here at the Kennet River Holiday Park. And on Raymond Island for koalas and echidna try Le Grande Villas or The Abbey, or this Waterfront home!
But also consider the Grampians where emus and kangaroos are relatively common, and the Mornington Peninsula and of course the Great Ocean road area.
Book a hotel with booking.com or Tripadvisor, or, a hostel with Hostelworld!
3. In New South Wales
Where to find Koala in the wild in NSW
One of the largest wild populations of koalas in Australia lives in the Port McQuarrie area, so spend some time in the eucalyptus grove at Kooloonbung Creek Nature Reserve and take the boardwalk through Sea Acres National Park for a good chance of seeing them above in the trees. The boardwalk is stunning even without koalas – and you may see a Powerful Owl there too which would be a great bonus.
Tucki Tucki Nature Reserve about an hour from Byron Bay is another good place to spot koalas – there are relatively a lot for the size of the reserve. This highly rated tour guarantees koalas, kangaroos and other wildlife on a day out from Byron Bay – so don’t worry if you don’t have wheels!
Where to find Kangaroos in the wild in NSW
You will see Eastern Grey kangaroos, and plenty of birds, in Murramarang National Park and close by on Pebbly Beach where they laze around in the sun just like humans. Equally, at Caves Beach in Booderee National Park and if you walk on the “Look At Me Now Headland Walk” near Coffs Harbour, you will see plenty of kangaroos too.
Other good spots are at the Euroka Clearing in the Blue Mountains, or for Swamp Wallalbies, camp at the Basin in Pittwater where they will be bouncing around in the evening. Of course, I must mention Kangaroo Valley! Camp at the Bendeela Camping Area about two hours from Sydney to see not only kangaroos, but wombats too.
And if you don’t have a car but do have a day, this Wild Wombat and Kangaroo Day Tour from Sydney has a 5/5 rating with over 600 reviews! I’d say you’re going to have a good time!
Where to find Platypus in the wild in NSW
Get your camping gear and pop your tent up at Platypus Flat campsite beside the river in Nymboi-Binderay National Park (inland from Coffs Harbour). A close by quiet stretch of water for virtually guaranteed sightings is river between Pollacks Bridge and the Nymboida Coaching Station Inn.
Another good place in NSW is the Bombala Platypus Reserve – there is even a purpose built viewing platform and you are highly likely to be in luck.
Finally take a tour from Byron Bay up in the north of the state – where you are guaranteed a sighting!
Where to find Echidna in the wild in NSW
Unusually, right in the city. Take the North Head walk in Sydney’s Manly area and you have a chance of spotting an echidna there – it is definitely worth a shot and that’s where I have had the most luck other than in Tasmania!
Where to find Wombats in the wild in NSW
Another perfect place , in NSW, is at the Bendeela Camping Area about two hours from Sydney in Kangaroo Valley. You are pretty much guaranteed to see not only the kangaroos, but wombats too. Spend the night with them snuffling around your tent. I once came back to my tent to find a wombat curled up in my sleeping bag. He or she didn’t seem to mind me joining them and eventually wandered away! Note: You must book for this campsite if you want to stay – definitely a great spot close to the big city!
The other great location not far away from Bendeela is the village of Bundanoon, about 2.5 hours from Sydney. Spend a weekend there walking and cycling and you are going to be very unlucky if you don’t see them!
Again if you don’t have a car but do have a day, try the Wild Wombat and Kangaroo Day Tour from Sydney!
Where to stay in NSW on your Australian animals hunt!
Definitely get out of Sydney if you can (much as I love it), and book a couple of nights in Port McQuarrie, Coffs Harbour, or Bundanoon and Kangaroo Valley. They are all great places with lots to see and do – even without the wildlife!
Book a hotel with booking.com or Tripadvisor, or, a hostel with Hostelworld!
4. In the Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
Where to find Koala in the wild in the ACT
If you are visiting the ACT and Canberra, and haven’t seen a koala yet, definitely take a trip to nearby Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. Koalas live free-range in the reserve and seeing them is almost guaranteed. But if you have bad luck, there is also an enclosed area with koalas so at least you will see them.
You can take this tour to Tidbinbilla, where you also visit the tracking station (there’s an unknown story behind that) and look for wild platypus.
Where to find Kangaroos in the wild in the ACT
In Canberra, the parks around town are great for kangaroos – try the Federal Golf Club, the Australian National Botanic Gardens and the viewing platform of Mount Ainslie. They also tend to hang out at Government House. But in general – they are everywhere!
But for guaranteed ‘heaps of kangas’ take a short trip down to Namadgi National Park. I spent a lot of time there with my daughter in our camper years ago and it was a beautiful place to go even without the kangas – definitely worth a visit.
Where to find Platypus in the wild in the ACT
Again, this tour to Tidbinbilla gives you a good chance, but there are quite a few places around Canberra with platypus. Try the Point Hut Crossing walk in the Pine Island reserve, the Queanbeyan River between Dane Street and the CBD, the Jerrabomberra Wetlands Nature Reserve, and the Lower Molonglo river at Namarag.
Where to find Echidna in the wild in the ACT
Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve is the key to much in the ACT! Echidnas can often be spotted anywhere here, but the Eucalypt Forest is a very good spot for them. The other great location in Canberra is at the Australian National Botanical Gardens – especially the woodland areas.
Where to find Wombats in the wild in the ACT
Again at the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve you have a very good chance of spotting these absolutely gorgeous furry little creatures.. You’re most likely to see them at dusk grazing in open grasslands. You may also see them in Namadgi National Park.
Where to stay in the ACT on your Australian animals hunt!
Its great to stay in the heart of Canberra – its a surprising city with more going for it than most people realize. But also it would be worthwhile considering somewhere near Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve for easy access. If you camp – then Namadgi National Park is the spot!!
Book a hotel with booking.com or Tripadvisor, or, a hostel with Hostelworld!
5. In South Australia
Where to find Koala in the wild in South Australia
Get yourself to Kangaroo Island and in particular Cygnet River at Duck Lagoon for a good chance of seeing the local koalas. Also spend time at Flinders Chase National Park where there are likely to be more than average. If you stay at the Kangaroo Island Discovery Park there is a good chance they will be in the trees around you there.
If you don’t have a car, or want a guide who knows what’s what, then this Kangaroo Island full day tour is highly rated and will give you your best chance of seeing kangaroos and koalas on the island – along with other Australian animals.
Another good place is in the Adelaide Hills walking in the Waterfall Gully or Chambers Gully area where there are koala habitats. Or go walking in the Morialta Conservation Park where they are pretty common.
Finally at Mikkira Station not far from Port Lincoln you are basically guaranteed to see koalas. This is private land on a station (huge farm) with a large area reserved for koala and other wildlife to live freely. You can go on a koala tour with a wildlife photographer here. Check out the Port Lincoln Mikkira Station Wild Koala Safari Tour. You can camp here as well.
Where to find Kangaroos in the wild in South Australia
Well, Kangaroo Island is a great spot to see wallabies – and its own species of kangaroos – the Kangaroo Island Kangaroo! You can take a tour from Adelaide if that is easiest – for a day or try this immersive three day tour.
Driving around the Eyre Peninsula is pretty much a guarantee of seeing kangaroos – just be careful on the roads, especially at night as they can do serious damage if you hit them!
You’ll also find ‘roos in the Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley and the Barossa, and along the banks of the Murray River.
Other good places are by the beach on the Yorke and Fleurieu Peninsulas, and in Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park where you are guaranteed to see them. Basically, kangaroos are common in South Australia!
Where to find Platypus in the wild in South Australia
Visit Flinders Chase National Park on Kangaroo Island. From the Visitor Centre, you can take a lovely 4.7km return walk – the “Flinders Chase Platypus Waterhole Walk.” It’s not guaranteed you will see them, but quite likely you will see them. If you don’t there are plenty of birdlife, kangaroos, wallabies, geese, echidnas and goannas around. Remember dawn and dusk are the best times.
Where to find Echidna in the wild in South Australia
Echidna are found across Kangaroo Island. A guide might be your best bet to guarantee seeing one – but they are relatively common on the island. This evening and night tour gives you a good chance of seeing echidna – among other Australian animals icons!
On the way to Kangaroo Island, keep your eyes wide open on the Fleurieu Peninsula where echidna are commonly seen too.
Where to find Wombats in the wild in South Australia
Well first of all there is an easy Wombat Walk (marked in AllTrails) in the Penambol Conservation Park! That’s a good place to start.
There is a dedicated Wombat South Australia organization that has a number of reserves – especially in the Murray Plains where wombats are common. These reserves – Moorunde, Wombat Camp, Nardoo, Lake Short and Malurus Reserves are about 100km out of Adelaide and a great place to start – and great organization to support!
In South Australia, also go camping at the Long Gully campground in Little Dip Conservation Park south of Adelaide – there will be plenty there to spend the night with!
Where to stay in South Australia on your Australian animals hunt!
There is Adelaide of course, but clearly Kangaroo island is a great option for a few nights. But do move around in South Australia – there is a lot to see!
Book a hotel with booking.com or Tripadvisor, or, a hostel with Hostelworld!
6. In Queensland
Where to find Koala in the wild in Queensland
There are a couple of good spots here too. Tanglewood Track at Noosa will give you a good chance of seeing koalas, and a trip to North Stradbroke Island, if you stay more than a short while and wander gives you a very high chance of seeing them – possibly even strolling the street in town.
From Brisbane you can take this day tour to North Stradbroke Island, where your guide will find the koala and kangas and other wildlife for you – as well as show you around this lovely island! Or you can head to the Gold Coast on this tour where your guide will also find the wild koala and kangas you want to see – amongst other things!
Magnetic Island is another great place for koala spotting. Walk to the Forts using this AllTrails map and keep your eyes open. Or take this cool day tour with Izzy’s dad from the Netflix show “Izzy’s Koala World” and get much more of an insight into the island as well as seeing wild koalas and other wildlife.
Finally the Toohey Forest in Brisbane has koalas and echidna!
Where to find Kangaroos in the wild in Queensland
Wallabies – ok not exactly the kangaroo – are famous for their morning bounce on the beach at Cape Hillsborough National Park! Its something not to miss! Take this sunrise tour from Mackay. Just don’t miss it!
And if you want to see cute – try the Rock Wallabies on Magnetic Island – in the evening you are sure to see them by Geoffrey Bay. Again not exactly kangas but terribly cute and clearly very similar.
For kangaroos proper, you can always go to the Noosa Golf Club. Cunnamulla and Thargomindah in the outback have masses of kangaroos and wallabies too – its a bit of a drive though!
From Brisbane you will definitely see kangaroos on this Kangaroos, mangroves and the ocean tour. Also, look at the tours noted above for koalas as they all find kangas too.
Where to find Platypus in the wild in Queensland
Get straight to Eungella National Park! Unlike my absolutely bizarre lack of sightings in Tasmania, here I saw so many platypus – all day long – to the extent that my kids eventually forced me to leave! There is a short walk along Broken River with several viewing platforms and decks. You can even camp in the Broken River camping area for a major fix – its all a bit fabulous!
Don’t worry if you are not set up for camping and driving. Take this 5/5 star rated tour from Mackay – Finch Hatton Gorge Hike, Swim & Platypus Adventure – its definitely worth it!
Where to find Echidna in the wild in Queensland
The Toohey Forest just out of Brisbane has echidna (and lace monitors and koala) so you have a good chance of seeing them there.
Where to find Wombats in the wild in Queensland
They are few and far between – and only in the south of Queensland. There are a few in the Epping Forest National Park, and the Girraween National Park. You might also see them at the Richard Underwood Nature Refuge near the town of St George in southern Queensland. there
Where to stay in Queensland on your Australian animals hunt!
Its big and wonderful for wildlife lovers. Mackay is a key place to stop – for platypus and morning kangaroos and Brisbane is another great base.
I love staying on Magnetic Island and having the time to take it all in there too – highly recommended is where I stayed at the Roamer Magnetic Island Koala Park – yes did I mention – they do have koalas and other Aussie animals on site!
Book a hotel with booking.com or Tripadvisor, or, a hostel with Hostelworld!
7. A note on Western Australia (WA) and the Northern Territory (NT)
Koalas and platypus do not occur naturally in Western Australia or the NT! Wombats are also few and far between and mostly in the south-east corner of WA, but not in the NT.
Where to find Kangaroos in the wild in WA
There are plenty of options, try your luck at Lucky Bay – one of the most stunning beaches of Esperance, or, right in the middle of Perth, visit Heirisson Island where a group of western grey kangaroos have decided to live. They will happily share their space with you! Read more here.
Also if you’re down in the Margaret River area looking for wine, keep your eyes open as there are also plenty of roos there. The Bunbury Golf Course is another great spot in the south west for kangaroos!
In the Northern Territory you will see the big Red Kangaroos. It will be great to see these big beasts on your Australian animals hunt! The prime spot is in and around Alice Springs. In Alice try places like Lasseter’s Hotel near the edge of town. Also head out to the West Macdonnell Ranges and you are sure to see them!
Where to find Echidna in the wild in WA and the NT
In WA you can find them in Perth itself! Places to try are the Paruna Wildlife Sanctuary in Gidgegannup and the Dryandra Woodland National Park near Narrogin.
You can find echidna in the NT, but tbh I don’t know a good place to see them!
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or in neighbouring New Zealand
Where to find 10 cool New Zealand animals in the wild
Six top places to see penguins in New Zealand
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