15 top places to see koalas in the wild in Australia!
Last updated on March 15th, 2025 at 06:07 am
So where exactly can you see the iconic koalas in the wild?
If you’re like me you don’t want to see koalas in a zoo or similar place, but in the wild. So I have put together a list of arguably the best places to see these gorgeous furry creatures in the wild. In some cases it would be a miracle if you didn’t see them – they have been labelled as (virtually guaranteed), in others you have a good to high chance of seeing them.
Of course they are wild creatures so where they are will change from day to day and it can be hard to spot them high above you – so don’t forget to look up and keep your eyes wide!
I have also listed really good guided wildlife tours from around Australia where a guide will help you find koalas as well as other wildlife. Definitely a great way to go!
First up…
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
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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
Okay – on to some great places where you can see koalas in the wild in Australia. They are ordered according to state. Note that koalas do not occur naturally in Western Australia (WA), or the Northern Territory (NT).
Put these spots on your Aussie bucket list!
South Australia
A state with two great options to see koalas in the wild – pretty much guaranteed.
1. Kangaroo Island (good chance)
Where: At Duck Lagoon in the Cygnet River area on Kangaroo Island.
Koalas are often seen in the whole Cygnet River area, but Duck Lagoon is one of the best places to see them. It is also good for waterbirds – surprise!! 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.
Great tours on Kangaroo Island are this full day tour of the island where you swill see all kinds of wildlife. Or you can take a 1.5-hour tour through a sanctuary on this Guided Koala Walk and Bushfire ecology tour
2. Mikkira Station – Port Lincoln area (virtually guaranteed)
Not far from Port Lincoln, you can also go on a koala tour with a wildlife photographer on a station (huge farm). It has a large area reserved for koala and other wildlife to live freely. Check out the Port Lincoln Mikkira Station Wild Koala Safari Tour. You can camp here as well.
Victoria
This is probably the easiest state to see koalas in the wild with a few virtually guaranteed spots!
3. Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve (good chance)
Where: Between Port Fairy and Warrnambool – Victoria
The reserve is on an island in a lake inside a huge volcanic crater!! You are likely to also see emus and kangaroos here as well if you walk through the wetlands and bush in the crater. a very cool place geographically!
If you are wanting to get from Adelaide to Melbourne, this tour stops at the tower Hill reserve – amongst other key places en route like the Great Ocean Road.
4. Kennett River Campground and the Grey River Road (virtually guaranteed)
Where: Great Ocean Road area – Victoria
Stay the night at the brilliant Kennett River campground. Brilliant – because I’ve never stayed there and not seen koalas hanging out in the trees that are also shading my tent. They also can make a lot of noise growling at night and its very cool to lie in your sleeping bag listening. (I don’t know why they always seem to do that at night but its pretty cool…)
Book to stay for a night in a cabin or your tent.
Grey River road – also known as the Kennett River Koala Walk is close to the campground (start between it and the cafe). So its no surprise you are basically going to see koalas here if you keep your eyes open.
If you want to see the Great Ocean road, koalas, and kangaroos and don’t have a car – this tour from Melbourne will deliver!!
5. Cape Otway (very likely)
Where: Great Ocean Road area – Victoria
Not far away is the Cape Otway lighthouse. Drive (slowly) down to the lighthouse and you are very likely to see koalas in trees alongside the road. We have seen a lot of koalas here.
6. The Koala Walk on Raymond Island (virtually guaranteed)
Where: Take a ferry from Paynesville in Gippsland – Victoria. The 5min ferry is free if you are walking or biking.
This island is probably the best wildlife viewing spot in Victoria with plenty of kangaroos, echidnas, and koalas. Not to be missed. The Koala walk is 1.2km.
You can stay on the island too.
Take a look at Le Grande Villas or The Abbey, or this Waterfront home, and stay to enjoy the early morning on the island!
7. You Yangs Regional Park (good chance)
Where: Near Little River about 1.25 hours from Melbourne – Victoria
You might see them anywhere in the park. I have seen them each time on the walks around Flinders Peak and Big Rock. Not a guarantee and they are often high up. Keep a good look out.
Australian Capital Territory – ACT
This is not a big state but has a great reserve where you can see koalas in the wild.
8. Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve (free-ranging almost guaranteed, enclosed – guaranteed)
Where: About 50 mins southwest of Canberra (and a nice drive if you go via Cotter Rd and Paddy’s River Road).
Tidbinbilla has an enclosed area with koalas so you will see them there, but equally walk through the bush and you should see wild ones in the trees. You are likely to also see other wildlife like kangaroos, echidnas, emus and lyrebirds.
Take this 4 hour Wildlife tour from Canberra and get to see platypus as well as koala and hopefully emu and echidnas too! (Plus learn about the Space tracking station and the unusual Aussie story behind that!)
New South Wales – NSW
NSW has koala scattered throughout, but its hard to pinpoint really good almost guaranteed places to see koalas in the wild here. But there are a couple of excellent options below.
Note: If you are only visiting Sydney and really want to see a koala this tour will give a great taste of Australia and you visit a wildlife sanctuary where you will see koala.
9. Sea Acres National Park (good chance)
Where: Pacific Drive in Port Macquarie – 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, then head to Sea Acres National Park.
Sea Acres has a boardwalk through the rainforest where there are 2000 koalas living – so you have a good chance of seeing one or more. It’s an easy 1.3km walk. (You may see a Powerful Owl there too which would be a great bonus.)
There is also a koala hospital nearby if you need a closer encounter!
10. Byron Bay
Tucki Tucki Nature Reserve about an hour from Byron Bay is another good place to spot koalas – there are quite a lot for the size of the reserve. This highly rated Full-Day Wildlife Safari guarantees koalas, kangaroos and other wildlife on a day out from Byron Bay – so don’t worry if you don’t have wheels!
Queensland
Queensland is another state with a few places with high high chances of seeing koalas in the wild!
11. (Noosa National Park (good chance)
Where: Noosa – Queensland
Try the Noosa Headland and Tanglewood Track where you are most likely to see koalas. Its all beautiful walking and you are likely to see other wildlife too.
12. Gold Coast (possible)
Koalas are relatively throughout the Gold Coast, but there is no one spot to pick. The urban areas where they are regularly seen include Elanora, Currumbin Waters, Burleigh Heads, Pimpama, Coomera, Coombabah, Arundel, and Helensvale.
Try the Coombabah Lakelands Reserve tracks and keep your eyes looking up – koalas do range here and people do see them! (You will see kangaroos in the open grasslands off Rain Tree Glen too!)
If you want to have a high chance of seeing them take this tour in the wetlands from Surfers Paradise, and let the guide do the spotting for you! Or from Brisbane 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!
13. North Stradbroke Island (high chance)
Where: North Stradbroke Island, offshore from Brisbane – Queensland
Koalas are common (in the wild) on the island, and often in the towns. When you walk through Amity or Dunwich (including the cemetery), you should see them. Also the wetlands area is great. Birds, lizards, wallabies, kangaroos, echidnas, and bandicoots are also common. Its a great place for wildlife nutters like me!!
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!
14. Forts Walk on Magnetic Island (high chance early in the day)
Where: Near Horseshoe Bay on Magnetic Island offshore from Townsville – Queensland
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.
Western Australia
This is not a state that should be included really, as koalas do not occur naturally in the wild here.
15. Koala Viewing Area at Yanchep National Park (virtually guaranteed)
Where: In Yanchep National Park, about an hour north of Perth in Western Australia
Even though koalas are not native to Western Australia, a group was introduced to Yanchep in 1938 and some still remain. They are not actually in the wild, but this is the closest you will get to it in Western Australia, so I have included it.
I hope that has answered the question, “Where to see koalas in the wild in Australia?” for you and you put some of these places on your Australian itinerary – its definitely worth it!
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