Kangaroo Island:
photos, observations, notes and thoughts

Kangaroos at Stokes Bay, sunrise

Contents On this page... Introduction Penneshaw and the crossing Cape Willoughby Pennington Bay Prospect Hill Seal Bay Little Sahara Kelly Hill Caves Hanson Bay Flinders Chase Visitors Centre Remarkable Rocks Admirals Arch Ravine des Casoars Scott Cove Western River Cove Constitution Hill Snelling Beach King George Beach Orange Lichen Stokes Bay Kingscote American River Cygnet River Baudin Beach Remarks Wind farms on Kangaroo Island? Index Home

Remarkable Rocks

Introduction

However, it also deserves to be known for its scenery and its beaches (and probably its fishing, although that's not for me).

KI is about 120km SW of Adelaide in South Australia and 13km off the coast at the closest point; in size it is about 140km from east to west and 40km from north to south (about the size of Bali). The permanent population of the island number about four and a half thousand (Bali has about 2 million), something like two and a half thousand of whom live in Kingscote.

My wife, Denece, and I have visited KI several times. This page has photos taken during our last few visits. To have some sort of order I have started with the ferry crossing from Cape Jervis to Penneshaw and gone from there clockwise around the coast.

Home Top Index

Looking back toward Cape Jervis and Starfish Hill wind farm   The first numerous wildlife we saw on Kangaroo Island, these cormorants were on the breakwater at Penneshaw.   A gum-tree lined back road just east of Penneshaw

Penneshaw and the crossing

There are many scenic back roads on KI, you haven't seen the island unless you've got off the bitumen in many places; and you don't need a 2-tonne 4WD to do it, we got everywhere we wanted to go with no trouble in a little Honda Jazz.

We were surprised at the relatively small number of big 4WDs on the island; it seems the islanders have better priorities than buying needless polluting fuel guzzlers; good on them!

Home Top Index

Cape Willoughby light station accommodation and the south coast; the photo was taken from the top of the lighthouse   More of the light-keeper's houses and a little of the north coast   Cape Willoughby lighthouse light lens This lens was used in the days when it was important that lighthouses have the absolute maximum visibility. In recent times ships are much more left to their own GPSs and radar to look after themselves. We were told that the Cape Willoughby light now is visible from about 40% the distance that it used to reach. Old light lens in storage

Cape Willoughby

The light is now automatic and unmanned - the days when lighthouses provided employment in remote regions are long past; but the old light-keeper's accommodation is available to travellers.

Home Top Index

Pennington Bay   A small part of Pennington Bay

Pennington Bay

The southern coast faces the Southern Ocean and has big surf; there is no more land until Antarctic to the south. The northern coast is much more protected because it faces the Australian mainland.

Just north of Pennington Bay is Prospect Hill, a huge sand dune with a lookout on its top.

Home Top Index

Some of the steps up Prospect Hill   Looking north over Salt Lagoon and American River from Prospect Hill

Prospect Hill

Prospect Hill give great views over Salt Lagoon and Pelican Lagoon to the north as well as a little of the south coast.

Home Top Index

The part of the beach visited by tourists   Australian sea-lions   The smaller sea-lions are females and cubs, the big ones are males.   Sleeping next to a board walk

Seal Bay

We were told that January, when we visited, is in the middle of the breeding season, which lasts about six months; the sea-lions have a gestation period of about 17.5 months and mate within a week or so of giving birth. (I fail to see how these data add up; seams to me the births would have to come outside of the breeding season if this were true, I should look into it further.) The sea-lions have largely learned that they can ignore the human visitors. They come ashore to give birth, breed, look after their pups, and relax. This seal was sound asleep right next to one of the board walks, showing that they are fully relaxed with the presence of humans.

Home Top Index

Kids climbing dune to slide down again   The poor kid who can just be seen was getting thoroughly sand-blasted.

Little Sahara

It is no more a desert than is any other part of KI, the dunes have started moving for some reason and have locally overwhelmed the vegetation, but you could imagine that you were in the Sahara. Kids were sand-boarding down the biggest dune. Unfortunately for them the wind was strong enough at times to lift the sand; they packed up and went off soon after this photo was taken.

Home Top Index

Visitor's information and picnic shelter   Tame crow   Bush walk at Kelly Hill Caves   The cave itself contains some interesting formations such as these helectites. Guided tours are available, as is adventure caving for the more active. A helectite in Kelly Hill Caves

Kelly Hill Caves

Hanson Bay

Hanson Bay

Platypus seen on Platypus Walk   Echidna found on side of road to Cape Du Couedic   Cape Barron Goose near Visitor's Centre   Tammar Wallabies near Visitor's Centre   Tammar wallaby at Western KI Caravan Park   Tammar wallabies have the unusual habit of resting with their tails tucked underneath them.   Black snake (appropriately) seen on Snake Lagoon Walk   The bush is regenerating from the December 2008 bushfires. This view is unusual in showing some trees along the Admiral's Arch road that retained their leaves following the fire. (Even when Eucalypt leaves do not burn in a bushfire they are usually killed by the heat and fall to the ground in the following weeks.) Bushfire damaged vegetation

Flinders Chase Visitor's Centre and vicinity

On our last visit (January 2009) there was still a lot of damage from the bushfires of December 2008 and several of the walks were still closed, including the Platypus Walk.

I recalled from the previous walk that there were many board walks on the Platypus Walk. The timber had probably been treated with copper-chrome-arsenate; I wonder what happened to these toxic metals when the board-walk burned?

(I have always been reluctant to use CCA treated timber because of concern about releasing the heavy metals into the soil. CCA has become less used recently because of this concern - it's use is one of the many ways that we interact with our environment unsustainably I suspect.)

At least we were informed on our last visit that, while we couldn't do the Platypus Walk, surveys had indicated that platypus numbers had increased.

The numbers of wild life than can be seen on any visit varies. We saw many more of all species in 2004 than in 2009.

Home Top Index

A conventional view   A less conventional view   Looking into the sun    Waiting for the sun to set    The strip of stone in the centre is almost ribbon-like

Remarkable Rocks

The challenge to a photographer is to try to get an original and imaginative perspective.

Home Top Index

Admirals Arch Two or three seals are just visible   New Zealand fur seals at Admirals Arch

Admirals Arch

There are usually Australian sea-lions and New Zealand fir seals on the coast in this area.

Home Top Index

Bathroom at Flinders Chase Farm

Flinders Chase Farm

Denece and I stayed here for two nights. We were unfortunate to strike some exceptionally hot weather; normally the lack of air conditioning would be little problem on KI.

We were disapointed to see that the farm dogs, that were kept in small yards, were apparently rarely allowed out and consequently their yards were covered in shit. If not for this, I would strongly recommend a stay at Flinders Chase Farm.

Home Top Index

The beach at the end of the walk Note the fishing net washed up on the beach   There is a cave on the beach at the end of the walk. Visitors will need a torch. Casoars cave

Ravine des Casoars

Man's rubbish is to be seen here. There is no beach in the world that has not been polluted.

The walk is approached from the Cape Borda Lighthouse road.

Home Top Index

Looking west   Looking east

Scott Cove

The beach at Western River Cove   Western River Cove general view

Western River Cove

There are toilets and a shelter shed for picnics. Like most of the beaches it is approached by unsealed roads, these were in good condition on our visit, but some can become corrugated at times.

Home Top Index

Constitution Hill

It is on the North Coast Road.

Home Top Index

Snelling Beach   Turns on Snelling Beach

Snelling Beach

When we were there in January 2009 there was a big flock of turns feeding their young.

There were also signs asking people to not drive cars on the beach because a rare species of plover nested there; there were several cars on the beach.

Home Top Index

Rocks bordering King George Beach   Perhaps someone left this tractor a bit too long?

King George Beach

Orange lichen

Stokes Bay at sunrise   Kangaroo at Stokes Bay   Kangaroos at Stokes Bay; looking toward Knob Point   The hills behind Stokes Bay in the early morning

Stokes Bay

There is a good swimming beach that is reached by a walk through a 'rock tunnel' (a path carved out of a big rock-fall at the base of the cliffs - an experience in itself), a little cafe, camping ground, and restaurant.

The rock-fall is at the far end of the beach in the photo at the right.

Denece and I stayed in one of the cabins at Waves and Wildlife for two nights and enjoyed it greatly. The cabins were well appointed, including a barbeque; they are a short walk from where this photo was taken. When we were at Stokes Bay there were also lots of kangaroos; and they were tame enough that we could get quite close to them, as you can see in the photos.

Home Top Index

Sunrise at Kingscote   Feeding pelicans

Kingscote

There is a picturesque anchorage and bay, a good selection of shops, a good museum (at the top of the hill on the northern side of the town), cafes and a pub or two. In 2003 the pelicans were fed with fish scraps around 5pm each day, for the tourists. I don't know if it still happens.

Home Top Index

Garden at American River home   Waterbirds at American River   Pied Oystercatchers at American River   Photographing pelicans at American River

American River

The garden at the right is remarkable for its lushness. Few South Australians have gardens like this any more because of the climate change-induced drought.

Note the dead trees beyond the house; outside this garden American River is suffering like the rest of South Australia. The American River inlet is home to big numbers of waterbirds. In the foreground are ibis, further away are black swans.

Home Top Index

Some of the beautiful gums of Cygnet River   A view from among the Cygnet River gums

Cygnet River

It is about 12km toward the centre of the island from Kingscote.

Home Top Index

Baudin Beach in the evening   Trying his luch in the early morning

Baudin Beach

We stayed in a cabin at Baudin Budget, and would recommend it; simple, but quite adequate.

Home Top Index