Separated from the Australian mainland about 9000 years ago, Kangaroo Island remains one of the most unspoilt natural wonders of the world. You'll find seals basking on quiet beaches; koalas munching on gum trees right beside the road; echidnas wandering in search of insects; and kangaroos, goannas, wallabies, penguins and birds at just about every turn. One third of the island is protected as conservation and national parks, and half the island has never been cleared of native vegetation. In many ways, the island remains just as explorer Matthew Flinders found it more than 200 years ago. KI boasts outstanding natural beauty and its relative isolation since European settlement has ensured an abundance of wildlife in stunning and protected natural environments. Walk among the nation’s third largest and most accessible colony of Australian Sea Lions as these cute creatures doze in the sun after lengthy fishing forays in the Southern Ocean. Various tours are available at the hugely popular Seal Bay Conservation Park: you can join a park ranger for a guided walk on the beach, or take a self-guided tour on the more accessible boardwalk. Marvel at Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch, just two of the many amazing land formations within the 33,000-hectares of Flinders Chase National Park. There's also the 1909 Cape du Couedic lighthouse and wildlife aplenty, including kangaroos, koalas, echidnas and the endangered Cape Barren geese. Join Little Penguins on their nightly procession from the waters around Kingscote and Penneshaw to cosy seaside burrows. The friendly folk of the Kangaroo Island Marine Centre in Kingscote run nightly tours, and will also show you around their illuminating saltwater aquariums, containing a huge variety of island marine life including seahorses, cuttlefish and reef fish. Take your tastebuds on tour through the island's growing range of gourmet produce: from award-winning sheep milk cheeses at the Island Pure Sheep Dairy to pure Ligurian honey and olive oil. Select your own live lobster at Ferguson's in Kingscote, or grab a freshwater crayfish at Andermel Marron near Vivonne Bay. Taste the boutique wines of this young wine region at the Sunset Winery Cellar Door or the Dudley Wines beside Cape Willoughby Lighthouse, before tucking into the finest local produce at one of many great restaurants and cafes. Kangaroo Island is just a 30-minute flight south from Adelaide, or less than two-and-a-half hours by car and ferry. Kangaroo Island Sealink runs ferries between Cape Jervis (90 minutes' drive south of Adelaide) and Penneshaw. Kangaroo Island is 150 kilometres long and 55 kilometres wide, making it Australia's third largest island after Tasmania and Melville Island. It has four town centres: Kingscote, Penneshaw, Parndana and American River. Many roads are narrow, unsealed and edged with scrub. Driving by day or night, take it easy and allow for slower speeds when calculating travel times. | 
