Kangaroo Island
Garden Cottages

Touring the South Coast and Seal Bay

Drive along the Birchmore Road to the South Coast Road. First stop, Kangaroo Island's famous Seal Bay. Ranger guided tours depart from the ranger station at the top of the sand dunes approximately every 45 minutes. If you arrive with time to spare, the Don Dixon Boardwalk is included in your beach tour ticket so take the different perspective of the bay, and discover the whale skeleton in the sand dunes.

Continuing west from Seal Bay, keep your eye out for the sign to Little Sahara. It is easy to miss. A short walk through the native vegetation from the car park will take you to the vast expanse of coastal dunes, many kilometres from the coast. Sand boards can be hired from KI Outdoor Action, at Vivonne Bay.

Ten minutes drive from Little Sahara is Vivonne Bay, Australia's best beach according to Sydney University, who looked at 10,000 beaches around Australia. The Harriet River is a sizeable fresh water river flowing into Vivonne Bay, great for Bream fishing. At the western end of Vivonne Bay is Point Ellen, a rugged headland sheltering the Vivonne Bay jetty, port of call for Kangaroo Island's south coast cray fishing fleet.

Travelling further west the terrain is becoming noticeably more wild. Next main stop is Kelly Hill Caves, dry limestone caves with daily ranger guided tours, and the option for adventure caving (bookings required for adventure caving). Kelly Hill Caves are noted for the helictite formations present.

If time permits, consider turning left down the Hanson Bay Road. Hanson Bay is a coastal wilderness area with sensational coastline. See if you can locate the sea cave, but take care! It is accessible at low tide when the conditions are calm.

Further on along the South Coast Raod, keep an eye out for the Hanson Bay Koala Walk. Drive in and park, and take a walk along the track sides looking carefully up into the gum trees. There are lots of koalas there. Because the sanctuary owners are growing new trees to replace those destroyed by the koalas, a gold coin donation for each visitor is requested, to contribute towards the conservation effort.

Backtrack along the South Coast Road or return to Kingscote via the West End and Playford Highways.