Travelling with children in Australia is very easy and an absolute joy. One of the highlights for my daughters has been the opportunity to get up close with the local fauna, both with farm animals and with wildlife so different from what we have in Europe.
Leaving the more alarming ones aside for now, here are a few of the more affable species of Australian wildlife.
Alex found a connection with this gorgeous little koala bear first time we were in New South Wales
Kids and animals in Australia
Everywhere in Australia, kangaroos abound – and some don’t mind being petted. But some tire of the constant attention. In Steve Irwin’s wonderful Australia Zoo, a grumpy roo pushed Cat away and left her with a scratch mark on her forehead.
How many toddlers – outside of Australia – can add a Skippy scratch to their CV?
This pretty girl was not the culprit!
In Victoria, in the Dandenong Ranges outside Melbourne, these crimson rosella parrots were practically tame.
And back in New South Wales, this beauty named Pippa lives in Bateman’s Bay. Alex has all kinds of animal allergies, but not to wombats she was glad to note.
I think the spiny anteater – more correctly known as an echidna – is charming in its own way, but best kept at a certain distance perhaps.
On Phillip Island (also in Victoria), fairy penguins come out of the ocean and walk up to their nests on shore every night as they have for thousands of years. A tourist attraction very much worth seeing. Photography is not allowed as the flash disturbs the little ones and tourists can’t seem to control their cameras.
I never heard of fairy penguins. I wonder what they look like.
And, yes, best stay away from the echidna 🙂
Fairy penguins are utterly adorable.
I hiked the Cradle Mountain Trail in Tasmania over about 5 days – and every night we had the cute little wallabies visit us at our camp.
Tasmania is high in my list. Wallabies, too 🙂
What a fun time and what delightful photos. I could almost imagine being there and holding one of those cuties. . .well, not the anteater, of course.
Good memories indeed 🙂
So cute 🙂
🙂
I love Australia and her animals – but then I am prejudiced!
And rightfully so 🙂
Definitely plenty of these animal encounters all over Australia. Koalas and wombats are so sweet!
Aren’t they… love the peculiar animals of Australia.
Cute animals, even that spiny anteater.
It’s good that your daughter found an animal that she wasn’t allergic to.
Only trouble is, it’s difficult to find a pet wombat in Norway…
I still love it when we see a koala in the wild( which isn’t often!) but I must admit we take seeing kangaroos for granted. Our wildlife can be very cute and different.. Just anther reason to come and visit us!!
One of the thousands of good reasons to visit Australia 🙂
My children would love petting a koala. I think we might have a hard time getting them back on the plane to America after that…
Know exactly what you mean 🙂
The koala looked so cute. I didn’t realize you could pet them! Kids and animals mix no matter where you are.
They really do, don’t they…
Wallabies came by our Kangaroo Island cabin every night. And my son also had an altercation with a kangaroo who was tired of all the attention. Your girl looks like she’s enjoying herself.
Wallabies coming by every night – the kid must have loved it. We still haven’t made it to South Australia, but will definitely include Kangaroo Island when we do.
My younger daughter knows very little about Australia apart from the fact that there are kangaroos and koalas there – and that’s reason enough for her to want to visit. Love your photos!
You know, I think it’s a good enough reason to visit, too 🙂
Koala bears are just so adorable. They look so innocent and cute. Reminds me of Sam the koala who was saved in an Australian forest fire. Alex must have been happy to hold a wombat without any problems.
Gotta love wombats 🙂
I’ve only encountered Australian wildlife in pubs and zoos. This looks a lot more authentic.
Good point; I’ve met a few examples of Australian wildlife in the pubs, too 🙂
I’m glad you left the dangerous animals off the list. You make Australia look much friendlier with wombats and koalas.
I too was attacked by a kangaroo when I was a little kid. But I tend to think it’s a rite of passage as a young Aussie 🙂
That’s cool to hear, Michael – a rite of passage for young Aussies, shared by my little Chinese Norwegian. She likes that 🙂
I love the photo of Alex with the blue koala! My husband and I visited Healesville Sanctuary in Victoria. We got to pet the kangaroos, saw koalas unclose, fed emus, etc. It was an amazing experience, I can just imagine much more so it is for the kids.
Isn’t that just the greatest experience in Australia… 🙂
You don’t have to be a kid to get excited about seeing exotic animals.
Very true.
The wildlife in Australia is unbelievably exciting – for grown ups as well as kids! Having wombats and kangaroos wandering through campsites has just been amazing 🙂
Would love to have these animals casually wandering/hopping about in the neighbourhood every day.
AIex was lucky to get an awake koala that day. After spending most of my life in Australia, I can say that i only ever saw them sleeping! About close encounters, So those are my close encounters, then!!! It IS worth going to Australia, though, as there’s just so much to see, so don’t let me discourage anyone…
We adore visiting Australia, for the wildlife and everything else…
Yup, Australia is one of the best places for wildlife