Kangaroo Island in 3 days

1. Cape Jervis ferry terminal~45 min at the stop

SeaLink's terminal at the tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula, where the island ferry leaves.

Tip: Honey, bee products and some other items are banned on the island; drop them in the biosecurity bins at the terminal.

↓ ferry · 45 min · 17 km

2. Penneshaw~30 min at the stop

The village by the ferry wharf, your first stop: cafe, fuel and a store.

Worth knowing: Kangaroo Island is Australia's third-largest island: 155 km long and 55 km wide.

Tip: Fill the tank here; fuel is scarce out west.

↓ drive · 50 min · 60 km

3. Kangaroo Island Spirits~1 h at the stop

A gin distillery at Cygnet River with a tasting room and botanical garden. Stay nearby in Kingscote.

Worth knowing: It opened in 2006 as Australia's first dedicated gin distillery.

Tip: Listed hours vary; check the website before you go.

4. Seal Bay~1 h 15 min at the stop

A colony of Australian sea lions. Since late July 2026 beach tours have been paused because of H5N1 bird flu, and in September the virus was confirmed in a sea lion at Seal Bay. Only the boardwalk tours are running.

Tip: Check before you go whether the park is open and which tours are running: the situation is changing. Usual hours are 9am–5pm, last entry 4pm.

↓ drive · 15 min · 9 km

5. Little Sahara~1 h at the stop

White dunes in the middle of the bush, made for sandboarding. Boards are hired at the entrance, about A$37 for an hour.

Tip: In summer come in the morning; by noon the sand burns.

↓ drive · 12 min · 10 km

6. Vivonne Bay~45 min at the stop

A long, empty white-sand beach with an old jetty.

Tip: Rips are strong; swimming is safer near the jetty and the river mouth.

↓ drive · 40 min · 45 km

7. Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary~1 h 30 min at the stop

A sanctuary on South Coast Road with a walk among wild koalas in the gums; sunset tours too.

Worth knowing: The sanctuary is privately owned and has run since 1997 as a regenerative tourism project, with tour income going back into the land and wildlife.

Tip: Guided walks from A$35 per the state tourism listing; book sunset tours ahead.

8. Remarkable Rocks~45 min at the stop

Wind-sculpted granite boulders on a headland above the ocean in Flinders Chase National Park. The orange is lichen.

Worth knowing: The Black Summer fires of 2019–2020 burned most of Flinders Chase. The bush is regrowing, and you can see how Australian forest recovers after fire.

Tip: Pay park entry online at parks.sa.gov.au before you go; the site closes in damaging winds.

↓ drive · 12 min · 9 km

9. Admirals Arch~40 min at the stop

A natural arch at Cape du Couedic, with New Zealand fur seals lounging on the rocks below.

Tip: The ferry at Penneshaw is about 2 hours away; leave a buffer before sailing time.