Close and wild encounters on Kangaroo Island

If you're Adelaide-bound, be sure to set aside some time for a Kangaroo Island foray. Two hours south of the city, the expansive island, which has been separated from the Australian mainland since the last ice age, is a Galapagos-like experience with an abundance of magical wildlife encounters.
Couple that with Kangaroo Island's staggering geological features and you have a power-packed day excursion.
English explorer, Matthew Flinders, discovered the 155km-long by 55km-wide, uninhabited island in 1802. Since then, much of the island's natural vegetation has been left untouched and, with national park status being conferred on much of the land, the island is a treasured sanctuary.
There are more than 30 animal, 250 bird and 850 plant species native to Kangaroo Island.
After catching the 45-minute Sealink ferry connection from the mainland, the daily coach tours will whisk you around the length and breadth of the island.
The South Coast is home to the breeding colonies of the Australian Sea Lion and the New Zealand Fur Seal. My wise-cracking coach driver opined that just like many New Zealanders who arrive in Australia, the fur seal shows no desire to return home. Kangaroo Island boasts Australia's second biggest sea lion breeding colony.
Under the supervision of a wildlife officer, you can walk down the beach and get up-close with these entertaining animals. The sea lion pups are particularly adorable. Kangaroo Island is also home to Dave Irwin, who is widely regarded as a world authority on birds of prey. His highly informative and engaging free ''shows'' demonstrate the hunting techniques and razor-sharp intelligence of his menagerie of birds.
If you want to see kangaroos and koalas in their natural habitat, Flinders Chase National Park will tick all your boxes. With powerful ocean waves that originated in the depths of Antarctica pounding the shoreline, the island possesses some arresting geological features. A cluster of granite boulders named Remarkable Rocks are perched on a granite dome and they lord it over the coastline. They have been sculpted and moulded by the wind and ocean spray into Dr Seuss-like shapes. It is a tantalising nature-stop and kids, in particular, just love this surreal landscape.
A day-trip to Kangaroo Island is an immensely rewarding outing.
However, if you wish to stay longer, a growing number of accommodation outlets are catering to visitor demand, and in addition to the ferry services, direct air flights to Adelaide connect the mainland with the island in 30 minutes.
TOP TIPS
* Sealink operates daily guided coach tours, featuring all of the top attractions on Kangaroo Island, including ferry crossing, complimentary lunch and hotel transfer in Adelaide. www.sealink.com.au
* Skylink shuttles are the most cost-effective way to transit between the city, airport and train station. Set downs and pick-ups from most city hotels are available. www.skylinkadelaide.com.au
* Overlooking Victoria Square, the boutique hotel, Medina Grand Adelaide, occupies the heritage-listed former Treasury Building, home to impressive interiors and great facilities. Oozing with history, the original Cabinet Room of the state government is housed within the hotel. Choose between spacious, self-contained apartments and open-plan studio rooms with kitchenette. Bed-and-breakfast accommodation is also available. The lap pool and sauna are particularly enticing after a day's sightseeing. www.medina.com.au