On Tour! Discovering the Koalas of Kennett River

For many tourists visiting Australia, catching a glimpse of one of these cute, furry creatures is certainly on the top of the bucket list! But aside from the fact that they sleep a lot and live high in the trees, not many people know a lot about these awesome creatures. While you might think that you’ll find Koalas around every corner in Australia, they are only found in certain locations throughout the country.

Kennett River is just one of the many stops on our Great Ocean Road Tour, and is known as being one of the best locations in Australia to see koalas in the wild. Located in Victoria along the beautiful stretch of coastline, this area is home to hundreds of colonies that live in both the dense forests and in more urbanised hotspots.

While stopping off in Kennett River, you’ll get the perfect opportunity to capture a shot of these magnificent mammals to take home from your trip down under! As well as excellent koala viewing while enjoying a stroll amongst the eucalyptus forest, you’ll also meet some of our feathered friends, as numerous colourful local parrots call the Great Otway National Park home.

But now you know where to find them, here’s some interesting facts about Australia’s best-loved creatures!

Facts About Koalas

• These magnificent mammals get their name form an Aboriginal term meaning, ‘no drink’. It’s believed this is because koalas get almost all their moisture from the leaves they eat, and rarely drink water.
• Although you may have heard people call them koala ‘bears’, these awesome animals aren’t bears at all – they are in fact marsupials. A group of mammals, most marsupials have pouches where their newborns develop.
• Koalas measure about 60cm to 85cm long, and weigh about 14kg.
• When an infant koala – called a joey – is born, it immediately climbs up to its mother’s pouch. Blind and earless, a joey uses its strong sense of touch and smell, as well as natural instinct, to find its way.
• Enjoy having a snooze? So do our furry friends! Koalas don’t have much energy and, when not feasting on leaves, they spend their time dozing in the branches. Believe it or not, they can sleep for up to 18 hours a day.
  Take a look below to meet some of the local Koalas that call Kennett River home!