The cutest animals in Australia and where to find them

06.09.2024 - 18:20 / lonelyplanet.com

Sep 6, 2024 • 6 min read

Undoubtedly one of Australia’s biggest draws is its wildlife, which you’re almost guaranteed to see amidst the nation's incredible landscapes (or in an animal sanctuary if you’re short on time). And despite the horror stories you may have heard, it's not all deadly spiders, sharks and snakes (although you may see all three if you stay long enough). The roll call of unique animals – from super cute mammals to colorful birds and fish plus lizards and geckos you won’t see anywhere else – is long.

Australia offers many different wildlife-spotting experiences, depending on where you visit. However, some of even its most famous species are critically endangered, which means sightings are rare and conservation efforts are vital.

We've created the ultimate beginner’s guide that gives you the best chance of getting up close (but not so close that you put these wild creatures at risk) with Australia’s unique native animals.

Your best chance of spying some Australian fauna will be in one of the 500+ national parks scattered across the country.

Some national parks are better set up for overseas visitors, with accommodation nearby and guides available for a wildlife-spotting tour. In the north, head to The Daintree (Queensland), Kakadu National Park (Northern Territory) or Cape Range National Park (Western Australia). In the southern states, put the Blue Mountains (New South Wales), Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park in Victoria and Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park in Tasmania on your must-visit list.

Many rural accommodations in Australia are embedded in nature, which means you may have emus, echidnas or wallabies wandering past your room.

But even a city-based trip Down Under offers opportunities for close-up wildlife encounters. Kangaroos inhabit the capital city of Canberra, koalas live in the Adelaide Hills, and the one-of-a-kind quokka is found on Wadjemup/Rottnest Island near Perth – and where do we begin with the birdlife in Sydney? If you want to see unique animals, you’ve come to the right place.

Koalas need no introduction. The poster child for “super cute Australian animals,” koalas spend around 20 hours a day fast asleep. If you’re going to see a koala on the move, clumsily crabbing along the ground from one tree to the next, it’s most likely at night. Otherwise, they’re usually perched in the crook of a tree munching on eucalyptus leaves alone or with a joey clinging on. You can spot these adorable tufty-eared marsupials in forests close to the coast in southeastern Australia. However, human encroachment has put koalas on the endangered list in NSW, the Australian Capital Territory and Queensland.

Where to find them: Stands of trees along the Great Ocean Road (Victoria), on