See koalas on the Great Ocean Road

See this beloved Aussie animal in its natural habitat along the Great Ocean Road

One of the animals that travellers often hope to see when visiting Australia is the koala. There are so many unique and beloved animals to try and spot while in Australia. It can be hard to narrow down which ones you want to see! There is no doubt that the Koala is one of the Aussie critters at the top of everybody’s bucket list to try and spot. And why wouldn’t they be? With their big fluffy ears and cuddly grey bodies, they have been nicknamed ‘koala bears’. This is because of their shockingly similar appearance to a toy teddy bear.

But where can you see these cute creatures?

You will be able to see koalas in most wildlife sanctuaries, but there are also lots of places to see them in the wild.

Spanning a whopping 243km of road, the Great Ocean Road is the region’s smorgasbord of fabulous sights. With attractions ranging from crashing surf beaches and jagged cliffs, to magical rainforests. This stretch of road starts from the town of Torquay and spans along the Victorian Coast until the small town of Allansford. The Great Ocean Road is one of the top locations for people travelling to Victoria. It offers everything from charming towns and stunning coastal views to amazing wildlife. Yes, that includes the koala! But where can you find them?

Koala

A few facts about Koalas

These animals are in fact not bears at all – they are marsupials! Marsupials are a type of mammal that has a small pouch, just like a kangaroo. The pouches are used by their young, which are underdeveloped when they are born. The pouch allows for the babies to further develop before facing the world on their own.

Though koalas are nocturnal, they spend most of their time sleeping. They end up sleeping for about 18-20 hours each day. That’s over three-quarters of the day spent asleep! When awake, koalas devote their time to eating large amounts of eucalyptus leaves. On average, they consume 200 to 500 grams of leaves per day.

Eucalyptus leaves are tough to chew and don’t have much nutrition. For most animals, eucalyptus leaves are actually poisonous. However, koalas have evolved over the years to be able to live off them, developing a specialised digestive system. Koalas have a slow metabolic rate, allowing them to digest the leaves more slowly. This also means that they are able to get lots out of the energy extracted from the eucalyptus leaves.

Where can you see koalas on the Great Ocean Road?

Koala on Kennett River

  • A koala’s habitat

As it is the main food source, Koalas are most often found in eucalypt forests. Typically, koalas remain in one tree for long periods of time, only moving to seek out more food or to breed. They travel far up the tree, usually sitting in large forks between the branches, where the leaves hang down the most. So if you are taking a stroll through a eucalyptus forest, be sure to look up!

  • Kennett River

Flowing along the coast of Victoria, the Kennett River sits near the Otway National Park. The small hamlet is just off Grey River Road and brings a swarm of visitors to its path. It is famous for being the best place to see wild koalas along the Great Ocean Road. Simply stroll down the Kennett River Koala Walk and spot these grey balls of cuteness hanging in the tree branches. They can sometimes be tricky to spot, as they lay nestled amongst the tree branches, blending in with their surroundings.

For an added bonus, you can try to spot other wildlife too. There are a variety of birds hanging about, including parrots and cackling kookaburras.

  • Along the Road

Where there are eucalyptus trees, there are koalas. Thus, seeing them hanging on the Great Ocean Road’s trees that border the concrete is quite common. If you are sitting in the passenger seat or taking a bus tour along the Great Ocean Road, try to keep an eye out for the adorable critters. Make sure to look up to see if you can spot these grey balls scattered amongst the trees.

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