How to chuck a U-ey out of Adelaide for some awesome experiences
Adelaide - South Australia
Things to do in and around Adelaide
Whale sculpture at Victor Harbor
A cosmopolitan coastal city is always worth exploring. The mere process of driving through it to catch a glimpse of unusual or different sights is fun. Throw in some outings in nature and I am happy. So that’s what we did.
We chucked a uey as the Aussies say! Make a U-turn, that is. Leaving the city, we roamed further than its peripheral areas to explore outside of Adelaide and have some fair dinkum Australian experiences.
Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia
In 2010 we visited Sydney in New South Wales for a month. We had seen some of Sydney’s best spots and made wonderful memories.
Considering that we travelled halfway around the world to see family down under, how could we not visit friends in South Australia for a few days, especially because we had not seen them for years.
After much chatting and catching up they asked us what we wanted to see around Adelaide. Not having a clue, we left the choices up to them.
‘Have you seen a koala yet?’ The answer was no. Although our road trip to Depot Beach gave us some close encounters with kangaroos, a possum and some birds, we had yet to see this particular marsupial. Low and behold, there was one having a snooze way up high in a tree next to their house. Too far away to take a decent photo. We needed to remedy that!
Our aim was to spend time with our friends, but who would protest if they offered to show us parts of Adelaide?
I was fascinated by beautiful stone buildings and surprised by some contrasting contemporary architecture.
These are a few of our awesome experiences outside Adelaide
Hanging out at Hahndorf, Australia's oldest surviving German settlement
Meeting Australia’s cutest wildlife
Spending a day at a peninsula, visiting an island without using a boat and hunting for penguins
Found the best spot for a panoramic view of Adelaide
Adelaide Esplanade
Hanging out at Hahndorf, Australia's oldest surviving German settlement
A strong German heritage was visible when we strolled through Hahndorf. On the Mount Barker Road just half an hour outside Adelaide, the German-style pubs, galleries and shops enticed us with something for everyone. There is a guided walk and a migration museum to explore and find out more about the establishment of this beautiful town.
Meeting Australia’s cutest wildlife
Who would not want to cuddle a koala? Getting up close and personal with a few of Australia’s cutest is quite cool. Especially when they are ethical about the encounters.
Usually I am not keen to interact with wild animals, not because I do not like them. On the contrary, I adore them but I only find it acceptable if the welfare of the animal is taken into consideration. I am a firm believer that wild animals should be free. However I do feel it is necessary for some animals that cannot survive in the wild on their own to be used to educate people whilst being cared for.
It also is a good opportunity to see the animals that would not normally show themselves in their own turf.
We were fortunate to hold a koala but with strict instructions if the handlers in any way felt that the koala was getting stressed they would cut short the interaction.
There were also so many of Australia’s finest wildlife that we saw.
Cassowary
Cassowary chicks
Cookaburra
Dingo
Kangaroo
“What is the difference between a Kangaroo and a Wallaby?
They may hold a lot of similarities, but a wallaby is more than just a small kangaroo!
For years people have wondered, what is the difference between a kangaroo and a wallaby? Well, wonder no more, we’ll tell you exactly how to differentiate these marsupial cousins.
Both kangaroos and wallabies are marsupials, meaning they carry their young around in a pouch and are similar enough that scientists have placed them in the same order, family, and subfamily. There are a few easy ways to tell the difference between the two animals though.
Size
The most obvious distinction between the two animals is their size. Kangaroos are much larger than wallabies and can grow as tall as 2metres and weight over 90kg. Wallabies, on the other hand, are lucky to weigh more than 20kg and rarely reach heights of 1m. Though there are many species of wallaby and kangaroo that vary in size, this is a good rule of thumb to use when determining what animal you’re looking at.
Body shape
Kangaroos have a larger amount of height between their knees and ankles, making their legs seem disproportionately sized for their body. Their legs are built to speedily carry them across large open terrains. Wallaby, however, have compact legs, built for agility when moving across forest floors or rocky escarpments.
Colour
Wallabies have much more ornate fur than kangaroos. Kangaroos are likely to have a uniform coat of a muted colour, such as brown or grey. Wallaby, however, are likely to have two or three colours on their coat. Some wallaby species are even distinguishable based on their ornate coats.
Teeth
Okay, so we know you’re not about to ask the marsupial you’re looking at to open its mouth so you can inspect its molars, however, teeth are a key distinguishing feature for the two animals. In fact, scientists use teeth to help identify fossils. Wallaby have flat teeth, used to grind up leaves it finds in its forest habitat. Kangaroo, however, live mostly off grasses and have curved teeth that help to slice stalks of grass in their mouth.
Age
Wallaby typically have a much shorter lifespan than kangaroo, living on average between 11 and 14 years. Kangaroo however life significantly longer, averaging a lifespan between 20 and 25 years. There are some cases where wild kangaroo have been documented living up to 30 years old.
Pademelon
If you’ve ever seen a small critter that looked like a wallaby but just wasn’t quite right, chances are you saw a pademelon! These lesser-known marsupials look a bit like a smaller wallaby with a quokka-like head. These cute animals live in forest areas similar to wallaby and are also related to kangaroo.
As you can see there are a few distinguishing features between kangaroo and wallaby. One final thing you should consider is where you are seeing the animal. Are you in kangaroo or wallaby habitat? This can also be a good indicator of what species you’re looking at.
Now you’re armed with all the knowledge needed to identify kangaroos and wallabies, happy watching!
”
Four animal sanctuaries or parks to choose from:
Gorge Wildlife Park - https://gorgewildlifepark.com.au/
Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary - www.warrawongws.com.au
Cleland Wildlife Park - https://www.clelandwildlifepark.sa.gov.au/Home
Adelaide Zoo - https://www.adelaidezoo.com.au/
Click on each image to enlarge
Tasmanian Devil
Spending a day at a peninsula, visiting an island without using a boat and hunting for penguins
Victor Harbor is a beautiful seaside town on the Fleurieu Peninsula just over an hour from Adelaide. We spent the day having a picnic on the wide, sandy arc of Encounter Bay.
It was not necessary to use a boat to get to Granite Island. We walked the 600 metres across the causeway. We could have been totally lazy and taken a Clydesdale horse-drawn tram.
The resident little penguins were shy and did not show themselves. Instead we enjoyed the view. Although we only walked a short section of it, the 1.9km loop of Kaiki Trail would take you right around the island.
Accommodation in Adelaide
Found the best spot for a panoramic view of Adelaide
Mount Lofty Ranges are in the Adelaide Hills, which will take a quick 20 minutes to drive from the city. Mount Lofty Summit is Adelaide’s highest summit. It offers a spectacular panoramic view over Adelaide. On a clear day you would be able to see as far as Kangaroo Island and Yorke Peninsula.
There is a popular walk from the summit to Waterfall Gully. We did not venture down but it joins the Heysen Trail. One could also stroll along a walking trail through native bush and trees to Cleland Wildlife Park.
The few days of sightseeing we had just scraped the surface of what one can see or do in or around Adelaide.
Standing in certain spots an element such as lichen on a familiar shaped rock reminds me so much of home. Then I see something that confirms I am standing on foreign soil.
One thing I know for sure, I would happily explore more of the area.
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Quick Links:
Victor Harbor, Fleurieu Peninsula
Granite Island Recreation Park
Kangaroo Island Tours Australia
Related blog posts:
First visit to Sydney - memories from down under
Depot Beach, hidden gem on the South Coast of New South Wales
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About the Author
ALMA VAN AS | ROAMING FOX
Alma is a South African travel blogger and writer. She hopes to inspire you with facts and fables about her adventures, road trips and international travel.
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