Koalas at Kennett River

The small hamlet of Kennett River on the Great Ocean Road is one of the best places in Australia to see koalas in the wild. Turn into Grey River Road, off the Great Ocean Road, and between one and two kilometres along the road you will be guaranteed to spot koalas in the gum trees.

Although resting during most of the day, by late afternoon they become more active, eating leaves, grooming or seeking new food trees. If you are lucky you may spot some at lower levels and in the spring, mothers with their babies.

A good pair of binoculars will help to both locate koalas and be able to watch them more closely. It needs to be remembered that koalas are wild animals, and can become stressed or even aggressive if they are cornered or an attempt is made to touch or handle them.

Lethargic lifestyle
Koalas spend as much as nineteen hours of every day sleeping due to their low energy diet of eucalyptus leaves. The koala has a special digestive system to process the gum leaves, which are tough, fibrous and contain oils and toxins. However, it is a nutritionally poor diet, so it needs to conserve energy by resting and sleeping for most of the day. It rarely needs to drink, due to the leaves high water content.

Solitary animals
Koalas are generally solitary animals, living within a favoured area normally less than three hectares in size. The female raises one young (or joey) in the pouch each year. Cubs are weaned when 12 months old but remain with their mothers before moving away and establishing their own home range.

How to get there
Grey River Road at Kennett River, just off the Great Ocean Road.