Sand Boarding on Kangaroo Island

Kangaroo Island is a picture-perfect painting of blues and greens. The lush forest that characterises the island emerges out into pretty sand beaches that seem to spread out as far as the eye can see.

It’s along one of these stretches of sand that you’ll find Little Sahara, a system of coastal dunes that have been formed over thousands of years.

The dunes themselves were likely formed in the last 7,000 years by vicious winds. Vegetation managed to stabilise the sand, which has led to the dune formations. The sand continues to move with the wind here, so over time the landscape will change yet again. But, for now, it marks the perfect spot to try one of the island’s most adventurous and popular activities.

Sandboarding might seem like a strange thing to do, but it’s actually incredibly fun, especially when you consider that some of the dunes soar around 70 metres above sea level.

Here, visitors can pick up a board from one of the local sandboarding companies and take to the top of the dunes. From there, the views out across the island are incredible, but that’s not where the fun ends. After that, it’s time to venture down the dunes on boards made especially for the occasion. As you veer this way and that through centuries-old sand, you’ll feel the adrenalin beating around your body and experience Kangaroo Island from a completely unique perspective.

As well as sandboarding, visitors can also try tobogganing, a slightly less frightening version of sandboarding, where you sit down instead of stand up. It’s unlikely you’ll be able to stand up the first time you try this adventurous sport as you move through the sand much quicker than you think, but you can also lay flat on your stomach which means you can easily control how fast or slow you’re going.

Little Sahara is located near Seal Bay, another popular part of the island where you can see the local colony of seals basking in the sunshine. The dunes were listed as a heritage site in the 70s to make sure it is well preserved for future generations. It’s private owned, but is opened up to the public by its generous owner. This means it’s vital you leave the area as you found it so it can continue to provide hours of fun and beauty for future visitors. If you’re ready for a different kind of adventure, sandboarding on Kangaroo Island is a must-do!