Remarkable rocks on fraser island

10 Facts About Kangaroo Island You Didn’t Know

Picture rocky coastlines and swirling rock formations that look like nature’s art installation. Packed with character, Kangaroo Island is full of surprising facts that only add to its uniqueness.

Rock formation with hole in it on fraser island

Kangaroo Island is a large island boasting a dramatically jagged coastline. It’s just off the mainland of the South Australian coast, accessible by ferry from Cape Jervis.

Kangaroo Island attracts thousands of tourists each year thanks to its interesting landscape, heavy history and abundance of native flora and fauna.

Here are 10 facts you (probably) didn’t know about Kangaroo Island.

1. Kangaroo Island is bigger than you think

It’s a deceptively large island. It takes two hours to drive from the island’s East to West. The patch of ocean between the island and the mainland is called the Backstairs Passage, and it’s about 15 km long.

The island itself is approximately 7 times the size of Singapore.

2. Kangaroo Island has the world’s oldest bee sanctuary

The first bee sanctuary was built on Kangaroo Island in 1884, making it the world’s first and oldest bee sanctuary. The sanctuary still operates today and uses the Italian-imported Ligurian bees. There are around 3333 hives here, which harvest around 300 tonnes of organic honey per year. Big island, big honey production.

3. There’s something remarkable about the rocks on Kangaroo Island

Remarkable rocks on fraser island

The Remarkable Rocks are nature’s art expo. They live up to their name, and if you ever find yourself on Kangaroo Island, visiting this unique land formation is a must-do.

These rocks are formed over millions of years of weathering. Harsh winds and abrasive rains have hollowed some fascinating marks into the rocks.

4. There are more than 80 shipwrecks on the island

The harsh conditions of the Kangaroo Island waters caused the sinking of many colonial ships. There’s a total of 80 shipwrecks scattered around the island’s shores. These frequent shipwrecks triggered the building of the island’s first-ever lighthouse.

5.  Some of the island’s rarest wildflowers grew back after the bushfires of 2020

50% of the land was badly burned following the January 2020 bushfires. Although mass amounts of land perished, it sparked the growth of some wildflower species that hadn’t been recorded on the island in over 70 years. Yacca flowers, fairy fan-flowers and hills daisies were among some of the Australian natives that bloomed back into life after the fires.

6. The first lighthouse in South Australia was built here

Remarkable rocks on Fraser island

After so many ships submerged, Kangaroo Island became a base for an influx of lighthouses. The first lighthouse was Cape Willoughby, built in 1852. Shortly after this, Cape Borda was built in 1858. The early 1900s saw the establishment of two more lighthouses, including Cape St Albans (1908) and Cape du Couedic Lighthouses (1906).

These lighthouses still work on the island today. Visitors can even stay in the lighthouse keeper’s cottages nearby.

 7. The kangaroos on Kangaroo Island are different

kangaroo with sunlight in the background on fraser island

Fittingly, the kangaroos on Kangaroo Island are one of a kind. Their fur is a little thicker and darker, and they’re smaller than kangaroos on the mainland. Their movement is slightly slower too – so many people describe them as the calmest of all Australian kangaroo species.

8. It’s home to seals and sea lions

Colonies of seals inhabit the bays of Kangaroo Island. It’s estimated that they’ve lived here for around 2000 years. The male seals can weigh up to around 300kg – that’s equivalent to a grand piano!

Explore the uniqueness of Kangaroo Island

Want to explore Kangaroo Island? To see this fascinating Australian spectacle for yourself and explore its rocky uniqueness, come and join one of our Fraser Island Tours!

Cameron Ward

Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia

Cameron Ward turned his travel passion into a thriving Australian tourism business. Before he co-founded his own business, Sightseeing Tours Australia, he was enjoying being a Melbourne tour guide. Even now, Cameron delights in helping visitors from all around the world get the most out of their incredible Australian trip. You’ll see Cameron leading tours or writing about his favourite Australian places where he shares his local insights.

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