How long is the ferry from Cape Jervis to Kangaroo Island?

Kangaroo Island is one of Australia’s untouched gems, a sprawling natural wonderland with breathtaking national parks, adorable local wildlife and pristine beaches.

Kangaroo Island is also one of the country’s feel good travel stories, as the island is enjoying a regeneration after succumbing to some of the worst of the 2019-2020 summer bushfires.

There is one ferry route running between the mainland at Cape Jervis and Kangaroo Island. The ferry operates daily and takes about 30 minutes from departure, arriving at the charming settlement of Penneshaw.

So, now that you know how long it takes to hop across to Kangaroo Island, let’s take a look at some of the awesome activities that make this gorgeous island one of Australia’s favourites.

• Explore surreal national parks

  One of the ultimate highlights of a visit to Kangaroo Island is a venture around some of its national parks, where unreal coastal scenery is teeming with loveable land and marine life. The crown jewel of Kangaroo Island’s national parks has to be Flinders Chase National Park, covering stunning forested landscapes through to otherworldly coastal settings.

  Enjoy the bizarre Remarkable Rocks, a series of wind-formed rock sculptures that you’re unlikely to see elsewhere, before heading over to Admiral Arch, another strange formation that has formed from the remnants of an ancient cave.

  It’s not just the landscape that makes this national park so special: it’s also the animals! The park is home to a large population of uber cute New Zealand fur seals hanging out on the beach, as well as plenty of kangaroos and birdlife.

• Vivonne Bay

  This beach is no stranger to any number of Australian “best beaches” lists, and it’s quite simple to see why. This is some of the most tranquil and stunning coastline located anywhere on the Australian continent, with beautiful, clear waters and white sand making it the perfect place for picnicking.

  For the more adventurous types, surfing is a popular activity on clear days (swimming not recommended!) and you can zip up and down the dunes of Little Sahara on quad bikes, sandboards and sleds – sounds like pretty fun day out.

• Hang with cuddly creatures at Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park

  Australia’s most recognisable animals had an especially hard time during the fires, so it’s great to see a place where these furriest creatures are kept safe and protected! What makes the park even better is that you can cuddle a koala, hand feed kangaroos and wallabies, as well as check out an abundance of native wildlife like echidnas, lizards, crocodiles, snakes and more – the perfect experience for Oz animal lovers.

Related article: Visiting Remarkable Rocks on Kangaroo Island

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.