Guided Koala Walk & Bush Fire Ecology Tour
State: SA
Duration:
1h30m
Take a guided walk through the sanctuary and observe the amazing and beautiful Koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, cape barren geese and other species. Learn about the bush fire and the survival techniques used by these amazing animals.
Operated By:
Discover the Magic of Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
Immerse yourself in the breathtaking natural beauty of Kangaroo Island with an exclusive 90-minute guided journey. Led by our expert local guides, you will venture into our protected, “supervised only” areas to discover the absolute highlights of this pristine sanctuary. 🐨
An Award-Winning Wildlife Haven
Established in 1997, Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is a privately owned fauna and flora conservancy dedicated to sustainable and regenerative tourism. Renowned globally as one of the premier locations to observe healthy, wild koalas thriving in their natural habitat, our sanctuary offers an unforgettable encounter with Australia’s iconic wildlife. In fact, our exceptional nocturnal experiences were highly recommended by National Geographic in 2015! 🌟
Understand the Resilient Landscape
Gain a deeper appreciation for the unique Australian bush. Learn how bushfires have played an integral, shaping role in the ecology of the Kangaroo Island landscape, with major historical fires recorded from 1931 through to the significant events of 2020. 🌿
What to Bring
- Camera: Capture unforgettable memories of wild koalas.
- Binoculars: Get a closer look at rare birdlife and canopy dwellers.
- Water bottle: Stay hydrated as you explore our beautiful sanctuary.
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Excellent Loved it and loved our guide Sidney. Saw heaps of koalas and learned a lot.read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2026-10-08
Sydney is very passionate about the environment and he loves to share his knowledge in an entertaining and educational manner. We are glad you enjoyed your visit.
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siangammie
06 Oct 2026
We did two wonderful tours at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. My husband and I are travelling in SA from the UK and spending a week on Kangaroo Island. We are very interested in wildlife and conservation and we were particularly keen to learn more about the bush fire and subsequent regeneration. We did the Nocturnal Adventure Tour with our guide Sidney and two other guests, this lasted for two hours. The following morning we did the Guided Koala Walk and Bush Fire Ecology Tour with Amy which took an hour and a half and when we were the only guests. Both tours were excellent. Both guides were expert at spotting koalas and we saw several with their babies. In addition we saw other animals, birds and plants and learnt so much else about the flora and fauna of Hanson Bay and KI. Both guides had a very broad knowledge, were keen to answer all our questions and each had a different story to tell so there was very little repetition over the two tours. Worth every penny.read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2026-09-10
Thanks for visiting
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katecN5490ME
04 Sep 2026
Hanson bay wildlife sanctuary tour is a MUST when visiting Kangaroo Island! We did the nocturnal tour with Sid and Amy, and had an incredible experience. We would highly recommend going in winter as the scenery was beautiful and we saw tons of joeys including a few koala joeys which we were very lucky to see. They made sure to spot as much wildlife as possible and have a huge amount of knowledge and an answer to every question! This was one of our favourite experiences while visiting Kangaroo Island. 10/10!
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Ben
31 Aug 2026
Unfortunately experience due to guide Our guide, I believe her name was Lara was abominable! She was negative and basically talked about how she hated animals, she gave absolutely no information about the bush fires and how it affected the area. She was condescending and only spoke directly to a couple in our group. The only information of value which she shared was a video on her phone regarding a discovery of a possible cancer cure. We could have done the walking and observing without the guide and been just as informed and much more satisfied. She should not be a guideread moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2026-08-27
We are sorry our tour guide did not meet your expectations. Lara is an Italian guide who usually gives tours in Italian to the many Italian visitors we have at this time of year. We have local guides for English speakers. You saw a lot of wildlife but I feel that much of the information got lost in translation. If you have time to return we can arrange for you to do a complimentary tour with Tom or Sid.
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Vacation06661521518
20 Aug 2026
Great Koala experience Our guide, Tom was very knowledgeable, engaging and interactive. We had a great time with lots of laugh. We highly recommend the tour.read moreread less
Ryota
18 Jul 2026
Amazing! This tour was an amazing tour seeing wild Koalas, Kangaroos and Wallabies. The forest and the sorrounding area is an amazing place. The tour guide we had the pleasure of having, Thomas, was one of the best tour guides that I’ve ever experienced. If you plan to visit Flinders Chase, don’t miss this tour. Absolutely unique!read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2026-06-24
Thomas (Tom) grew up in the district and has a lifetime of experience in the wilderness of western Kangaroo Island. We are glad you enjoyed. Thanks for visiting.
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j_borgstrom65
22 Jun 2026
Fabulous Wildlife and Eco Experience We did the afternoon tour. It was the best 90 minute wild life encounter. Our Guide Seth, has lived on the Island all his life. He knows exactly where to find the wildlife and he shared a lot of his knowledge with us. We saw many Koalas, Kangaroos and Tammar Wallabies. Seth also pointedcout many species of plants and fungi. The highlight of our tour was when a young female Koala crossed the track right in front of us, stopping to drink from a puddle on the way. After the walking part of the tour, Seth drove us out to the part of the property where the many Cape Barren Geese Breed and nest.It was wonderful to watch their natural behaviours.
Thank you for a great afternoon.
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KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2026-06-06
Winter is the best time of year for wildlife viewing. Thanks for visiting.
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Anne
03 Jun 2026
Our tour with Seth was the best thing we did on the island! We saw so many koalas and learned so much. It felt like a very personal and unique tour. Very cool to see the sanctuary returning after the fires.
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Ryan
29 May 2026
Sunset with animals Seth took us on our sunset tour and it was fantastic to see the animals in this environment especially to see the comeback of the environment post 2020 fires. Seth was generous with his time and knowledge and the animals were all comfortable with us roaming around between or under them. The sunset and star gazing added to the experience.read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2026-05-28
Thanks for visiting and supporting our sanctuary. It is like a night club. Things really start hopping when the sun goes down. Seth grew up in the district and has a life time of experiences that he loves to share.
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blueseahorse21
26 May 2026
We didn’t stay with the Hanson Bay Sanctuary, but we took two of their tours, the 2:30 PM and the 5 PM. Honestly, if I could give them 10 stars, I would. Thomas was an amazing guide. He is passionate about conservation of both flora and fauna, extremely knowledgeable about the animals and birds here. He gave us interesting insights into fire ecology, and talked about his experiences fighting the fires in 2019/2020. He was generous with his time, genuinely funny and engaging. Everyone on the tour was delighted with his presentation and passion for what he does and the outback he lives in.
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Dr.
25 May 2026
Loved this peaceful slice of the west coast We had Seth as our guide and he found many Koalas, kangaroos and more including a pair of glossy black red tailed cockatoos! Even during the day there was plenty to see and explore!read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2026-05-24
Glossy black cockatoos are regularly observed during tours of the sanctuary. We have planted hundreds of sheoak trees over the past 20 years as part of the glossy black cockatoo recovery program. Since the 2020 bushfire this habitat has become vitally important to sustaining this species. Thankyou for visiting and supporting the sanctuary.
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lianam662
20 May 2026
A must when visiting Kangaroo Island! On the recommendation of Kangaroo Island Trails, I did a tour of the property that was led by Tom. The property itself is beautiful - we were lucky to see numerous koalas, kangaroos, a black swan, red tailed black cockatoo and the cape barren geese. Not only were the wildlife sightings incredible but Tom’s passion for the wildlife and the property made the tour. I enjoyed the tour so much that I signed up for the sunset tour the following day which was led by Seth. It was incredible to visit the property at night - again we saw many koalas but it was very special to see the koalas so active. We also saw a possum which I hadn’t yet seen. Similarly to Tom, Seth’s knowledge of the wildlife was great. I loved both tours and will visit again when I return to Kangaroo Island!
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Katrina
30 Apr 2026
Amazing tour - a must if you want to see koalas! A must when visiting Kangaroo Island! On the recommendation of Kangaroo Island Trails, I did a tour of the property that was led by Tom. The property itself is beautiful - we were lucky to see numerous koalas, kangaroos, a black swan, red tailed black cockatoo and the cape barren geese. Not only were the wildlife sightings incredible but Tom’s passion for the wildlife and the property made the tour. I enjoyed the tour so much that I signed up for the sunset tour the following day which was led by Seth. It was incredible to visit the property at night - again we saw many koalas but it was very special to see the koalas so active. We also saw a possum which I hadn’t yet seen. Similarly to Tom, Seth’s knowledge of the wildlife was great. I loved both tours and will visit again when I return to Kangaroo Island!
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KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2026-05-03
Seth and Tom both grew up in the district. There is nothing better than having experienced locals give you a tour. We are glad you enjoyed your 2 visits.
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katrinamK3717QK
30 Apr 2026
We did the sunset tour with Jim, the co-owner of the conservancy. We saw koalas, wallabies, kangaroos and Cape Barren geese up close but also learnt about the history of the sanctuary, shown how it is recovering from the 2020 bushfires, and given information about the habitat, such as a species of sedge grass now being trialled in cancer research and shown the she oaks which is sole food source for black cockatoos. There were only 4 people on our tour but all tours are max 10 so communication is great. it was an excellent tour and highly recommended
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Julie
20 Apr 2026
We enjoyed a very private tour in a small group. It was a windy day and the wallabies and kangaroos were hiding in the bushes. We saw quite a few Koalas up in the tree. Our guide was very friendly and let us in on many insights about the animals, the Sanctuary and the wildlife in general.
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Andreas
18 Apr 2026
We had a great time doing the Koala Talk here. The owner (Jim) was our tour guide. We saw some koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, cape barren geese and birdlife. He is so knowledgeable and was happy to show us around. We got to stand on ground that hadn’t seen hoofed animals in 30 years. This is an amazing place where animals can just be and the flora regeneration from the 2020 fires is incredible to see. I could have wandered all day in my happy place. It smelt so good ☺️
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Robyn
18 Apr 2026
Great learning experience in KI Our guide Tom was prompt, courtous, and knowledgeable. He took us around the sanctuary grounds and pointed out 7 or 8 Koala's up on the trees. We also ran into some kangaroos, wallabies and Cape Baron geese. Tomalso told us many facts about the ecology of plans in the sanctuary as well as the devastating effects of the bush fire of 2019. All in all we really learned a lot and enjoyed our 90 minutes of the tour. Definitely recommend.read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2026-04-16
Thanks for visiting. April is a great time to visit as the Cape Barren geese are starting to nest in the Montebello sedge. It appears there is a giant game of musical chairs going on.
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S5678SQfredk
12 Apr 2026
We highly recommend the tour. Our guide Seth shared many interesting insights about the wildlife and stories of the land, demonstrating his knowledge and love for the island. We were able to see many koalas, including a mum with her baby, and lots of kangaroos in the wild. A great experience!
Cheers Gabri and family
Cheers Gabri and family
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mfgonfie
08 Apr 2026
We did the afternoon and sunset tours, and both were fantastic. We saw loads of koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, an echidna and a black tiger snake as well as being able to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the sanctuary and the entertaining and informative commentary of Max the guide. It's a wonderful oasis that's been created here - I'd thoroughly recommend booking a tour.
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Ben
27 Mar 2026
Lovely animal experience We had an amazing time and saw so many animals - Tom was a lovely guide and we ended up over at the goose lake for sunseybread moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2026-03-26
Tom grew up nearby and spent his childhood exploring the bush and beaches of KI. He is very passionate about the environment and loves sharing his knowledge. Thankyou for visiting.
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tracy
20 Mar 2026
very nice natural tour We did the 10:30 am tour with Max, and it was fantastic! He is very friendly and knowledgeable, and we learned a lot about koalas and birds from him. We saw plenty of koalas, and even a big male kangaroo jumped past us to the pond to drink, a beautiful sight! We really enjoyed this tourread moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2026-03-19
We are so glad you enjoyed your visit. Max trained as an anthropolgist. While observing wildlife he loves to share his knowledge of the wildlife in the context of many topics including human experience, biological evolution, cultural beliefs, languages, and past civilizations.
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Xiaochun
18 Mar 2026
Wow, must do! Attended today and what a tour! I learnt so much!Our German tour guide was fantastic and so passionate about nature and animals. He explained about the animals, plants, trees and everything, truly so informative.
We saw so many wonderful sites. Truly at one with nature.
This is a must do on Kangaroo Island. Highly recommended.
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KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2026-03-19
Thanks for visiting.
Max trained as an anthropolgist which makes his tours incredibly interesting. I
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paull25
09 Mar 2026
The best thing we did on the island. Max was a brilliant guide - we ended up being the only two people on the tour and Max made sure we had a great experience. He worked hard to find the animals and tailor the time to what we wanted to see, whilst giving us a lot of information about the local area, history and biology.
We came for the 4:30pm slot and found 6 lazing koalas in the treetops, 20-50 kangaroos and some birds.
This is not a zoo, so you won't be petting any animals. Instead, you get to see truly wild creatures in their element, who are not used to humans feeding them food every 5 minutes. This type of experience is far better and more real than anything else. For example, we got to see two juvenile male kangaroos having a little scrap fight.
Cheers again to Max, a credit to the sanctuary team!
We came for the 4:30pm slot and found 6 lazing koalas in the treetops, 20-50 kangaroos and some birds.
This is not a zoo, so you won't be petting any animals. Instead, you get to see truly wild creatures in their element, who are not used to humans feeding them food every 5 minutes. This type of experience is far better and more real than anything else. For example, we got to see two juvenile male kangaroos having a little scrap fight.
Cheers again to Max, a credit to the sanctuary team!
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Rishi
15 Feb 2026
A fabulous and informative time in the bush. We had a fabulous time today on our tour. Max our guide was so informative. We saw 3 koalas, lots of kangaroos and learnt so much about the Australian bush. The icing on the cake was two large male kangaroos who had a fight right in front of us. It was incredible to watch and a really memorable end to a really great morning. I can’t recommend a visit to the beautiful reserve enough.read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2026-02-17
Thanks for visiting
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gf430
12 Feb 2026
Fantastic Fantastic experience. Saw loads of koalas and other wildlife. Fiona pir your guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. I very highly recommend this tour. Ethical organisation with animals completely wild and undisturbed and left to have a normal wild life. Wonderful - thank you!!read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2026-02-17
We are so glad you enjoyed your ethical wildlife tour. Observation of wildlife not interaction with the wildlife. This ethos creates sublime experiences.
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stephaniewirral
09 Feb 2026
Did the 14:30 tour with our two kids. We almost missed this as we didn’t know much about it and asked at Flinders Chase visitor center then checked on internet. So glad we decided to go for it.
Our guide Max was fantastic and very well prepared. We got to see several koalas, one of them with a joey! We also saw kangaroos up close, a black swan and Max explained many facts about the flora and fauna found in the sanctuary. Very satisfied with the whole experience, highly recommended!
Our guide Max was fantastic and very well prepared. We got to see several koalas, one of them with a joey! We also saw kangaroos up close, a black swan and Max explained many facts about the flora and fauna found in the sanctuary. Very satisfied with the whole experience, highly recommended!
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Andrei
08 Feb 2026
Our guide was so knowledgeable and we learned so much about koalas and the Australian bush. Amazing value tour! Our guide was so knowledgeable and we learned so much about koalas and the Australian bush. Amazing value tour! Thank you!read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2026-02-10
All the wildlife you saw survived the devastating bushfire 6 years ago (or are descendants of survivors). Glad you enjoyed it and found it great value.
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Explorer321359
03 Feb 2026
A great visit We had a fantastic visit at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. Our guide was excellent—knowledgeable and engaging—and we learned a lot about koala -about their behaviour and conservation. The group was small, which made the experience feel personal and unhurried. We also saw kangaroos at the end of the visit. this is a well--run, informative experience that felt respectful of the animals and the landscape.read moreread less
AlexiaL955
03 Feb 2026
We joined the tour at 14:30 today and saw a lot of wild animals like koalas, kangaroos, black swans, etc. in their natural habitat. Our guide Max was very informative and gave us a lot of interesting facts about the animals and the plants in the area. Highly recommend the tour!
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Teresa
29 Jan 2026
Fantastic Tour It was a fantastic tour and the guide was verry good. We learnd a lot about the animals and the fire 6 years ago. Thank you for a verry good tour.read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2026-01-22
Glad you enjoyed it
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Annhelen
20 Jan 2026
The Koala and Bushfire Guided Tour (14:30) was a highlight during our Kangaroo Island stay. We got plenty of interesting information and had lots of time. Our guide was friendly and the tour took a bit longer, so that she could show us a lot. The sanctuary project itself is wonderful.
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Giorgio
18 Jan 2026
100% do this! This was brilliant! We saw koalas and kangaroos really close up, and learned so much about them. Highly recommend this!read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2026-01-20
The wildlife of Kangaroo Island is most active around dusk especially during summer. The male koalas start bellowing, most koalas use this time to change trees. The kangaroos and wallabies come out from the bush to feed and the echidnas just continue to meander while foraging for invertabrates. We are glad you enjoyed your visit.
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Clare
17 Jan 2026
We did the Guided Koala Walk & Bush Fire Ecology tour with Max and it was gorgeous! More than 1.5 hrs he showed us vegetation, koalas and told us a lot about everything regarding the heritage and the island. Highly recommend!
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Isa
16 Jan 2026
Thanks to Fiona and the other staff at Hanson Bay Sanctuary for an informative and successful stroll and drive through some diverse South Australian bushland. We got to see wild koalas and kangaroos close up as well as learn about the surrounding flora. Special appreciation for Fiona's interezting, historical anecdotes that set the context for the unique place that is Kangaroo Island.
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Michael
12 Jan 2026
Fascinating and fun informal walk rather than a ‘tour’ Tom was our guide and he was great. His greeting was a smile and a handshake and his manner was hugely friendly and very entertaining. He took us all for a walk and sprinkled in incredible sightings, interesting narrative and plenty of humour. Everyone loved it. We were hugely lucky to see a female koala with her joey from about 5 feet and at head height. Unreal. The sanctuary is littered with kangaroos, birdlife and the medicinal project they are working on may one day help change cancer treatment for us all. The cost was aus$20 and it is incredible value. We will remember this for a very long time. Thank youread moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2026-01-16
Tom grew up 10km from the sanctuary and spent his youth roaming the beaches and the bush of western KI. He is passionate about preserving it! Thankyou for visiting.
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ChobhamTraveller
12 Jan 2026
Fantastic sunset guided walk with Tom on a very warm evening for my birthday. Tom was extremely knowledgable about the area, the plants as well as the animals. The heat meant the animals were not as active as normal, but we saw plenty of geese, kangaroos, wallabies and koalas as we walked around the beautiful reserve. We had the added treat of an echidna crossing the road on our (careful) drive home. Well worth doing.
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Ruth
03 Jan 2026
We had the best time at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. Fiona was a most knowledgeable and thoughtful guide. She was friendly and took the time to point out all the different wildlife including multiple koalas, kangaroos, an echidna and bird life and described the hope of the bush regeneration after the fire. A fantastic experience that I would recommend, it was a great wildlife sanctuary well worth visiting!
Do yourself a favour……
Do yourself a favour……
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Jennifer
10 Dec 2025
Nocturnal tour was the best! The nocturnal walk was the best! We were able to learn about the place and the wildlife in it, Fiona our guide was the best! Was able to spot koalas, heaps of kangaroos, wallabies and got lucky with an echidna appearance! Would definitely recommend the nocturnal tour!read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2025-12-07
The nocturnal tour allows you to get an "up close and personal" wildlife experience in the wild in an authentic and ethical manner. Thank you for visiting
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ryan
05 Dec 2025
Amazing Kangaroo Island wildlife Great experience, small group with a knowledgeable guide, gaining excellent insights in the local wildlife and the impact on fires etc. Excellent value for money and recommended for kids, families and everyone with an interest in animals and ecosystems.read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2025-11-30
Our guides live on site and share the ecosystem with the other native species that live in it. The sanctuary offers ethical, low impact wildlife tours where we observe but not interact with the wildlife.
We are glad that you found the tour excellent value interseting and educational.
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Stefan
26 Nov 2025
What a fantastic tour. The guide was easy to listen and taught us so much about the koalas. I recommend any body to go. It was really wonderful
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Naomi
11 Nov 2025
A lovely walk with the koalas Fabulous walk through the trees. So many koalas. The guide was full of interesting information and helped everyone see the koalas .read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2025-11-30
Thankyou for visiting
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elizabethwatt1
09 Nov 2025
Our afternoon bushfire ecology tour with Fiona was fantastic! We saw wild koalas, wallabies, kangaroos, and geese and learned lots about the 2020 bushfire and the recovery since. Would highly recommend a tour here for anyone interested in seeing local wildlife in their natural setting.
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Elena
15 Oct 2025
Highly recommend the koala tour, the guide is very knowledgeable and passionate about her job. She even drove us with her van further down the bushes to spot other wild animals in their natural environment.
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Filippo
04 Oct 2025
We had a wonderful tour. Very knowledgeable guide, lots of animal sightings.
Very impressed with the philosophy of respecting the animals and allowing them to live as naturally as possible.
Very impressed with the philosophy of respecting the animals and allowing them to live as naturally as possible.
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Ange
26 Sep 2025
Highly recommended We had an absolutely super walk with Fiona where we learned tons about koalas and how the bushfires impacted KI. We saw koalas, kangaroos, wallabies and geese. Fiona was fantastic - highly engaging and knowledgeable, Thanks for a great experience!read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2025-09-30
Thank you for visiting! Spring is a great season at the sanctuary with many joeys visible (kangaroo koala wallaby)
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Richard
26 Sep 2025
Highly informative and enjoyable Well worth the experience, saw a lot and learnt a lot about koalas and the recovery post the bush fires. Fiona was a very knowledgeable guide, warm and very friendly. Highly recommended.read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2025-09-23
Thank you for your review. We are glad you enjoyed it!
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Martin
19 Sep 2025
Tom was a wealth of knowledge. What an awesome guy that was incredibly knowledgeable about his environment and its little inhabitants. He made us feel welcomed and like part of the team. He answered all our questions and gave us a heartfelt and sincere tour of the grounds. We heard stories of heartache and prevailing plants, we heard about the variety of animals, plants and insects that called the surrounds the acreage. Tom gave us a great experience with lots to take away from this. We both really really appreciated the time and effort Tom goes to ensuring guests still see the animals they came for without the restrictions of fencing. It really stuck with us when he discussed losing the animals in the 2020 fires to being stuck in fencing. A great guy, a great cause and well maintained land too. Do the nocturnal tour if you can!
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Steph
04 Sep 2025
A heartfelt experience at Hanson Bay – Thank you, Tom!
Visiting Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary was one of the most touching and memorable experiences of our trip to Kangaroo Island. Tom, the owner, is a local who was born and raised here — and his deep love for this land is truly inspiring.
After the devastating fires that affected much of the island, Tom has worked incredibly hard to rebuild everything on his own. His dedication, resilience, and passion shine through in every corner of the sanctuary.
Thanks to him, we had the unique opportunity to see koalas in their natural habitat, completely free and undisturbed — no fences, no enclosures, just nature as it should be. It was magical.
Thank you again, Tom, for everything you’re doing to protect and preserve this special place. 🐨
Visiting Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary was one of the most touching and memorable experiences of our trip to Kangaroo Island. Tom, the owner, is a local who was born and raised here — and his deep love for this land is truly inspiring.
After the devastating fires that affected much of the island, Tom has worked incredibly hard to rebuild everything on his own. His dedication, resilience, and passion shine through in every corner of the sanctuary.
Thanks to him, we had the unique opportunity to see koalas in their natural habitat, completely free and undisturbed — no fences, no enclosures, just nature as it should be. It was magical.
Thank you again, Tom, for everything you’re doing to protect and preserve this special place. 🐨
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Andrea
05 Aug 2025
We saw several koalas & learned a lot We did the nocturnal tour. Our tour guide was very friendly & knowledgeable. We walked around & saw several koalas & tons of wallabies while it was still daylight. We briefly saw a male koala bellow. We then drove to a field & saw geese with their goslings. Then, after it got dark, we walked back & saw several koalas again with flashlights. Unfortunately, it started to rain, so they weren't very active, but we still enjoyed the experience. We asked lots of questions & felt like we had a better knowledge of the park, the koalas & the island afterwards.read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2025-08-04
Thanks for visiting. We are glad you enjoyed it. June July and August are the wettest months.
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Jeremy-Teresa
01 Aug 2025
Me and my dad went on the koala walk, was fantastic. Tom the guide was a local who was had incredible insight into the local wildlife and fauna. He was also just a really nice bloke. We managed to spot somewhere round 10 koalas, lots of kangaroos, wallabies, and geese aswell. Information about the local plants was very interesting also (plants might not sound that fun but trust me they were!). Was brilliant to see these animals in the wild in their natural habitat, as opposed to caged up in a zoo. Tom also gave some insight into why it’s a much safer and healthier environment for them rather than a zoo.
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Rhys
15 Jul 2025
Fun and Informative Experience We did the sunset waking tour with Tom. It was just our family. Tom was a great guide and a wealth of knowledge. We saw many kangaroos and a number of koalas. Well worth the time and money.read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2025-06-22
Thanks for taking the time to write a review. Tom grew up on KI only 10km from the sanctuary. He and his brothers spent their youth roaming the bush and the beaches. He is very knowledgeable, entertaining and an expert fisherman.
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bugsy54321
15 Jun 2025
Kangaroo Island Great tour to see Koalas in their natural environment. Tom was very knowledgeable & friendly we saw plenty of Wallabies Kangaroos & bird life well worth it.read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2025-06-09
Thanks for taking the time to review us. We are glad you enjoyed it and got to see so much wildlife even though it was wet. We really need the rain but I am sorry it rained during the tour. BTW I think koalas like a bit of rain......their coats are completely water proof.
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philp275
08 Jun 2025
Absolutely fantastic experience. We'd booked the afternoon tour and when we arrived, there was just the two of us. Fiona was our guide and she was amazing. She gave us so much information about the animals, plants and trees - and explained all about the 2020 bush fires and subsequent regeneration. We particularly wanted to see koalas and kangaroos in the wild ( not in an enclosed, 'zoo' type environment), and that's exactly what we got. Fiona knew exactly where to look so we could see the koalas up the trees, as well as how to tell where they were. 😃 There were lots of kangaroos. They'd just come out to start grazing, as we were there late afternoon. It was so lovely to see them in their natural habitat, just going about their business.
We absolutely loved our tour, an amazing experience that we will remember for a long time. For anyone visiting Kangaroo Island, this is a ' must do' experience.
We absolutely loved our tour, an amazing experience that we will remember for a long time. For anyone visiting Kangaroo Island, this is a ' must do' experience.
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Geraldine
23 May 2025
Come here to see koalas in the wild. Fantastic walking tour round the site (evening / sunset tour also highly recommended) with a local guide whose key job is to keep track of which trees might currently host a koala (or two). Informative and very friendly. But be aware that there are no facilities on site other than the car park (no accommodation / food / toilets etc.)! If you need anything, try the Discovery Park (camp / caravan / mobile home site / chalets) or the visitor centre.
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David
22 May 2025
Amazing guided walk Our walk with guide Fiona was amazing. She was so knowledgeable and clearly had such passion and care for the animals and environment. We learnt so much from her and had a great time.read moreread less
KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2025-05-09
Thanks for visiting. We are glad you enjoyed your visit.
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loc9797
08 May 2025
a must trip while in kangaroo island wonderful guide with a lot of knowledge.interesting tour. we saw many wildlife animals and koalas. we learned a lot about the wild fire. a must tour in Kangaroo island
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Sigalit
11 Apr 2025
Amazing experience in Nature’s true habitat Amazing Experience in Nature’s True HabitatThe nocturnal tour at Hanson Bay was an unforgettable experience. Tour guide Tom was incredibly passionate about the surroundings and truly transmitted that energy to the group. It was amazing to get close to wildlife in their natural habitat—not behind cages, but roaming freely as they should be. We saw koalas, joeys, kangaroos, wallabies, and so much more, all while enjoying a stunning sunset. A once-in-a-lifetime experience that I’ll always remember!
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KANGAROOS10, Owner at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, responded to this review - 2025-04-09
Thankyou for taking the time to write a review. We are glad you enjoyed it!
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dianabG4690PJ
08 Apr 2025
If you only get to do one thing on Kangaroo Island, this is definitely it! Its amazing to see the animals in their true habitat in de wild. Not being caged or forced to interact with humans. Our guide Tom had amazing stories and a true love for nature.
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Milou
24 Feb 2025
We did the evening tour which I highly recommend as the animals are more active. We were lucky to be able to watch a baby koala learning to climb which was incredible. Our guide was passionate and informative. Great evening walk!
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Plum
26 Jan 2025
The wildlife walkabout tour with Tom was genuinely superb. His knowledge of this place is simply second to none and he shared so much interesting information about the local ecology and the impact of bushfires throughout the tour. My 71 year old Dad was with me in Australia for 3 weeks, and he said this was one of his favourite things overall during his trip. Thanks Tom, keep up your exceptional tour guiding abilities and thanks for providing a great customer experience.
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Sean
20 Jan 2025
