We woke up to another bright Adelaide morning and decided it was time for the girls to meet some proper Aussie locals… the furry, the fluffy, the grumpy and the downright adorable. So we headed up into the Adelaide Hills to a wildlife park perched on the mountainside, where the air feels cooler, the gum trees stretch forever, and every rustle makes you wonder if a kangaroo is about to hop out and say g’day.
The first local to greet us didn’t hop out… he wandered over like he owned the joint. This kangaroo strolled right up to Dennis and stuck his nose in the camera like a seasoned influencer. Georgia was in hysterics. Dotty wasn’t sure whether to giggle or hide behind Dad, but the roo seemed more interested in posing than causing trouble. Absolute legend of a marsupial.
A little further down the track we spotted a whole crew of youngsters gangly ducklings wobbling around with their parents shepherding them like a football team that’s lost formation. They were busy pecking the ground, arguing, wandering off and then sprinting back together. It was chaos, but adorable chaos, the kind that makes the girls forget they’re tired and just watch in total wonder.
And then came the moment everyone had been waiting for.
The koalas.
If kangaroos are the larrikins of the Aussie bush, koalas are the sleepy old uncles who wake up only to eat and then immediately go back to bed. The one we met had clearly just clocked on for the “chew gum leaves” shift. He sat on his branch, munching slowly, eyeing us with that classic koala expression that says, “Mate, I’ll move when I’m good and ready.”
We got close enough for a gentle pat. Georgia looked like she’d just met a celebrity. Dotty watched from a safe distance, giving the koala a look that clearly meant “you stay on your tree, I’ll stay over here.”
The whole place felt peaceful and authentic. No big crowds, no rushing, no noise except birds calling overhead and the soft crackle of eucalyptus leaves under your feet. Just a proper Aussie wildlife moment, the kind you can’t manufacture and can’t forget.
By the time we walked back to the car, we were all smiling, and i had about 200 new photos of kangaroos’ noses.
Not a bad day in the Adelaide Hills.
About the Author
