One of the most magical experiences to have In Australia is seeing the wild kangaroos enjoying their breakfast on the beach while the sun rises over the ocean. The best place to see kangaroos in Australia is Cape Hillsborough National Park.
You can spend the night right next to the beach. This way you’re sure to be ready for your early morning meeting with the wild kangaroos and wallabies.
The kangaroos and wallabies moving peacefully around on the beach looking for food in the sand while the sun rises makes for a unique adventure and a stunning motif for your holiday photos. Furthermore, it’s certainly an item for your Australia road trip bucket-list.
Complete guide: how to plan the best East Coast Australia road trip
And sure, you can see kangaroos many places in Australia. But there’s nothing quite like sitting on your blanket, enjoying an already beautiful sunrise and suddenly a kangaroo walks up right next to you.
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When can you see the kangaroos on the beach?
The kangaroos come to the beach in Cape Hillsborough National Park every day. So you should be able to spot them no matter when you go. But keep in mind that they’re wild animals and can decide just not to go one day. So it does take a bit of luck.
This also contributes to making it an ethical experience, as they don’t force or lure the kangaroos to the beach. The ranger who was present throughout the morning told us he gave the animals some extra food to make sure they get enough nutrition. He was especially taking care of an older kangaroo that was going blind and had trouble finding its own food in the sand.
The ranger also made sure that people weren’t using flash on their cameras or using drones (drones are prohibited). Additionally, he was keeping people from chasing or touching the kangaroos and wallabies. You would think people knew to leave wild animals alone, but sadly that’s not the case.
Should you stay in Cape Hillsborough?
If you want to be almost certain to spot kangaroos and wallabies in Cape Hillsborough, opt for a spot on the campground by the beach. It’s called Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park (not sponsored, or affiliated). Prices are fair, and the staff is very friendly and helpful.
When we arrived, they even gave us a piece of paper with information about the campground and the sunrise session. So we knew when to get to the beach to get a good view of the kangaroos and the sunrise.
On the campground, the kangaroos and wallabies come to visit during the day, so you will see them walking between the campervans and tents.
You have to get up very early in the morning (we went to the beach at 5 AM in May). Because of this, staying at the campground is advantageous compared to driving though the national park during the dark morning hours. You could risk hitting wildlife on the way.
What else is there to do in Cape Hillsborough?
Besides being the best place to see kangaroos in Australia, Cape Hillsborough has of things explore. You can see the beautiful nature and maybe spot some wildlife from one of the walking trails in the park. It’s also possible to go sailing or fishing, enjoy some time on the beach or see the nocturnal animals come out at night.
In my opinion, you should give yourself time to explore more of the park. You might experience even more than “just” the sunrise with the kangaroos and wallabies.
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Complete guide: how to plan the best East Coast Australia road trip
