Things to do in South Australia with Kids

Things to do in South Australia with Kids

Wow, to say we were inspired by this video is an understatement. You simply have to watch it, it is the perfect representation of childhood beach memories, and makes me a little homesick for the coast as we sit here in Central NSW.

So, in celebration of such a beautiful video, hopefully you’re as inspired as we are, we’ve tracked down some things to do in South Australia with kids.

 Adelaide Zoo

This amazing zoo is open from 9:30 to 5:00 every day of the year, including Christmas, so whenever you are in Adelaide it will be open for you to visit. There’s a magnificent range of animals on display, definitely something for every member of the family. From lions and tigers, hippos, flamingo which are a stunning pink colour, one of my favourites, the meerkats, and lots of birdlife, reptiles, Australian native animals and even Sea Lions.

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­The funniest thing happened to us at the zoo, it was something I didn’t even remember until I looked back at the photos to write this piece, (as you can see by the photos the kids are much younger), but I giggled when I saw the picture below. We had been walking through the animal petting zoo when a goat hopped into the buggy that we’d hired to push the kids around in for the day. Cheeky thing it was!

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The cheeky thing managed to get all the way inside the buggy and was difficult to get out, it got a big giggle from the kids too.

To get to the zoo, we’d recommend public transport, most of the parking in the area is via parking meter and this can add up if you plan on spending all day there. There’s a range of animal encounters that you can do, but you’ll need to check age limits as young children may not be able to do many of the encounters due to safety, also, book these before arrival if you’re wanting to participate.  Visit http://www.zoossa.com.au/adelaide-zoo to find out more.

South Australian Museum

This amazing museum boasts the largest collection of Australian Indigenous cultural objects in the world, along with meteorites, fossils, dinosaurs, and a giant squid model that fills an entire elevator shaft! There are plenty of artefacts inside the museum that have wonderful historical stories to accompany them, and there is also a Science Centre nearby. Visit http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au to find out more.

South Australian Maritime Museum – Port Adelaide

Let your kids escape in a whirlwind of pirate adventures as they walk the gangplank. This attraction offers plenty of interaction for children which is important when looking for family things to do. It consists of three levels that unfold into an exciting range of exhibits worth taking the time to explore and discover, so give yourself plenty of time to enjoy. There’s a lighthouse nearby and entry is included in the cost of your ticket, so let the kids enjoy the spiral lighthouse staircase for added fun. Visit http://www.history.sa.gov.au to find out more.

Explore Coober Pedy

If you’re looking for a unique tucked away in South Australia for families, the Coober Pedy offers something you’ll never forget. We’ve written before about the Old Timers Mine and recommend this to everyone. There’s also Tom’s Working Opal Mine where you can find out about modern day mining and a range of other adventures and tours within the town, such as Josephine’s Gallery and Kangaroo Orphanage. Find out more information at Coober Pedy Tourism Attractions website.

Explore Nature

The beauty of South Australia is it’s spectacular mountain ranges, stunning beaches, and the harsh beauty shining radiantly from the heart of the desert. If you’re looking for coastal relaxation, bush adventures, or desert trails, then South Australia has everything your family could dream of and more. I can’t write something about SA without mentioning a family holiday to Kangaroo Island, it should be top of every nature loving family’s to do list.

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Have you visited South Australia? What is your favourite thing to do there?

This is a sponsored post but opinions are my own.

The beauty of memories in South Australia

The beauty of memories in South Australia

During our family travels, we often get asked what our favourite part of Australia is, and while my reply, for the most part is, “All of it”, there are some special spots that are just that extra bit special, and South Australia is one of those spots. While we’ve only shared fleeting moments with South Australia for the most part, it holds some of our most special moments ever across this awesome country of ours, and it holds so much more waiting for us to discover it.

When we were asked to share just why we would recommend South Australia to other travellers, I thought the best way was to share with you some of the memories it holds for us.

Adelaide was the end of our first big Australian holiday, after driving all the way from Darwin right through Kakadu and down through the red centre, we breathed our last breath of adventure in Adelaide before flying home, changed and bitten by the travel bug forever.

This stunning city rests in my memory as a beautiful city full of heritage buildings that left me longing to discover the secrets held within its streets. With the ocean air whispering its way through the region, reaching far toward the greenery of the hills hugging the distant views of the city. I remember thinking “I could live here”. Driving toward the city, we were greeted by a welcome party of black swans going about their way in the middle of the road on the grass median strip, stunning!

Inside Coober Pedy Old Timers Mine

Inside Coober Pedy Old Timers Mine

When I think back to visiting Coober Pedy with kids it’s a town that brings back memories of a moonlike landscape, filled with mounds of dirt left behind as evidence of the constant search for opal. We ate some of Australia’s yummiest Pizza there, it was our first ever stay in underground accommodation and our first walk through a real mine at the Old Timer’s Mine.

Nestled just 14 km’s off the South Australian coast, Kangaroo Island holds a special place in our hearts as the place where we were filmed by a National Geographic crew, swam with dolphins, camped for Byron’s fifth birthday, and fulfilled our dream of visiting, something we’d waited for years to do. It’s a place we’ll return to and definitely somewhere I could settle down for a while.

South Australia is the state that took my breath away as we drove through The Coorong for the first time. Spotting glistening wetlands out the window of the car left me breathless as we whizzed on by in the car, travelling on a short deadline.  Just between you and me, it’s one place I’ll be returning to for lots of exploration. Not to mention the Fleurieu Peninsula which again, due to our tight deadline we only experienced during the dark of night, but how I long to explore its beauty in the day time!

South Australia is a state full of green hills, beautiful countryside pastures, pristine beaches, and stunning, harsh deserts that surprise you with their beauty that lay waiting to be discovered in the most unusual of ways.

Tourism South Australia has created a range of videos available on their Youtube channel that highlight some of the great parts of South Australia and after watching them, we’re sure you’ll be as in love with South Australia and wanting to explore as we are.

If I sound like I’m in love, then I am, and I can’t wait to return back to explore more of South Australia and share each part of our experience with you guys. Have you visited South Australia, or is there somewhere special that you’d like to visit there? We’d love to hear about it.

“This is a sponsored post but opinions are my own”

Swimming With Dolphins on Kangaroo Island

Swimming With Dolphins on Kangaroo Island

Last night, I decided to sit up into the wee hours of the morning to edit some video footage of our Kangaroo Island Holiday. It was super special footage of us swimming with dolphins on Kangaroo Island and you just HAVE to see it.

The dolphins in this photo are swimming just under Matt’s legs, and the chatter that is echoing through the water is just amazing to listen to as they talk to each other.

The problem of course is that the program crashed on me and I hadn’t saved at any point during the process, so I’ve now got to start from scratch and re-edit the entire video (you’d think I’d learn!).

But, I’m so in love with this part of our holiday that I couldn’t wait to share it with you because revisiting the footage has me yearning to go back to KI (everyone should go in their lifetime) so I’ve taken some snapshots from within the video to share with you now, and I’ll be back with the video tomorrow 🙂

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Kangaroo Island Holidays – Is it Worth Visiting?

Kangaroo Island Holidays – Is it Worth Visiting?

Nestled off the coast of South Australia is a dreamy island where some of Australia’s precious animals, flora and fauna flourish amongst a largely protected expanse of National Parks. Kangaroo Island has been described as “Australia’s Galapagos”, a title which it more than deserves to hold. Within it’s boundaries it has a world of discovery tucked away for you to explore.

While Kangaroo Island may not be at the top of everyone’s list of best holiday destinations in Australia, for those looking for a truly unique insight into Australia that cannot be found elsewhere, we believe this piece of island paradise is without a doubt an experience not to be missed.

Situated around 14kms from South Australian shoreline town of Cape Jervis, KI is Australia’s 3rd largest island, with a fluctuating population of 4,400 residents. It’s widest and longest points are 155kms in length and 57kms width, which results in an island that is easy to explore, yet large enough to offer a wonderous variety of landscapes and coastal stretches to bring your inner explorer to life.

Who Should Visit Kangaroo Island?

 

With it’s Koalas lazing in gumtrees, Sea Lions and Fur Seals basking or playing, Goannas shuffling through the red soils, or Little Penguins waddling up the beach at sunset, this National Treasure offers a wildlife experience that can’t be beat anywhere else within Australia.

Over a third of the island is classified as National Park or Conservation area. This fact coupled with the absence of rabbits and foxes, means a large range of native wildlife has blossomed on KI, with little interference from introduced species or settlers.

As Eagles glide overhead and dolphins bring their young in to rest along the shoreline, KI offers a wildlife wonderland to those travellers who are inspired by nature.

There is also a bustling art scene and intriguing history to be explored, not to mention the rocky formations, white sandy beaches and unique flora that treat your eyes at every turn. Not to be forgotten is the spectacular, mouth watering local cuisine! The fertile lands of KI mean that there is locally produced food, dairy and other delicacies that are offered up fresh on the island at a range of farms and eateries.

Anyone with a love of nature or sense of adventure for activities like sand boarding, quad biking or boating, will also appreciate all KI has to offer.

When To Visit?

Each season offers a different experience on Kangaroo Island. The summer months are the most popular for visitors and tourists as the weather is warmer. During the summer months, animals will predominately shelter from the day time heat and be more visible during dusk and dawn. Visitors are treated to a range of summer wildflowers and Fur Seal pups.

Autumn is the start of the nesting season for the Little Penguins and Glossy Black Cockatoos. Winter is the time that baby Koalas emerge and begin riding on their mothers backs, baby Wallabies emerge from their mother’s pouches too. Look out for Echidna mating trains & Southern Right Whales passing the shoreline too. Visit in Spring for a Wildflower spectacular!

Other Considerations:

One of the most common question we are asked when it comes to choosing whether or not to visit Kangaroo Island is due to the high cost involved. Getting to the island involves either arriving via the ferry with or without your car, or flying in and hiring a car or exploring via guided tour. It can cost around $500 for a return trip on the Sealink ferry and it’s understandable that many people find this cost prohibitive to visiting KI without knowing what to expect. Flying in also means the cost of flights as well as tour or car hire expenses.

So is it worth it?Without a doubt, yes! If you love all the things we’ve mentioned above you’ll LOVE KI! We’ve got some videos coming soon just so you can see for yourself before you arrive, just how amazing it is. Don’t worry about the cost in getting to the island, as there’s a range of accommodation that will suit your budget. We camped for only $10 a night for all 5 of us including power! So there are ways to get there and afford it, so in our opinion the cost of getting there can be buffered in other ways.

Have you been to Kangaroo Island Already? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

 

Cuttlefish For Dinner!

Cuttlefish For Dinner!

Forget the cool morning breeze, when there’s a beach to explore nothing can stop us! During our family holiday to Kangaroo Island we hit the shores of Vivonne Bay to see what we could find, and mother nature let us in on some great finds!

Today for Wordless Wednesday I’m sharing a great one with you:  a big cuttlefish bone with teeth marks in it!

cuttlefish shell

Can you see the teeth marks?

DO YOU KNOW WHAT ANIMAL OWNS THESE TEETH MARKS?
Kangaroo Island Holiday Dreaming – An Introduction

Kangaroo Island Holiday Dreaming – An Introduction

As I write this, it’s 7 days until we fly out to start our Kangaroo Island holiday for our Nat Geo Nissan Xtrail Documentary Adventure heading along the Great Ocean Road before arriving in Kangaroo Island for 3 days of amazing exploration.

Image (c) Tourism South Australia

There are many iconic places and road trips right around Australia, but for us, Kangaroo Island and the Great Ocean Road have been at the top of our list for at least the past few years. So while we can’t tell you all the amazing details from personal experience just yet, we’ve been doing so much research, I thought we’d give you an insight into Kangaroo Island, what’s so special about it, and what we are looking forward to discovering there.

 Why Kangaroo Island is Worth Visiting.

Unlike most areas of mainland Australia, the wildlife and wilderness of Kangaroo Island remain relatively pristine. Offering a unique safe haven for species not found elsewhere in the country, this magnificent island has been described as “The Galapagos of Australia”.

Unlike other regions and largely due to isolation from the mainland, Kangaroo Island retains over half of it’s old growth forests, and is free from pests such as foxes and rabbits. These factors alone are unique.

Things to Do on Kangaroo Island

Enjoy Nature

As a family we are TOTAL wildlife lovers. We’d happily spend days just wandering around, exploring nature, spotting wildlife and there I would be as usual getting a workout carrying all my camera gear trying to capture everything I can so we can relive the experience.

With such a pristine environment it goes without saying that there’s lots of wildlife to be viewed on the island. You can choose from a range of tours and tour companies and if you’re lucky enough you’ll have the chance to see things such as:

  • Australian Sea Lions
  • New Zealand Fur Seals
  • Little Penguins
  • Kangaroo Island Kangaroos
  • Tammar Wallabies
  • Heath Goannas
  • Echidnas
  • Koalas
  • Dolphins
Get up close to Animals:

There are specific Wildlife Parks and Shows that allow you to get up close and personal with some of the islands animals, these include:

  • Parndana Wildlife Park
  • Island Pure Sheep Dairy
  • Cliffords Honey Farm
  • Seal Bay Guided Tour
  • Raptor Domain Show
  • Paul’s Place Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Rare Breeds Farm
  • Penguin Pageant
  • Noctournal Tours
Get Adventurous

If you’re looking to spark a little adventure into your Kangaroo Island Holiday, then you can’t go past Kangaroo Island Outdoor Action. This is one company we’ve researched and contacted already and we’ll be leaving the adventure in our holiday up to these experts. They offer

  • Quad Bike Tours – allowing you to get to areas you otherwise wouldn’t see
  • Sandboarding – Head off to “Little Sahara” to try your sandboarding skills
  • Kayaking – See the amazement of Kangaroo Island from the water – we’re really excited that they accommodate children so we’ll all get to take part together

Other opportunities for adventure include Bike Riding, 4wd Tours & Marine Tours that offer the chance to swim with dolphins and deep sea fishing adventures too!

Savour the Taste!

I keep hearing about how amazing the food and wine is on Kangaroo Island, As as a food lover I truly can’t wait to experience the cuisine on offer! Kangaroo Island is abundant with fertile farmlands and stunning seafood, my mouth is watering just writing this! I’ll be sure to drive you all crazy with full details that will make your belly’s rumble!

I can’t wait to fill the pages our site with stunning photography and stories about this amazing place, I don’t think I’ve ever looked forward to visiting anywhere quite so much. Perhaps except Uluru & Kakadu, and I have a feeling this amazing experience we’re about to undertake will math those experience, if not blow them out of the water!