BLUEPRINT TRAVEL UPDATE:

Visiting Kangaroo Island to See South Australia Wildlife

Kangaroo Island is Australia’s third largest island and located 110km (68 mi) from Adelaide in South Australia, so visiting Kangaroo Island is relatively easy. It is known for its wildlife, much of which has not been affected by human-brought pests, beautiful nature, and the quaint small-town charm directed by boutique businesses. While the wildlife attracted us to the island, it is this uncommercialized charm that really made us love the lifestyle of this area of Australia.

Unfortunately, the island was ravaged by a major wildfire in early 2020 that burned almost half of the island, damaging the homes of the wildlife of the island, all before a pandemic that decimated the tourism industry that Kangaroo Island heavily relies on. Today, the island continues to try to recover. Plants are regenerating, bringing back the animals that were once so prolific throughout. We were told that koalas would be everywhere in the eucalyptus trees of the island. Unfortunately, many did not survive the fires and the population continues to regenerate. This population of koalas is very important because it is the only one in Australia that has not been infected with chlamydia and is used to help maintain the populations in different parts of the country.

And while the island was hit hard by these two tragedies, its resilience is apparent. Everyone we talked to on the island absolutely loved living in this tight-knit community, saying that they all moved back there from the mainland to raise their families. They look out for each other and for the nature around them, building businesses that align with the goals of the island. The small businesses we visited often sold their own products along with those from the other businesses of the island. And when we went out to a cocktail bar one evening, we met locals who promoted their friend’s restaurant on the other side of the island. It is this camaraderie and community that cannot be manufactured.

We could have spent more than just a weekend on the island. It was a breath of fresh air (literally and figuratively) to be in a community that truly cared for the welfare of each other and the environment around them.

BLUEPRINT TRAVELERS' ITINERARY FOR VISITING KANGAROO ISLAND:

NEWS ARTICLES WE ARE FOLLOWING:

There is a lot going on in the world right now that we are talking about and following. Much of what happens in the United States has major effects on the policies and economies of the world and we feel it first hand when talking to locals about their daily lives and hardships and the conversation often leads to United States politics. We want to find ways to weave these perspectives into our writing and blog posts. For now, we will share some articles that are less impacted by the geopolitical chaos of the world right now.