Wildlife Watching in Australia

Information on where to find them around the Perth region

Western Grey Kangaroo

This is the most common kangaroo in the Perth area.  The best places to see them

• Heirrisson Island

This is a small island just outside the CBD of Perth.  There is a small population (perhaps deemed captive as they are fenced from the road) on the Western side of the island.  Park at the carpark on the Eastern side of the island and head under the road and through the fence – often found in the shaded vegetation and can be quite tame.  also accessible by public transport to the eastern end of Adelaide Tce (or Western end of Victoria Park) and then walking to the island across the bridge.

• Serpentine Falls

Popular with picnicker & bbqers the kangaroos are often seen on the grassed areas near where you park.

• Yanchep National Park

Often found around Lake McNess on the grass in front of the pub.  There is also a captive population of Koala’s here but they are not native to Western Australia.

Quokka (Setonix brachyurus)

Rottnest Island is the place to see Quokka’s easily- they are found throughout the island and are pretty tame – you can go for a day trip with a couple of different ferry companies.  They often get fed all sorts by tourists so the condition of the animals can be poor.

Quokka @ Rottnest Island

Small remnant populations of Quokka can also be found in the SW forests but they are hard to see and are under pressure from clearing and predation by introduced red foxes and feral cats.

Some of those locations include

• Bluff Knoll, Stirling Ranges
• Two Peoples Bay

Tammar Wallaby (Macropus eugenii)

Tammar wallaby are normally found in thick undergrowth and are timid so can be difficult to spot.  The most reliable location is Tutanning nature reserve on funnily-enough named Tammar Rd!  See blog.   They are also found at Dryandra.

They can also be seen on Garden Island just off Rockingham, but it is location of naval base HMAS Stirling, hence access is restricted only by boat during the daytime to certain parts of the island.

Black-flanked Rock Wallaby (Petrogale lateralis)

This rock wallaby distribution has greatly reduced since the introduction of feral predators and farming has made the rock outcrops they live in islands often in a desert of farmland.

They can be found in a number of rock outcrop sites in the Wheatbelt.

• Wheatbelt (access not encouraged during hot,dry months due to fire risk).
  • Mt Caroline Nature Reserve – surrounded by private land so you must get DBCA approval prior to accessing
  • Mt Stirling
  • Nangeen Hill (WWF & DBCA managed) – locked predator-proof fenced enclosure – no easy public access
  • Gundaring Nature Reserve
  • Kokerbin Nature Reserve
  • and a few private properties
• Swan Valley Region
  • Avon Valley NP (translocated) – unsure of where they can be found
  • Walyunga NP (translocated) – unsure of where they can be found
  • Paruna Sanctuary (AWC managed)  – translocated & fenced with limited day-time winter access
• Northern populations
  • Kalbarri – only recently rediscovered by rock climbers and new animals have been translocated to bolster population
  • Yardi Creek, Exmouth
  • Barrow Island
• Other populations
  • Cape Le Grande – translocated
  • Esperance Islands – Salisbury Is

Black-flanked rock-wallaby @ Mt Caroline Nature Reserve

Black-flanked rock-wallaby @ Mt Caroline NR

Western Brush Wallaby

I have found these wallabies timid and very camera shy.  I have seen a number of them but still not got a photo of a living one.  My only photo is of a road-killed one I found on Brookton Hwy being fed on by a pair of Wedge-tailed eagles.

I have seen animals along Beraking Pool Rd, Flynn – but this access is sometimes closed.

This is currently one of my focus animals – so hopefully I can update the information.

Euro

Often found solitary in higher ground.  My only sighting has been in the North at Coral Bay, but there are records from John Forrest NP and my friend Jimmy has seen them in the wheatbelt nature reserves.

Red Kangaroo

Typically found in the north of WA – info to come