You Yangs koalas, Serendip kangaroos and return

HELP RESEARCH KOALAS:
We depart Melbourne at around 8.30am to travel just 45 minutes to the west to the bushland of You Yangs Park. The park is home to a healthy population of wild Koalas, which we research and monitor to ensure the best possible sightings. We take a very easy walk through the gum trees, searching for koalas, wallabies, kangaroos and birds in their natural setting.

The area we walk through is of great significance to the local Aboriginal People of the Wathaurong Tribe. The granite rock formations of the You Yangs staged huge meetings of Aboriginal People from all over Southeastern Australia. Many signs of their occupation still remain. Though we may not meet Aboriginal People on this tour, we act with deep respect for their culture and with the knowledge, consent and support of the Wathaurong Community
WALK WITH WILD KANGAROOS:
After lunch we travel just 10 minutes to Serendip wetlands national park. Often our entrance is heralded by the screeching of cockatoos or the chattering of honeyeater birds. We drive, then walk through the gum trees and across grasslands in search of wild mobs of Eastern Grey Kangaroos. They are wild and secretive, and we often walk quietly along kangaroo tracks, using trees and bushes as shelter. Sometimes we find them before they see us, and we can watch completely natural kangaroo social behaviour. Other times they find us first, and we enjoy the magnificent sight of a wild mob hopping, fast and powerful, but silent as ghosts. We also look out for curious emus, and if time permits, take a short walk to the billabong, home to large populations of waterbirds. We finish our kangaroo and koala tour and return to Melbourne around 4.00 to 4.30pm.
NOTE: this itinerary is an indication only. Due to conditions on the day, weather or National Parks instructions, it may change to maximise wildlife viewing opportunities.

Book a Private Tour just for you

If you want to spend the whole day just with your family or group of friends, these trips are for you. These private wildlife day tours will be customised just for you – please contact us with your group size & interests.

2 options available + Sunset option

Option 1: Private Koalas & Kangaroos In The Wild Deluxe with Bush Pub Lunch

Includes 2 course pub lunch served with good quality Australian bottled wine and beer at a classic Aussie Outback Pub. You will be picked up and returned to your city hotel, cruise ship or agreed convenient location.

Option 2: Private Koalas & Kangaroos In The Wild with Picnic Lunch

Includes a delicious picnic bush lunch of gourmet sandwiches, fruit, cakes and Billy Tea. You will be picked up and returned to your city hotel, cruise ship or agreed convenient location.

Private Sunset Koalas & Kangaroos In The Wild

Click here to go to the Sunset Koalas & Kangaroos page.

Koala Conservation

Your Wildlife Guide will introduce you to each koala seen on the tour as an individual, with a history, social life and family. You will learn all about these threatened mammals, and probably have some great photographic opportunities. You will learn how to approach koalas quietly, and how to watch them from a respectful distance without disturbing them. (For details please see our Sustainable Koala watching Guidelines on our not for profit Koala Clancy Foundation site.)
While watching koalas we stop for 5 minutes to remove some invasive weeds that degrade koala habitat. Please go to our Make a Home for Koala Clancy! project for more details.

IN THE WILD

Wild Eastern Grey Kangaroos and Koalas are the main focus of this tour. We also see a large variety of birds, which often include Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Galahs, Laughing Kookaburras, Superb Fairy-wrens, Whitewinged Choughs, Emus, Cape Barren and Magpie Geese, New Holland and White-plumed Honeyeaters, Australian White Ibis, Whistling Kites, Australian Magpies, Magpie-larks, Red-rumped Parrots, Crimson or Eastern Rosellas, Crested Pigeons, Red Wattlebirds and Willie Wagtails. We sometimes see wild Swamp (Black) Wallabies, Common Brushtail or Ringtail Possums, Common Blue-tongue or Jacky Lizards, Wedge-tailed and Little Eagles, falcons, goshawks, other parrots and cockatoos. We occasionally see an Echidna.  Some of these animals are seasonal – please contact us if you want to know more. We rarely see snakes or spiders, though we are as interested in them as in all wildlife, and will look out for them.  You do not need to be afraid of these animals – they are harmless when treated with respect, and your Guide knows how to do this.
Koala information: koalas are not bears, they are marsupials, so we don’t call them koala bears. You will learn more about them on this tour from your expert Wildlife Guide.
Note: we go to enormous effort to ensure sightings of Eastern Grey Kangaroos and Koalas and have a very high success rate with these species. However, we do not guarantee sightings of any wild animal.

Travel with the best of the best!

See Australian animals IN THE WILD at your own pace, with a top level Echidna Walkabout Wildlife Guide. Your private kangaroo and koala tour will cater to your needs – if you need extra time for photography, you’ve got it. If you want to specialise in birds, mammals, reptiles, plants, geology – you can do it.

Duration: 1 Day – approx 7 hours.
Departs:  08.30 from your Melbourne city hotel.
Note: No tours run on Christmas & Boxing Days (December 25 & 26) or New Years Day (January 1)
Returns: to Melbourne city between 3.30 & 4 pm.
Minimum/maximum participants:  pricing is based on 2 to 8 people. For larger groups, please contact us. Single passengers are welcome – contact us for a quote.
Location: the Great Western Plains near Melbourne including Serendip Wetlands, the You Yangs or Brisbane Ranges National Park.
Grade/Difficulty: easy

Tour  Inclusions

Day Tour includes: Full interpretation by an experienced Wildlife Guide, lunch (see Details tab), entry fees and transport to and from pickup location. Share binoculars, all equipment necessary for conservation activities. A library of Wildlife and Natural History books on board vehicle, available for guest use during the day.
Expert experienced Wildlife Guides: Echidna Walkabout’s Wildlife Guides are recognised as some of the best in Australia. Our Wildlife Guide training program ensures that all Guides have an in-depth knowledge of the wildlife and environments you will see. They are friendly, knowledgeable and passionate about wildlife – some of them have over 20 years experience working with wild animals, several are volunteer wildlife carers and rescuers and most have travelled extensively throughout Australia and the world.
Wildlife Research: Many hours of wildlife research work precede the tour to ensure that you see and learn about native wildlife in its natural environment. Guides carry two way radios and mobile phones which link them to other Wildlife Guides and to emergency services. Guest safety is of paramount importance to us.
Easy walking in the outdoors: Although this tour is vehicle based, most of the day is spent outside the vehicle on a number of easy, flat terrain, bushwalks so that you can get close to nature. Passengers must be able to walk unassisted at least 1km on uneven dirt surfaces to ensure wildlife sightings. There may be up to 5 walks of this duration during the day.
Meal on day tour: A substantial lunch.
Important: Vegetarian, gluten-free, pork-free or other food preferences should be noted at the time of booking. We can only cater for allergies and special food preferences that we are informed of in advance.
Transport from and to Melbourne city: In our comfortable air conditioned vehicle.

What to bring on your day tour

Strong, fully enclosed walking shoes or boots that completely cover your feet (sandals are not recommended), outdoor clothing to suit variable weather conditions (please check weather forecast for accurate predictions), sun hat, rainproof coat, insect repellent, 15+ sunscreen and 1 litre re-usable water bottle. Camera and binoculars are recommended.
Drinking Water: Tap water in Melbourne is completely safe and drinkable and available at your hotel, and a large fresh storage is carried on board the vehicle each day. We recommend you bring a re-usable water bottle which we can refill during the day. If you don’t like to drink tap water we highly recommend you bring a filter to reduce plastic waste.

Melbourne city morning pickup.

At time of booking, we will arrnage a pickup time from your Melbourne city accommodation. Please provide a contact phone number or accommodation details and contact us the day before to confirm.

Please be ready at the pickup point 5 minutes before the pickup time to ensure you get out to The Bush as quickly as possible.

After your Australian wildlife day tour you will be returned to the same location as pickup.

Cancellations

Please view our cancellation policy here