• SUMMER (December-February) (read more)
• AUTUMN (March-May) (read more)
• WINTER (June-August) (read more)
• SPRING (September-November) (read more)

SUMMER (December-February)

KANGAROO ISLAND
• Kangaroos and tammar wallabies are seen predominantly at dawn and dusk.
• Little penguins moult all their feathers at the end of the breeding season and can lose up to half their body weight.
• New Zealand fur seals give birth to chocolate-brown pups.
• The Australian sea-lion breeding season begins with pups born from January to June.
• Heath goannas lay 10-17 eggs in the warm, stable, humid atmosphere of termite mounds, the perfect incubator.
• Koalas, wallabies and kangaroos give birth to tiny young, which are naked and blind.

FLINDERS RANGES & OUTBACK
• Wedgetail eagles are sighted more frequently between November and May predominantly in the early morning. They rely on thermals for flight and feed on young bird species visiting the region for food during the summer months.
• Reptiles may generally be seen more often during the summer months when they warm themselves on rocks.
• Clear summer skies are ideal for star-gazing in the South Australian Outback – the ideal spot in the Arkaroola Observatory in the Flinders Ranges

AUTUMN (March-May)

KANGAROO ISLAND
• Glossy black cockatoos and little penguins begin nesting.
• Black swans begin their courtship behaviour of wing-raising, neck-stretching and loud trumpeting.
• Fungi start to appear on damp ground and rotting wood.

FLINDERS RANGES & OUTBACK
Although anytime is considered to be a good time to visit the Flinders Ranges and Outback, the climate between April and October makes a winter visit more appealing. Wildlife is generally at its most active, too, particularly at dawn and dusk.

EYRE PENINSULA
Autumn is also considered a good time to visit the coastline and wilderness of the Eyre Peninsula region.
• Swim with sea lions and dolphins at Baird Bay
• Watch southern right whales entering South Australian waters to care for their young at the Head of Bight.

FLEURIEU PENINSULA
• Watch southern right whales off the coast of the Fleurieu Peninsula.

LIMESTONE COAST
• Autumn is a great time to visit wetlands, such as The Coorong, to see large numbers of migratory birds leaving southern Australia to fly north to breed.

WINTER (June-August)

KANGAROO ISLAND
Winter is spectacular with lush green countryside, flowing rivers and abundant wildlife - Kangaroo Island at its most appealing. Land mammals, predominantly night, dawn and dusk feeders for most of the year, frequently come out by day during this season.
• Koalas emerge from the mother’s pouch and begin to ride on her back. Visit Flinders Chase National Park for sightings.
• Kangaroo and wallaby joeys start to emerge from the mother’s pouch and feed by her side.
• Echidnas form ‘mating trains’ where up to eight males will follow a female for around four weeks.
• Waders, on their migration from Siberia, begin to arrive.
• Ospreys show off to their mates in spectacular courtship fights.
• Southern right whales pass the shores on their migration from Antarctic waters to the Great Australian Bight to calve.

FLINDERS RANGES & OUTBACK
• Emu chicks are more likely to be seen late winter early spring.
• Western grey and red kangaroos are most active at dawn and dusk, their usual feeding period. They’re more active during this season, as they don’t have the summer heat to contend with when they prefer to laze in a shady corner to avoid losing energy.
• The rare yellow-footed rock wallabies can be seen at Telowie, Wilkawillina, Brachina and Bunyeroo Gorges
• Euros and dragon lizards can also be spotted in these areas of the desert.
• Depending on rainfall, wildflowers can bloom from August to October, beginning with the Golden Wattle, Australia’s national floral emblem, which flowers in late August to early September.

EYRE PENINSULA
• Australian giant cuttlefish migrate to shallow water at Whyalla to mate and spawn. During mating, the complex structures embedded in their skin produce thousands of colours and patterns, providing a stunning display for visitors.

MURRAY RIVER
• Wombats enjoy sunbathing outside their burrows on sunny winter days, particularly at Brookfield Conservation Park and on the roads between Sedan and Blanchetown.

LAKE EYRE
With sufficient rainfall, the inland rivers flood Lake Eyre during the winter and this usually harsh area becomes a breeding ground for waterbirds and marine life.

SPRING (September-November)

With breeding at its peak during the spring, many birds have their brightest plumage and are singing to their hearts’ content!

KANGAROO ISLAND
Spring is the season of rebirth. It is a wonderful time to see the spectacular array of wildflowers, birds and mammals.
• Wildflowers are in abundance. There are approximately 40 endemic floral species found on Kangaroo Island.
• Eucalyptus oil is in peak production. One tonne of leaf can produce up to 30 litres of oil.
• Cape Barren geese nest on top of the native iris grasses to incubate their eggs.
• Platypuses lay two eggs in a burrow up to 20 metres long.

LIMESTONE COAST
• Escape the heat of summer to visit World Heritage listed Naracoorte Caves National Park, complete with great stalactite and giant marsupial ancestors in the Victoria Fossil Cave.
• Spring is also when thousands of bent-wing bats migrate to the Naracoorte Caves and, between November and February they can be seen resting in the Maternity Cave view video link-up.
• The national parks of the Limestone Coast are transformed in October with the start of the wildflower season.
• This is also the time of year to watch migratory waders at The Coorong.

FLINDERS RANGES & OUTBACK
• Sleepy lizards and frill-necked lizards may be seen in this area between September and November, basking in the sun upon rock faces. Bearded dragons may also be found on rock outcrops throughout the Ranges.

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