Life at the Edge - Kangaroo Island, SA Part 2

 Days 18-22

At some point during our first few days on KI, it became clear that six days was not going to be enough to fully immerse ourselves in everything the island had to offer. We contacted Sealink and managed to extend our stay by another two days — better than nothing, and entirely dependent on when they could fit Izzy back on the ferry.

Using Vivonne Bay as our base, we headed west to Flinders Chase National Park (named after Matthew Flinders) to visit some of the island’s most iconic sights: Cape du Couedic Lighthouse, Admirals Arch, Remarkable Rocks and Hanson Bay.

Wow!! That pretty much sums it up.

This place is extraordinary. From the vegetation to the ocean views, everything feels and looks dramatic and stunning. We’d read that this coastline epitomises ‘life at the edge’ - wild, harsh and exposed — yet everything here has adapted to survive.

We spent a long time at Admirals Arch, marvelling at the rock formations shaped over thousands of years and watching long‑nosed fur seals sunning themselves and playing on the rocks below. The NP is a sanctuary for endangered species.

 At Cape du Couedic Lighthouse, we once again reflected on the isolated lives of lighthouse keepers and their families. Built between 1909 and 1911 from over 2,000 pieces of local stone, the lighthouse was originally accessible only by sea. Everything - supplies, materials and people (!) - had to be hauled up a 92‑metre cliff from Weirs Cove. A flying fox followed, then a motorised winch, and it wasn’t until 1940 that the lighthouse was finally accessed by road.

The geological marvel that is Remarkable Rocks truly lives up to its name - enormous granite boulders sculpted by erosion perched improbably on the cliff edge. Exploring them was both fun and a little nerve‑wracking.

Hanson Bay was a gorgeous, little surprise detour on our way out of the park.

Special mention goes to the new Flinders Chase Visitor Centre, rebuilt after the catastrophic 2020 bushfires that devastated nearly half the island. It’s informative, thoughtfully designed, and a strong reminder of the island’s resilience.

We stopped briefly at Kelly’s Caves on the return journey but missed the tours for the day. Instead, we did a circular walk - hot, underwhelming, and nothing to write home about. You can’t love everything.

On our final morning at Vivonne Bay, we took a leisurely, not so early, walk along the lagoon and onto the beach, where we were delighted to spot a Hooded Plover. With only around 200 left on Kangaroo Island, seeing one was a real treat. We kept our distance and let it go about its business.

More seal encounters followed at Seal Bay Conservation Park, where we joined a guided tour that allowed us to walk on the beach just metres from the seals. An incredible experience. This colony is the third largest in Australia, with around 800 Australian sea lions - a species that was almost hunted to extinction in the 19^th century. Seeing them thriving up close felt like a privilege.

Not just seals at Seal Bay – from the boardwalk you can see the huge skeletal remains of a juvenile humpback whale in the sand. The whale washed up on the shore east of the lookout in 1984. To preserve the skeleton, it was moved bone by bone to its current location in 1996. It is believed the whale was 10m in length. 

Our plan was to head north after Seal Bay - until I realised I’d left our tea towel hanging on a tree back at camp. As we were nearby, we doubled back to retrieve it (still there). This minor detour turned into a gift. The sun had finally emerged, so we revisited Vivonne Bay jetty and were rewarded with brilliant blue water under clear skies – very different to the previous overcast scene. With low tide, we found a wonderful little rock pool at Point Ellen, where I swam and spotted a starfish, Stephen put up the drone for some amazing shots, and later we enjoyed lunch overlooking the bay.

After refilling water and grabbing groceries in Parndana (meaning Place of Little Gums) slap-bang in the middle of KI, we were reminded that remote island living comes at a price. Established after WWII as part of the Soldier Settlement Scheme, the town is functional rather than beautiful - but it serves a purpose. That purpose left us $49 poorer for not many groceries at all.

We then headed to Western River Cove for two nights. This place is a gem. A long, steep dirt road drops into a hidden valley, revealing a calm, sheltered cove. I swam, Stephen fished (unsuccessfully), and we simply soaked it all in.

Our last night on Kangaroo Island was spent at Emu Bay, following a stop in Kingscote for supplies and fishing tackle. The beach here is stunning and driveable, so we lunched right on the sand. Izzy enjoyed her first experience of sand driving. Unfortunately, the weather turned cold, wet and windy, so swimming was off the cards. The campground itself was fairly ordinary, but the location made up for it. We braved the cold in search of the resident Little Penguins at sunset, but while we think we heard them, we didn’t spot any - and didn’t want to disturb them with lights.

On our final morning, we made our way back to Penneshaw for the 2.30pm ferry, with a few stops along the way: Emu Bay Lavender Farm (Stephen under sufferance), where we ate enormous lavender scones with jam and cream (we probably should have shared); Prospect Hill, climbing the 500 steps to the island’s highest point; and the Kangaroo Island Sculpture Trail. The ferry crossing back was a little wild, and I was quietly relieved to be back on the mainland. Stephen once again nailed the reverse onto the ferry.

We drove a short distance to Rapid Bay for the night — busier than we’d usually choose, but with a lovely beach, an interesting cave and a sunset worth staying for.

And with that, our Kangaroo Island adventure within the big adventure came to an end.