IN SEASON
Animal Spotting
Welcome spring’s quiet beauty with wildlife encounters that remind us why we journey to wild places. WORDS Sarah Vercoe
Spring in Australia arrives quietly, without fanfare. Days lazily stretch longer, the air gently grows warmer, and change reveals itself through nature’s small awakenings: joeys taking their first leap, humpback calves learning to pirouette amongst the waves, the penguins of Australia’s southern shores returning to nest beside their lifelong mates. For those who love wildlife, these are the moments that stir something within us and remind us why we travel.
QUOKKA JOEYS, ROTTNEST ISLAND
Quokkas and springtime share something special: September, when the season begins and Rottnest Island’s (Wadjemup) most endearing ambassadors make their first appearances. All winter long, quokka joeys have lived and grown in their mothers’ pouches. Now, as spring arrives, these adorable, palm-sized bundles of fur emerge, wobbling into the world and blinking in the sunshine as they find their feet. Timid at first, they tumble and stumble through their first hops under their mothers’ watchful eyes.
Must-see moment: Spot tiny faces peeking cautiously from pouches in the early morning or late afternoon when quokkas are the most active. Set sail to Rottnest Island with rottnestexpress.com.au.
HUMPBACK WHALE CALVES, NINGALOO
One of the ocean’s most moving spectacles takes place in springtime along Ningaloo’s glistening coastline. Guided by their mothers, humpback calves journey southward in their first migration. Usually born in warmer, northern waters, spring marks the start of their journey to Antarctica’s rich feeding grounds. Along the way, calves play among the waves, Spotting mimicking their mothers’ languid dances. It’s an ancient choreography passed down through generations, a display that blurs the line between play and practice.
Must-see moment: Mother and calf swimming beneath you in a duet millions of years in the making. Swim with these giant beauties at exmouthdiving.com.au.
JUMPING CROCODILES, THE TOP END
In the build-up to the wet season, the Top End’s rivers swell, abundant with fish and other wildlife. Crocodiles become more active, and the warmer days awaken something ancient in these apex predators. Drawn by the promise of food and guided by instinct, they surge into action, hunting in often dramatic and always powerful ambushes. Explosive launches from the water showcase their raw strength and speed; to witness their primordial force is to glimpse the prehistoric world, alive and untamed.
Must-see moment: The startling display of a crocodile ambushing its prey, launching itself into the air, jaws snapping mere centimetres from your boat. Spot saltwater crocodiles on a journey with outbackspirittours.com.au.
BABY KOALAS, KANGAROO ISLAND
As the warmth of spring releases the scent of eucalyptus in Kangaroo Island’s (Karta Pintingga) forests, koala joeys begin to emerge from their mothers’ pouches, clutching their fur as they feed on fresh springtime growth. A koala joey’s early months are uneventful, with days punctuated by dozing and milk. Mild temperatures and a blooming understory in the forest create perfect conditions forthis unhurried start to life.
Must-see moment A koala joey clambering from its mother’s pouch to its back, as she moves through the eucalyptus forest. Be mesmerised by these precious joeys with outbackspirittours.com.au.
FAIRY PENGUINS, TASMANIA
Come spring, Tasmania’s coastal dunes play host to a nightly ritual. At dusk, Fairy Penguins waddle ashore under the cover of darkness, returning to their burrows to prepare for breeding season. This homecoming is no longer a casual winter waddle; the penguins’ springtime procession carries an ancient weight of responsibility. Lifelong mates reunite to nuzzle down in their burrows, reaffirming bonds that will see them through another breeding cycle. It’s a time of year that sees penguin colonies transformed into epicentres of activity, driven by the urge to continue their species. Follow clifftop lookouts or wooden boardwalks, to witness one of spring’s most magical encounters.
Must-see moment: A line of penguins crossing the beach at twilight, silhouetted against a candy-floss sky. See this on a trip to Tasmania with outbackspirittours.com.au.