At Alkina Lodge we are incredibly lucky to have a range of beautiful, native Australian wildlife on our doorstep. Around the lodges we’re lucky enough to regularly see kangaroos and a range of native birdlife, and not too far away you’ll also be able to find koalas, whales, echidnas and little penguins.
For many of our guests, one of the highlights of a stay at Alkina Lodge is seeing kangaroos hopping around the lodges in the early morning. If you want to know more about these powerful marsupials, read on!
Kangaroo Facts
- Kangaroos are found in the wild in only two countries in the world: Australia and New Guinea.
- There are several species of kangaroo including the Red Kangaroo, the Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Western Grey Kangaroo and Antilopine Kangaroo. The ones we see here at Alkina Lodge are Eastern Grey Kangaroos.
- Kangaroos are part of the Macropodidae family, which also includes wallabies, tree-kangaroos, wallaroos, quokkas and pademelons. We often see Red Necked Wallabies and Black Swamp Wallabies at Alkina Lodge as well as kangaroos.
- The Eastern Grey Kangaroo can be quite large in size. A male can grow to measure around 2 metres long and weigh up to 66kgs, and its tail can grow to over a metre long (it’s very useful for balancing). It’s no wonder these powerful creatures can reach speeds of over 50 kms an hour!
- Kangaroos may have very powerful legs and be very fast, but did you know they can’t walk backwards?!
- Some ‘roo terminology for you: babies are called “joeys” and a group of kangaroos is called a “mob”.
- Kangaroos feed mostly at night and early in the morning – that’s why we recommend you take a look out of the window as soon as you wake up when you stay at Alkina Lodge, as you’ll often see them hopping around outside. During the daytime, you’ll usually find them sleeping in the shade.
- Everyone loves to see a joey peeping out from its mother’s pouch. Kangaroos breed throughout the year, but more births occur in the summer months. Baby kangaroos are born after only 31-38 days gestation, so they’re pretty tiny when they’re first born, and they live in their mother’s pouch for up to 8 months.
- In the wild, a kangaroo will usually live for about 6 to 8 years.
- Kangaroos tend to travel in groups (or “mobs”), made up of a mixture of males, females and joeys. There’s usually one dominant male in the group.
- While they may appear friendly and even a little bit docile, kangaroos can become unpredictable and aggressive if they feel threatened. You shouldn’t approach them or try to touch them. We recommend you simply enjoy watching them quietly from a safe distance.
- Yes, you can eat kangaroo meat – it’s been legal for human consumption here since 1993. It mostly comes from wild animals as a byproduct of population control programmes. The meat is high in protein and low in fat, and you can buy it in many forms including steaks, sausages and mince. It’s available in many supermarkets, restaurants and cafes.
- The kangaroo is an official emblem of Australia. It all began in 1773 when an illustration of a kangaroo appeared on the publication of an account of Captain Cook’s first Pacific voyage on the Endeavour.
- In 1908 the kangaroo achieved official recognition and was included on Australia’s coat of arms.
More Information
To find out more about other native Australian wildlife that you can see at Alkina Lodge click here. You can also click here to book a stay and have the chance of seeing these beautiful creatures for yourself!
Where To Stay
Luxury accommodation is available at Alkina Lodge (+61 3 8899 7426 ; alkinalodge.com.au ), an architecturally designed lodge set in over 100 acres of native bushland. The lodge is about 15 minutes drive from the 12 Apostles and is suitable for couples, families and groups. Prices start from $297.50 per person per night (based on twin share occupancy and excluding flights).
Getting There
The Great Ocean Road is located in Victoria and stretches for 243 kms, starting at Torquay and ending near Warrnambool. How to get there depends on which part of the Great Ocean Road you’d like to visit. However, the most famous sights such as the 12 Apostles and Port Campbell National Park are located 275 kms west of Melbourne, approximately a 4 hour drive along the Great Ocean Road.
