Kangaroo in both name and nature, this large island just 13 km (8 mi) off the South Australian mainland has remained relatively untouched for thousands of years; and as such is an unblemished microcosm of the vast red continent.

Towering cliffs protect the northern shores, giving way to more exposed sandy beaches in the south. Bushwalking is pretty compulsory, and trails meander across the national and conservation parks that cover a third of the island.

Wild koalas hug the trees and kangaroos hop down the streets. Isolated from the ravages of European diseases and introduced species that afflicted their near neighbours, the native animals and plants have flourished. Echidnas, platypuses, possums and penguins are all on the wildlife fanatic’s list.

In 1800, Captain Matthew Flinders was commissioned by the British Government to chart the southern coastline of Terra Australis in HMS Investigator. He first sighted this island in March 1802, came ashore and named it Kangaroo Island, after dining well on wild kangaroo meat.

Just weeks later he spotted a French ship on the horizon, under the command of Nicholas Baudin. Despite their two countries being at war, the two men were civil, exchanging ideas and even vital supplies. Baudin went on to map the south and west coastlines, leaving many French names in his wake: Ravine des Casoars, D’Estress Bay and Cape de Couedic, now home to a colony of New Zealand fur seals.

Experienced divers may discover one of the 50 or so wrecks that litter this rocky coastline. Following the earliest recorded shipwreck in 1847, the first lighthouse in South Australia was built at Cape Willoughby, and stands to this day 27 metres (89 ft) high and a healthy climb to the top.

Ferries landing at Penneshaw on the eastern tip make it a hotspot for tourists, but it is easy enough to get away into the wilds and delight in this well-preserved refuge.

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