Kangaroo Island at a glance
Kangaroo Island is situated 15 km off the mainland coast of South Australia, and is the third largest of Australia's islands at 4,500 square kilometers.
The island is promoted as a world-class nature-based tourist destination and is regarded as a key attraction in the continued development of the State and National tourism industry. Being the key nature-based and ecotourism destination in South Australia, it attracts over 150,000 visitors per year of which approximately 30% are international.
The natural ecosystems of Kangaroo Island are distinctive and contain a large number of endemic and nationally threatened flora and fauna. The biological integrity of Kangaroo Island remains relatively intact and there have been no known species extinction within the last 160 years. As such, Kangaroo Island provides one of the last opportunities in South Australia to maintain the biodiversity of an entire environmental region. It is important that this asset is protected and maintained.
Private property comprises significant areas of remnant native vegetation combined with cleared and semi-cleared improved pastures. The local economy is based upon nature-based tourism and primary production centered on grazing, crops, fishing, aquaculture, viticulture and forestry.
Kangaroo Island experiences warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters with summer temperatures averaging between 20-25°C and winter temperatures between 13-15°C. Annual rainfall varies markedly across the Island ranging from 450-1000mm with two thirds of annual rainfall occurring between May and September.
The island features 24 protected areas covering over 116,000 ha (or 25 percent) and is managed by the Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH) whilst the marine environment is also of spectacular significance for its biodiversity conservation, aquaculture, fishing, and other recreational uses.
DEH websites:
Tourism on Kangaroo Island is managed by the Kangaroo Island Council, Tourism Kangaroo Island, Kangaroo Island Development Board and the South Australian Tourism Commission as the state government department responsible for sustainable tourism growth.
The Kangaroo Island Tourism Profile is available in .pdf and is published by the South Australian Tourism Commission.
In 2004 a Kangaroo Island Regional Profile was developed by the Kangaroo Island Development Board.