KANGAROO ISLAND
ABOUT KANGAROO ISLAND
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Kangaroo Island is Australia's third-largest island after Tasmania and Melville Island. It is 112 kilometres (70 mi) southwest of Adelaide at the entrance of Gulf St Vincent.
At its closest point to the mainland, it is 13 kilometres (8 mi) offshore from Cape Jervis, on the tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula in the state of South Australia.
The island is 150 km (93 mi) long and between 900 m (980 yd) and 57 km (35 mi) wide, its area covering 4,405 km2 (1,701 sq mi). Its coastline is 540 kilometres (340 mi) long and highest altitude is 307 m (1,010 ft).
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HISTORY OF KANGAROO ISLAND
Kangaroo Island was separated from mainland Australia by a rise in sea level over 9,000 years ago. Stone tools found suggest that Aboriginal people occupied the land at least 11,000 years ago; it is supposed that they disappeared in 200 BC.
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In 1802 British explorer Matthew Flinders named the land "Kanguroo Island" after landing near Kangaroo Head on the north coast of Dudley Peninsula. He was closely followed by the French explorer Nicolas Baudin, who mapped much of the island (which is why so many areas have French names).
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An unofficial community of sealers and others was set up on Kangaroo Island from 1802 to the time of South Australia's official settlement in 1836.
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The biggest town on Kangaroo Island is Kingscote. Originally established at Reeves Point on 27 July 1836, it is South Australia's first official European settlement.
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Penneshaw, the second largest town on Kangaroo Island, has a population of around 300, and is located on the north eastern tip of the Dudley Peninsula, on the eastern end of the island. It is home to the ferry terminal which brings most of the visitors to the island, along with all the necessary freight to sustain the local population.
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Parndana is the third largest town on Kangaroo Island, and is home to a population of around 150, however most of this population do not live in the town, they are sprawled within a few kilometres.
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American River is the fourth largest town on the Island and is home to about 120 residents.
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Kangaroo Island is one of South Australia's most popular tourist attractions, attracting over 140,000 visitors each year, with international visitors, primarily from Europe.
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Popular Kangaroo Island tourist destinations
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• Seal Bay and the sea lion colony
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• Flinders Chase National Park, which includes Remarkable Rocks, Admiral's Arch, lighthouses at Cape Borda and Cape du Couedic, and multiple walking trails and camping areas
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• Cape Willoughby
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• Kelly Hill Caves
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• Little Sahara, huge drifting sand dunes on the south coast
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• Various Farm Gate and Winery Cellar Doors that create Kangaroo Island's unique gourmet produce
Kangaroo Island Climate
The winters between June and September are mild and wet, the summers usually warm and dry. Tempered by the ocean, particularly on the coastline, maximum temperatures in summer rarely exceed 35 degrees Celsius. Average temperatures in August range between 13 to 16 degrees and in February, the hottest month, between 20 and 25 degrees.
Average Annual Temperature: 11.6 - 19.1 ºC
Average January Temperature: 14.9 - 23.6 ºC
Average July Temperature: 8.4 - 14.6 ºC
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