The Koalas on Great Ocean Road

Otways Koalas

The Koalas on Great Ocean Road

Travelling to the Great Ocean Road wouldn’t be that fun if you miss the lovely and ever-cuddly Koalas. But no worries! As long as you’re in the Otways, having close sightings of these lazy fluffy friends is guaranteed. The Otways, by the way, host the largest population of this iconic Australian marsupial. Joining a great ocean road tour will increase your chances of spotting them.

As they are inaccurately called, Koala bears were hunted by indigenous Australians as depicted in their myths and cave art. The koalas were almost extinct at the beginning of the 20th century due to excessive hunting for fur, habitat loss, and disease.

What means koala?

Getting its name from an ancient Aboriginal word that means “no drink” a koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) gets ninety per cent of its water from eucalyptus and gum leaves. These Australian natives can be found in the eucalypt woodlands of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. Mostly in coastal regions. The koala’s habitat is the open eucalypt woodlands.

Fact about koalas

Fact about koalas

A koala measures 60–85 centimetres in length and weighs around 4-15 kilograms. And it can live up to 18 years in the wild. With wombats as their closest relatives, you can quickly identify a koala by its stout. It has no tail but a large head with round, fluffy ears. Its big spoon-shaped nose and silver grey to chocolate brown pelage makes a koala irresistibly cute.

What do kolas eat?

When you’re in the Otways, you can see them above, hugging the branch of a eucalyptus tree. If you stay in one of the villages near the Great Ocean Road, you will have the chance to get up close and personal with koalas. You can spot them often crossing the street and on the trees, greedily feeding on the leaves along the Grey River road.

Spending most of its waking hours eating, a koala can consume up to half a kilogram of eucalyptus leaves daily. Koalas store food in cheek pouches before swallowing. They have a sensitive nose to smell the correct leaves and avoid eating poisonous leaves. These furry friends live a sedentary lifestyle, sleeping up to 20 hours a day.

 

What do kolas eat

Only a mother koala and its dependent joey have bonds; koalas are asocial. They spend just 15 minutes a day socializing with others. They attract mates and intimidate rivals. They mark their territory by rubbing their chests against the tree.

Having a tiny brain relative to their size as a mammal, koalas cannot perform complex and unfamiliar tasks. But they make loud, growling, and aggressive noises that can often be confused with other wild animals. Don’t frighten a koala, or it will become aggressive. But if you’re friendly to them, they’re gentle and docile.

The forests of the Otways

The forests of the Otways

So as you travel to the Great Ocean Road and walk along the trails in the forests of the Otways, you better be constantly on the lookout for these tree jumpers — they can also jump from one tree to the next. They are swimmers, too. They can cross rivers.

In Kennett River, you can look closer at the koalas and take selfies. Most tourists from Japan, Europe, and the US would visit Victoria only to see the koalas. So, you’re not alone who is mesmerized by these fluffy fellows.

Related Tours

Wildlife Melbourne Tours Australia offers 12 apostles tours, loch ard gorge tour, and London bridge great ocean road tours. All of our tours are designed to provide an unforgettable adventure that allows you to explore the beauty of Australia’s wildlife from the comfort of your own vehicle. On the 12 Apostles tour, you will marvel at 12 Apostles‘ limestone rock formations and take in stunning views from atop this majestic coastal formation. The Loch Ard Gorge tour will showcase a dramatic coastline with plunging cliffs and bright blue waters perfect for whale watching in season. Finally, the London bridge Great Ocean Road is one of the most picturesque places on the Great Ocean Road where you can witness two magnificent limestone arches standing side by side like old friends. With Wildlife Tours Australia, you can easily explore some of the most beautiful and unique places in Australia. Book your tour today and let us show you all the natural beauty that our country has to offer!

great ocean road tour
Coastal / Scenic

1 Day Great Ocean Road Tour
This Great Ocean Road Tour is a guided scenic drive along Australia’s most spectacular coastline with jaw-dropping ocean views and ancient rainforests.
1 day
07:35-20:30
Book Now
150 from 109 AUD