Australia has its fair share of incredible cities, but for some international visitors, the real prize lies far beyond the nation’s urban communities. From massive flightless birds to the earth’s last remaining monotremes, this sprawling nation is home to some of the most fascinating creatures that the earth has to offer. While it may be a little difficult to catch a glimpse of any of these animals in the wild, the following national parks are some of the best places to begin your search—ideally with a professional guide to lend a helping hand.
Platypus
The platypus may resemble the unholy spawn of a duck and a river otter, but this pint-sized creature is actually one of the earth’s last surviving monotremes, an order of mammals that lay eggs rather than give birth to live young. While the platypus can be found in rivers all across eastern Australia ranging from the Cape York Peninsula to Tasmania, the creatures are incredibly shy and tend to flee upon the first sign of an approaching human. For best results, book an excursion with Otway Eco Tours, a Victoria-based company that takes visitors through Great Otway National Park by canoe in search of the world’s favorite monotreme.
Southern Cassowary
Equipped with dagger-like toes and capable of running up to 31 miles per hour, humans should count themselves lucky that the cassowary’s diet consists mainly of fruit. While two species of cassowary can only be found in New Guinea and its surrounding islands, the Southern cassowary is also native to mainland Australia, inhabiting a few small slivers of land on the Cape York Peninsula. Those in search of this vibrant bird should make the trek out to Girringun National Park or Daintree National Park, but be wary—these birds are known to be quite aggressive towards humans, especially when they’re accompanied by a newly-hatched chick.
Tasmanian Devil
Equipped with incredibly strong jaws, a hair-raising scream, and a ravenous appetite for carrion, it’s easy to see how this iconic marsupial earned its name. As one may assume from the name, the Tasmanian devil can most frequently be spotted on the island of Tasmania—though a breeding population was introduced to the Barrington Tops region of New South Wales in 2020, allowing the species to proliferate on mainland Australia for the first time in thousands of years. To get an up-close view of these formidable creatures, the Tasmanian Devil Unzoo is a particularly viable option, with four habitats perfectly designed for the marsupials to call home.
Tiger Quoll
Don’t let the adorable face fool you—this pint-sized marsupial is a stone-cold killer, preying on insects, snakes, birds, and many of their fellow marsupials. Though habitat destruction over the past few centuries has rendered the tiger quoll extinct in South Australia, one subspecies can still be found today from Tasmania to the southeastern edge of Queensland, with a second subspecies located on the coast of the Cape York Peninsula. One particularly suitable spot for quoll hunting is Queensland’s Daintree National Park, but don’t get your hopes up—these spotted marsupials usually spend the day hidden away only to emerge at night.
Frilled Lizard
When confronted by a potential predator, this feisty reptile launches into a truly intimidating display, gaping its mouth and extending a large frill around its neck to scare off unwanted intruders. The species is typically found in the northern reaches of Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland, and can also be found on the island of New Guinea. The woodlands of places like the iconic Kakadu National Park are a great place to start, but be sure to keep your gaze skyward—frilled lizards are arboreal, meaning they spend most of their time perched up in a tree.
