After the FIRES

The bushfires of 2020 ravaged South Australia's Kangaroo Island, scorching over half of its land. We return to see how both locals and the native wildlife are bouncing back

- Lyn Hughes

"Kangaroo Island is packed full of animals that don't know the rules of the road! We can't chase them for the insurance money, so we need you to sign a waiver." The words of the guy at the car hire company were replaying in my consciousness as the ferry approached the dark mass of Australia's Kangaroo Island, or KI as it is commonly called.

As it turned out, I didn't even have to wait to set foot on land to make my first wildlife sighting. It was the end of the migration season for southern rights and humpbacks, and I was having little luck scanning the water for whales. Then, just as I was getting ready for disembarkation, a small pod of dolphins appeared by the ferry, cavorting just metres away. I couldn't have asked for a better welcome to a destination I'd been wanting to visit for years.

My excitement was only tempered by the knowledge of the island's recent history. In the early part of 2020, KI had been afflicted by horrific bushfires, the largest in its history, which had burned for several weeks. I didn't know what to expect and arrived curious as to how much of the island and its wildlife had recovered from this devastation.

Driving rather tentatively off the ferry, I was on full alert for rule-breaking critters but only spotted the odd bit of roadkill. By the time I pulled into Oceanview Eco Villas, my base for the next few days, I was desperate for a sighting of a live kangaroo. Owned by Tamsin and Tim Wendt, this proved to be one of the best places I have ever stayed. Run as a sustainable retreat, its beautiful clifftop location and top-notch food and service were a delight. But the icing on the cake came as I was being shown my villa. Tamsin pointed out of my window and declared: "There's a kangaroo out there right now, and it's very much alive."