Where to spot local Wildlife in Brisbane

It’s Australian Wildlife Week and we’re beyond excited to meet and learn a bit more about our local wildlife.Whether it’s in the bush, up in the trees or in the water, there’s plenty of incredible animals around us in Brisbane that we can spot. Wildlife parks and zoos are amazing, but seeing a native animal in the wild is something truly special. Here’s some of our favourites in the area:

1. Koala

   Koalas can be tricky to find when they’re resting in Eucalyptus trees, but there are growing numbers across South East Queensland. Clusters have been found in Wellington Point, Petrie, Daisy Hill, Beckwith Street Ormiston, Kurwongbah and you can visit them up close at the local Lone Pine Sanctuary. 

2. Flying Fox 

   While these animals are nocturnal, you can find hundreds of colonies in Brisbane sleeping in trees near the McLeod Golf Club in Middle Park, Indooroopilly Golf Club, Redcliffe Botanical Gardens and the City Botanical Gardens. At night they’ll search for fruit and nectar and in the process, pollinate flowers and disperse seeds. These animals are the largest flying mammal in the world and are critical to the ecosystem around us. 

3. Freshwater Turtle

   There are fourteen species of freshwater turtles in Brisbane, and they can be found at places like the Nudgee Water Hole, Sandgate Einbunpin Lagoon, Jacob’s Well Environmental Sanctuary, Crystal Waters Thornlands and the Kumbartcho Sanctuary. One of the most common is the Brisbane River Turtle or the Brisbane Short-necked Turtle, which inhabits many of the waterways in South East Queensland. They can be spotted with algae growing on their backs, which helps them camouflage and hide from predators. 

4. Platypus 

   These animals can be very shy so it will be difficult to find them easily. They can be sighted near Cedar Creek, Pullenvale, Pinjarra Hills, Karana Downs, and near our Wacol community. While they can look a bit different to other creek animals, but no less cute, the platypus shares genes with reptiles and birds.

5. Kangaroo

   These Aussie icons are commonly found near our Wacol community, often seen grazing on grass and relaxing in the shade. They use their long tail for balance and communicate to each other with clucking sounds. They can be a bit jumpy (pardon the pun), so don’t get too close. We don’t want to frighten them.

Did you know that Brisbane has more species of plants, animals, and insects than any other capital city in Australia? The next time you’re out and about, send us your pictures or tag us in your social media posts with any of these animals you come across and we’ll share it on our own social media platforms!