Airlie Beach: Kangaroos on the Beach at Sunrise Eco Wildlife Tour

Before sunrise, the bus is at your door, it’s an early start but it is worth it. The drive south takes 1.5 hours and by the time you reach Cape Hillsborough National Park, the light is just coming up over the Coral Sea and the kangaroos are already moving down to the beach. These animals are completely wild. No fences, no feeding shows, no handlers. They approach on their own terms — to within half a metre — as they forage along the sand at dawn. Your accredited EcoGuide is beside you throughout, telling you what you are looking at and why Cape Hillsborough is one of the few places in Australia where this happens naturally, every morning. After sunrise, the group cooks the Drovers Breakfast together: bacon and egg damper rolls, hot French press coffee, and authentic Aussie Vegemite to try if you dare, while overlooking the coastal rainforest. Airlie Adventure Tours holds the 2026 Best of Queensland Experiences Gold Award.

Inclusions and Exclusions

Know Before You Go

• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Pickup is at 3:00 am from the front of your accommodation. Your driver will carry a sign and wears a green shirt. If you are not at your pickup point, the driver will call the phone number used at booking.
• Cape Hillsborough is 1.5 hours south of Airlie Beach. The early morning is significantly colder than Airlie Beach, even in summer. A light jacket is essential. Wear layers.
• What to bring: light jacket (essential), comfortable clothing for walking, walking shoes, water, camera.
• Kangaroo and wallaby sightings are highly likely but cannot be guaranteed. Animals are completely wild. Wildlife behaviour varies.
• No flash photography, no feeding animals, no touching animals, no noise, no speakers, no flashlights or torches, no insect repellent.
• No smoking, no alcohol, no drugs, no intoxication, no unaccompanied minors.
• Not wheelchair accessible. Stroller accessible. Near public transportation. Infants on laps during transport. Most travellers can participate. Maximum 20 guests per departure.
• Tour departs at 3:00 am and returns by approximately 9:30 am. Duration: 6.5 hours.