Western Kangaroo Island Caravan Park

The Western KI Caravan Park and Wildlife Reserve is ideally situated on 550ha of natural bush and grassland right next door to the internationally acclaimed Flinders Chase National Park

Kangaroo Island was discovered by the brilliant English explorer Matthew Flinders. He mapped much of the coast whilst on his famous voyage to chart Terra Australis in 1802.

Flinders got there just before French Commander Nicholas Baudin and it was Flinders who named the Island after the large number of native Kangaroos that they saw on landing. They easily clubbed a large number of kangaroos as fresh meat, then salted some away for the journey.

There is a colourful history of the years between 1803 and the first official settlement in 1836.

Sealers and Whalers arrived early and traded thousands of seal skins and tonnes of salt. Some settlers were a lawless lot who raided mainland settlements kidnapping Aboriginal women and bartering skins and salt for liquor and tobacco.

Eventually action had to be taken, and in 1827 a ship was sent from Sydney in NSW. Police rounded up a large group of these people and took them back to the east, returning Aboriginal 'wives' and their children and dogs to the mainland.

The barque, the Duke of York, arrived at Reeves Point in Nepean Bay on July 27th 1836. The dense scrub, limited water and poor soil made farming and gardening difficult. Many settlers became ill and died. Pioneer life was very different from their expectations, but many people persevered, turning Kangaroo Island into a thriving farming community, yet preserving the natural beauty of much of the land. Kingscote became the first capital of South Australia until Colonel light shifted that settlement to Holdfast Bay.

Today, farming, fishing, agriculture and tourism are thriving industries and Kangaroo Island has some of the most stunning and unspoilt coast, and well presented National Parks and Conservation Parks in Australia.

There are many old buildings, light houses, museums, memorials and relics which portray the rich history of Kangaroo Island. Sunken ships can be spotted on diving expeditions testifying to the dangerous waters and the risks taken to settle Australia.

Kangaroo Island, of 4350 sq. km., is separated from the Yorke Peninsula by Investigator Strait. The larger, western end is administered by Kingscote District Council and the eastern end by Dudley District Council. They are joined by an isthmus.

Kangaroo Island figured in early maritime exploration. In 1802 Flinders went ashore from his vessel the Investigator and observed several brown kangaroos - hence the name. The French explorer Baudin was in the area at the same time, and a crewman left a carved inscription on a rock at Penneshaw, Dudley Peninsula.

The western end of the island has lighthouses at Cape Borda (1850) and at Cape De Couedic (1906), facing ships crossing the Australian Bight. There is also a lighthouse at the eastern end at Cape Willoughby (1852).

In 1836 the South Australian Land Company established South Australia's first white settlement at Reeves Point near Kingscote. Paucity of soil and water caused most settlers to withdraw, but stone ruins can still be found in the area which is now an historic reserve.

Fertile land was found in patches, particularly Cygnet River, and early farming was supplemented by eucalyptus oil distilling and the harvesting of pith from Xanthorea trees for explosives. Soil improvement was successfully tried in the 1920s - 30s, and extensive clearing and pastoral expansion followed, mainly for soldier settlement in the early 1950s around Parndana. The island has special controls against pests and exotic weeds, and breeds pure Italian bees for overseas apiarists. In the 1980s a depressed wool market led to production of ewes' milk and yoghurt. In 1992-3 livestock numbers were 920,000 sheep and 11,000 cattle. Live and net fishing, and crayfish and prawn fishing are carried on.

The principal towns are American River, Kingscote, Penneshaw, Parndana, and Emu Bay.

Tourism is a significant element in the local economy, and is the most important industry in American River where it was started in 1895. There are daily ferry services between Adelaide and Kingscote and from Cape Jervis to Penneshaw, as well as an aerodrome. About 30% of Kangaroo Island is National Parks, the principal one being Flinders Chase at the western end. there are several coastal parks, with features such as Seal Bay, Kelly Hill Caves and Remarkable Rocks.

In 1993 the island ran over 1.1 million head of sheep and lambs and 11,000 beef cattle. The census populations of Kangaroo Island have been 1,341 (1911), 1,479 (1947), 3,515 (1981) and 3,902 (1991).