See Kangaroos At Cape Hillsborough Beach near Mackay!

If you’ve ever dreamed of watching kangaroos on the beach at sunrise, then Cape Hillsborough National Park near Mackay is the place to make it happen. This unique experience has become one of Queensland’s most iconic wildlife encounters, and for good reason.

But for first timers, the question is: what’s it really like, and how do you make sure you don’t miss it? What time of day does it happen? Many visitors aren’t sure where exactly to stand, how close you can get to the kangaroos, or whether it’s worth staying overnight nearby to avoid an early drive.

On my own trip, I set the alarm early and watched the kangaroos hop along the beach as the sun lit up the horizon. In this guide, I’ll share everything you need to know about seeing kangaroos on the beach, including the best time to be there, tips, and nearby accommodation options.

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My Overall Review of Cape Hillsborough Kangaroo Experience!

Overall, The Cape Hillsborough Kangaroo experience is an early start, but I enjoyed it and would do it again if given the opportunity. Since the word has got out and there are many people around, I can’t help but think they will charge for it eventually.

Staying in the Tourist Park was definitely worth it, as it allows extra sleep time and you don’t have far to walk to see the Kangaroos. On our visit, about 10 different Kangaroos or wallabies were hanging around the Caravan Park. During the day, they rest, sleep or wander around the tourist park accommodation and sometimes right outside your cabin or caravan.

These days, the Mackay Tourist Information centre will have a ranger on the beach policing the experience. Additionally, supplying them with extra pellet food to keep them contained in the area for the tourists.

Apart from the Kangaroo’s, you can enjoy other wildlife animals in area like Kookaburras and over 100 other bird species.

Where are the Kangaroos?

Cape Hillsborough is located about 45 minutes North of Mackay (Please see this Map for Directions) in the central coast region of Queensland. This is a National Park and also contains hiking trails and coastal lookout point and views.

The road in has lots of twists and turns and expect to drive a bit slower than normal, especially if you’re trailing a caravan. Primarily, the Kangaroo and Wallaby beach feeding happens right outside the Tourist Park. (Please read more on the Caravan park below).

If you’re staying in the Tourist Park

If you’re staying in the park, Then you’ll find the kangaroo’s on the beach right in front of it. Everything happens really close to the Park, as this is where the highest tide brought in their food.

Therefore, there is no need to walk down to the low tide water’s edge, but they will sometimes venture down there after.

If your NOT Staying at the Tourist Park

If you’re not staying at the Park, you will need to enter the beach at the public access picnic area and walk down (the tourist park is for guests only).

It’s not far to walk, but will take an extra 5 to 10 minutes to park and walk down, so please allocate this time into your calculations.

As it turned out, I saw many people running down from the public area when most the Kangaroos had already retreated. Therefore, it’s very important to leave plenty of time BEFORE the sun rises!

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What time do you need to be there?

The Best time to see the Cape Hillsborough kangaroo’s is about 30 minutes BEFORE Sunrise every day (At First Light)! This is before the sun rises over the horizon in the distance.

What time is Sunrise?

As the sunrise times change every day, you will need to check on the day of your visit. However, if you’re checking into the Caravan Park, they will actually give you the time.

You can use this website to calculate the specific time for your date of visit.

I recommend getting to the beach at least 30-50 minutes earlier, especially if your a photographer. This is before “First light” as opposed to sunrise. Know there is just enough light around to help you see the Kangaroos/Wallabies but helps taking a torch just encase.

I ended up going to the beach 1 hour beforehand – Yep, really early! The First Light sunrise colours I caught was amazing, and it’s always nice to get the dark shadow kangaroos in front of the bright coloured sky.

Once the sun is out and poking out over Wedge Island, the Kangaroos will start to disappear into the surrounding bushland(or the Tourist Park).

What to expect?

The experience has grown in popularity over the last couple of years and can get heaps of people. Therefore, the number of people/tourists will determine how it’s organised or manned.

Is this a regulated or a manned experience?

The Mackay Tourism Park Ranger will line up a cone barrier and ask for the tourists to stay behind for photos. They will then distribute small piles of pellets in a line to space the kangaroos out.

This is when you’ll just simply enjoy the encounter and take as many photos as you like. (Also note, flash photography is discouraged)

Can you get Close to the animals?

It’s common for the Kangaroos to venture through the crowd and get close to you – they will go where ever they want. You should not approach them, but given some time, they will eventually approach you. Especially if your still, not spooking them, or sitting on the ground.

Can you feed the Kangaroos?

NO, it’s not allowed, nor encouraged to feed any wild animals in Australia.

My best Photography Tips!

The early morning sunrise light will not be good for photo’s unless you have a tripod. On the other hand, the kangaroos are always moving and not good for slow shutter photos. A normal phone camera will be sufficient, but only after the sun has risen.

I ended up taking down a small tripod that sits 15 cm above the ground. This was great to lower the shutter for light and get the animals in focus. It also helps to get low and allow the bright sunrise colours light up behind them.

Why do they go to the beach?

At sunrise every morning, you will be able to see them congregate on the beach for their morning feeding. In the wild, these kangaroos will feed on the seaweed and mangrove pods left behind after high tide.

Are they wild animals?

Yes, The eastern Grey kangaroos and wallabies are wild and not held in by a fence and not forced to go to the beach. However, they are very use to tourists, as this is their standard area to feed and always hanging around.

There is controversy over ethical ramifications of this experience, but they are not guaranteed to visit the beach at all.

Note, that if you staying in the Tourist park, you’ll also find them hanging out in the shade around the park throughout the day.

Are the kangaroos aggressive?

These Australian Kangaroo’s are use to being around people and not prone to being aggressive.

However, they are wild and will attack when provoked. Make sure you keep an eye on your kids and do not approach them on your own.

What if it rains?

Rain, hail, or shine, the Kangaroos will always be there. I must admit that the rain keeps a lot of the tourists away, so sometimes it’s not all bad going on these days.

Really not good for photography in the wet weather and allowed me to enjoy the experience instead of taking photos.

The temperatures in the Mackay region stays pretty constant between 14 to 30 Degrees Celsius. The experience will happen all year round, so summer or winter, it won’t really matter.

Best place to Stay?

Cape Hillsborough Caravan & Tourist Park

As mentioned above, staying at Cape Hillsborough Caravan Park is the most convenient for the Kangaroo experience.

The park does have powered and unpowered camping sites, as well as cabins and other fixed accommodation. You have activities like a mini-golf course, an entertainment area, and a pool.

There are two entrances onto the beach, and the one in the middle of the park is where you need to go for the kangaroo feeding.

Smalleys Beach Camping

We didn’t use the Smalleys Beach camping option this time, but we did take a drive to have a look. This is the closest and probably the cheapest option.

They have 11 sites, all of which are beachside, but some closer than others that you can see on the Smalleys Camping Map here. There is a nice distance between the sites and plenty of bushland to make you think your camping alone.

The camping is operated by the Queensland Parks and you can book Smalleys Camping online through their website.

Other Accommodation Options

The Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park is the only accommodation option that doesn’t require a car to see the kangaroos. Everywhere else, you’ll need to drive to the Picnic area and then walk down the beach.

Options for accommodation are available at Seaforth and the other seaside towns.

Not only that, but Mackay will have plenty of options (45 minutes away) to suit your style and budget.

Staying elsewhere will require more time to get to the Kangaroos before sunrise. On the 3 days I visited, people were walking down after the experience had ended, so make sure you time it well.

Other Things to do there?

Wedge Island QLD

Grab yourself some sandshoes or a good pair of reef shoes and set off at low tide to Wedge Island. You can access the island from Beach, and takes about 30 minutes to walk out there. You will be walking over many rocks and oyster shells that live underwater at high tide. Alternatively, you will find rock pools with fish and plant life surviving in the saltwater.

This is a really great spot for small children to explore all the cracks and crevices. Be aware that the area can get slippery, so watch your step.

Please note the photo here was taken at High tide to show you Wedge Island. The walk needs to be done at low tide, so please check the Tide Times here.

Hiking

There are several hikes available available in the area. One of the more popular hikes is the Andrews Point Track, which features a few lookout points over the Queensland coastline and Wedge Island. The track can be accessed at high or low tide, depending on the time. Although, at high tide, you will need to return on the same track, where Low tide has a loop option. This will take roughly 2 hours.

Other hikes include the Diversity Boardwalk ( 40 minutes return), Beachcombers Cove (1.5 hours return), and the Yuibera Trail ( 40 minutes return).

Beaches

Beaches are an abundance in this little section of the Queensland coast. As mentioned before, you can walk to view others, but you can also jump in the car to check out some in the area.

These include but are not limited to Smalleys Beach, an off-grid camping spot, and day use area. Seaforth Beach (Pictured), Ball Bay & Halliday Bay.

Wrap up!

Thanks for reading this blog post today on experiencing the beach Kangaroo’s at Cape Hillsborough and I hope you found what you were looking for. But if you’re still researching, please find more Queensland information HERE for inspiration. .

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