5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Koalas in the Adelaide Hills
Drive the winding roads around Norton Summit at dusk and there's a fair chance you'll spot one: a grey ball wedged in the fork of a gum tree, or a koala ambling across the bitumen like it owns the place. Koalas are the Adelaide Hills' most famous locals. But the story of how they got here, and what's happening to them now, is a lot stranger than most visitors realise.
Here are five things about the biggest celebrity in Adelaide Hills wildlife that might surprise you, plus where to see koalas, how to help them, and where to stay if you want to wake up in koala country.
1. Koalas aren't originally from the Adelaide Hills
Thousands of years ago, koalas ranged along South Australia's southern coastline. Over time they retreated east, and by the time Adelaide was founded, South Australia's only natural koala population was a small pocket in the state's south-east.
Most of the koalas you see in the Hills today came via a remarkable relay. Koalas from mainland Victoria were moved to French Island more than a century ago. Descendants of that colony were then taken to Kangaroo Island, and in the 1960s, Kangaroo Island koalas were used to found the population in the Mount Lofty Ranges.
That small starting group has left a mark. Genetic studies have found South Australian koalas carry noticeably less genetic diversity than koalas in parts of mainland Victoria. In other words, the Hills koala population is essentially one very large extended family.
2. The Adelaide Hills may actually have too many koalas
Across much of eastern Australia, koalas are in trouble. They're listed as endangered in Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT. The Mount Lofty Ranges has the opposite problem.
A study published in January 2026 by researchers from UTS, Flinders University and the University of Wollongong estimated there are roughly 22,000 to 26,000 koalas across the region. That's around 10 per cent of Australia's entire koala population, living in one corner of South Australia.
In some patches of woodland, densities of 13 to 14 koalas per hectare have been recorded. The South Australian Government considers about 0.7 koalas per hectare the sustainable maximum. The result is over-browsed manna gums, stripped canopies and dying trees. Researchers warn that without intervention the population could grow a further 17 to 25 per cent over the next 25 years, raising the risk of large-scale starvation. The state has already used fertility-control implants in female koalas in the worst-affected areas.
So the koala you spot on a Hills bushwalk isn't a symbol of decline. It's part of a conservation success story that now needs careful managing.
3. Right now, they're at their loudest
Koalas sleep 18 to 22 hours a day, so for most of the year they're silent. But in South Australia, koala breeding season runs from September to February, and that changes everything.
Male koalas bellow to attract females and warn off rivals. It sounds like a deep, rumbling snore followed by a roar, and on a still night it can carry almost a kilometre. Koalas pull this off thanks to an unusual extra pair of vocal folds, which lets them produce a sound far deeper than you'd expect from an animal their size.
If you're staying in the Adelaide Hills in spring or summer, step outside after dark and listen. You'll often hear koalas long before you see one.
4. Adelaide Hills koalas will flag down cyclists for a drink
Koalas get most of their moisture from gum leaves, so it was long assumed they rarely need to drink. But during heatwaves, those leaves dry out, and koalas come down looking for water. The Adelaide Hills has become famous for viral videos of thirsty koalas climbing onto cyclists' bikes to empty their water bottles on 40-degree days.
Research in New South Wales has since found wild koalas will use water stations even in cooler months, suggesting drinking matters more to them than scientists once thought.
How you can help: on hot days, leave a shallow container of water at ground level near trees, with a rock or stick inside so smaller animals can climb out. If a koala looks distressed by heat, call a wildlife rescue rather than trying to pour water into its mouth.
5. They spend more time on the ground than you'd think, and that's where the danger is
Koalas come down from the trees to move between feeding spots, and during breeding season they roam much further. Young males are looking for territory and both sexes are looking for mates. That's why spring is when road strikes spike in the Hills, and why dogs are the other major threat.
A few simple habits make a real difference:
Slow down on Hills roads at dawn and dusk, especially in areas with lots of gum trees.
Keep dogs inside or secured at night, particularly between September and February.
Don't approach an injured koala. They look cuddly, but they have serious claws. Instead, call Fauna Rescue of South Australia's 24-hour koala hotline on 1300 KOALAS (1300 562 527).
Where to see koalas in the Adelaide Hills
In the wild: The Hills' gum-lined parks and reserves are some of the best places in Australia to see wild koalas. Belair National Park has recorded some of the highest koala densities in the country. Look up into the forks of manna gums and other eucalypts, check trunks for claw marks, and keep an eye out for small pellet-shaped droppings at the base of trees. Dusk is your best bet, because that's when koalas are most active.
Up close: For a guaranteed encounter, Cleland Wildlife Park on the slopes of Mount Lofty runs keeper-led koala experiences where you can meet a koala and take your own photos. Koala experiences don't run when the forecast hits 32 degrees or more, so check before you go on a hot day. It's a short, scenic drive from Norton Summit, and easily paired with the views from Mount Lofty Summit.
Family accommodation in the Adelaide Hills, right in koala country
If you want to experience Adelaide Hills wildlife properly, it helps to stay among it rather than drive up for the afternoon.
Funday Farm is a large private property at Norton Summit, surrounded by the kind of Hills bushland koalas call home. It was built around one simple idea: holidays should be fun. That makes it one of the most distinctive options for family accommodation in the Adelaide Hills, and a favourite with groups travelling together.
Here's what's waiting for you:
A heated pool for swimming well beyond summer
A games shed that kids and grown-ups tend to disappear into for hours
A flight simulator for aspiring pilots of every age
A forest bunk room the kids will talk about long after you've gone home
Outdoor entertaining areas for long lunches and evenings under the stars
Horse facilities
Pet-friendly accommodation, so the family dog can come too (just keep them in at night during koala season)
From Funday Farm you're a short drive from Cleland Wildlife Park, Mount Lofty Summit, walking trails and some of the best cellar doors in the Adelaide Hills. Come back in the evening, fire up the barbecue, and if you're visiting between September and February, listen for the bellows drifting out of the gums.
Looking for accommodation in the Adelaide Hills that the whole family will actually remember? Book direct at fundayfarm.com.au for the best available rate.
Frequently asked questions
Are there wild koalas in the Adelaide Hills? Yes. The Mount Lofty Ranges, which includes the Adelaide Hills, has one of the densest koala populations in Australia, estimated at around 10 per cent of the national total.
When is the best time to see koalas in the Adelaide Hills? You can see koalas year-round, but they're most active and vocal during breeding season, from September to February. Dusk is the best time of day to spot them moving.
Where can kids meet a koala near Adelaide? Cleland Wildlife Park, on the slopes of Mount Lofty, runs keeper-led koala encounters. Check their website for current experiences and age requirements before you visit.
What should I do if I find an injured koala? Don't approach it. Call Fauna Rescue of South Australia's 24-hour koala hotline on 1300 KOALAS (1300 562 527).
What's the best family accommodation in the Adelaide Hills for wildlife lovers? Funday Farm at Norton Summit puts you in the heart of koala country, with a heated pool, games shed, flight simulator, forest bunk room and pet-friendly stays. Book direct at fundayfarm.com.au.
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