Tasmania is home to animals you won't find anywhere else on earth. Tasmanian devils, wombats, platypus, echidnas, and white wallabies all live here in the wild - and most visitors encounter at least one without trying.
The island's isolation from mainland Australia preserved species that disappeared elsewhere. You don't need a dedicated wildlife tour to see them. Wombats graze openly near Cradle Mountain. Wallabies cross the road at dusk on the east coast. Platypus surface in rivers just outside Hobart. For guaranteed devil sightings, Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary near Richmond is 25 minutes from the city.
This guide covers what wildlife you can see in Tasmania, where to find each animal, the best sanctuaries and tours, and when to go.
Tasmania's most famous animals are its endemic species: animals that exist nowhere else in the world. Here's what to look for and where to find them.
Image thanks to: Dearna Bond
The Tasmanian devil is the world's largest carnivorous marsupial and exists only in Tasmania. Adults are roughly the size of a small dog, stocky and black-furred, with a jaw strength disproportionate to their body. They're mostly nocturnal and solitary, and in the wild your best chance is a night drive through national park country.
For a guaranteed encounter, Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary near Richmond is the most accessible option: 25 minutes from Hobart, open daily, with keeper-led sessions that include feeding. Devils at Cradle is the other major option, set in the grounds of Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge.
→ Read the full Tasmanian Devil guide
Platypus are found in rivers and lakes across Tasmania, and the island has some of the most reliable sightings in Australia. They're elusive, mostly active at dawn and dusk and staying close to the water's edge, but patient visitors at the right spots can watch them for minutes at a time.
The Liffey River near Deloraine, the Snowy Range area near Cradle Mountain, and several rivers around the Huon Valley are known for consistent sightings. No tour required: park near the water at first light and wait.
→ Read the full Platypus guide
Common wombats are easier to see in Tasmania than almost anywhere on the mainland. Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is the standout location: wombats graze openly along the Dove Lake circuit and near the park entrance, often at close range, and are active through the day as well as at dusk.
Maria Island is the other reliable spot. With no cars on the island, wombats move freely around the campsite and walking tracks. They're unhurried and accustomed to people, which makes for good sightings.
Several wallaby species are common across Tasmania. Bennett's wallabies are seen across the island: roadsides, national parks, farmland. They're most active in the early morning and late afternoon. Freycinet, Cradle Mountain, and the east coast broadly are all reliable areas.
Bruny Island is the place to look for white wallabies, a rare colour variant found in a small local population. They're not guaranteed, but are regularly spotted near the neck of the island and in open farmland areas.
Echidnas are slow-moving and largely indifferent to people, which makes them one of the easier animals to observe closely. They're widespread across Tasmania: bushland, national parks, roadsides. Look for them foraging during the day, turning over leaf litter and logs.
Tasmania's coastline and offshore islands support large seabird colonies. Little penguins come ashore at dusk at sites around the island, including Bicheno on the east coast and Bruny Island. Mutton birds (short-tailed shearwaters) return to their burrows in mass numbers each evening on Bruny Island from late September through April.
Cape Barren geese, one of the rarest geese in the world, are commonly seen on Maria Island, where they are relaxed around visitors.
Southern right whales and humpbacks pass along Tasmania's east coast during their annual migration. The season runs roughly from May through October, with peak sightings in winter. Shore-based spotting from headlands on the Freycinet Peninsula and the Tasman Peninsula is possible. Dedicated whale watching tours run seasonally.
→ Read the full Whales guide
The thylacine was declared extinct in 1936 after the last known animal died in captivity at Hobart Zoo. It was a large carnivorous marsupial, striped and dog-like, that was hunted to extinction across the island. Unverified sighting reports continue to emerge from remote areas, but no physical evidence has been produced.
The thylacine's story is a significant part of Tasmanian history. The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery in Hobart has one of the better permanent collections, and several wildlife centres include interpretation on the species.
→ Read the full Tasmanian Tiger guide
Cradle Mountain is the most reliable single location for wildlife in Tasmania. Wombats graze along the Dove Lake circuit at dawn and dusk and are commonly seen mid-morning too. Wallabies, echidnas, and pademelons are regular sightings around the park entrance and along the Pencil Pine trail. Eastern quolls are occasionally spotted at night near the lodge area.
Accommodation at Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge puts you at the wildlife directly. The Devils at Cradle session runs evening keeper-led encounters with Tasmanian devils on-site
→ Stay
→ Full guide
Maria Island is the easiest place in Tasmania for close wildlife encounters. The island has no cars and no predators, and the animals show it. Wombats, Cape Barren geese, and wallabies move freely around the campsite and the old convict settlement at Darlington. Kangaroos and pademelons are common on the open grassland.
You reach the island by ferry from Triabunna on the east coast, a 30-minute crossing. Day trips work. Camping overnight is worth it for the quiet.
→ Full guide
Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary near Richmond is 25 minutes north of Hobart and is the most accessible place in Tasmania to see a Tasmanian devil up close. The sanctuary also houses wombats, eastern quolls, kangaroos, and a range of birds, most of which are rescue or rehabilitation animals.
Keeper-led sessions run daily. Devil feeding sessions are the highlight. Booking ahead is recommended in peak season.
→ Book
Bruny Island, an hour south of Hobart, including the short ferry crossing, combines good wildlife with one of the island's best day tours. White wallabies are found in the southern part of the island. Mutton birds return to their burrows at dusk from late September through April. Little penguins come ashore at night at several locations along the coast.
Pennicott Wilderness Journeys runs the Bruny Island Cruise, a 3-hour boat tour covering the sea caves, cliffs, and wildlife of the island's southern coast. The cruise includes fur seal colonies and frequent seabird sightings. From $175 per person.
→ Book the Bruny Island Cruise
Freycinet is best known for Wineglass Bay, but the national park is also good wildlife country. Wallabies are commonly seen on the walking tracks and around the campsite. Dolphins are occasionally spotted from the Wineglass Bay lookout and along the Hazards Beach circuit. Cape Barren geese are present on the grassland areas near the park entrance.
→ Full guide
The Tarkine in Tasmania's remote northwest is one of the largest temperate rainforests in the Southern Hemisphere and home to high densities of Tasmanian devils and quolls. Sightings in the wild are less reliable than at sanctuaries, but the region is one of the best places to understand the actual habitat these animals live in. Guided tours operate from Smithton and Stanley.
→ Full guide
Most wildlife in Tasmania is most active at dawn and dusk. Platypus surface in calm water in the 30 minutes after first light. Wombats graze through the late afternoon and into dark. Tasmanian devils are nocturnal and rarely seen in daylight outside sanctuaries. Wallabies move in the early morning and again from around 4pm.
For daytime wildlife, echidnas forage through the morning, and wombats at Cradle Mountain are reliable throughout the day in cooler months.
Summer (December to February): Long days, active wildlife, good birdlife. The best season for combining wildlife with walking and east coast beaches. Busy at popular spots.
Autumn (March to May): Fewer visitors, good general wildlife viewing, comfortable temperatures for walking. Whale migration begins in May on the east coast.
Winter (June to August): Peak whale watching season on the east coast. Fewer tourists at Cradle Mountain and Freycinet. Wombat sightings at Cradle Mountain are excellent in winter as animals feed in daylight more frequently.
Spring (September to November): Baby animals emerging alongside mothers, joeys in pouch and young wombats beginning to explore. Mutton bird season begins on Bruny Island from late September. Wildflowers at Cradle Mountain.
Night tours are the best way to see Tasmanian devils in the wild. Several operators run spotlight tours through national park areas, where wallabies, possums, bandicoots, and occasionally quolls are also seen. For guaranteed devil encounters, Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary near Richmond offers evening sessions with keeper commentary.
Pennicott Wilderness Journeys runs the Bruny Island Cruise daily from Hobart. The 3-hour tour covers the sea caves, cliffs, blowholes, and wildlife of the island's south coast. Fur seal colonies, sea eagles, and albatross are regular sightings. Departures from Kettering, a 40-minute drive from Hobart.
From $175 per person. Bookings fill quickly in summer.
→ Book the Bruny Island Cruise
Pennicott also runs the Tasman Island Cruise from Port Arthur, a full-day tour along the Tasman Peninsula's sea cliffs, which are among the tallest in the Southern Hemisphere. Fur seals, dolphins, and seabirds are common. The geology alone makes it worth the day.
→ Book the Tasman Island Cruise
The ferry to Maria Island departs from Triabunna, a 1.5-hour drive from Hobart. Day tours are available or you can book independently. The island has no cars, a convict-era settlement, fossil cliffs, and some of the most accessible wildlife in Tasmania.
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Go at dawn or dusk. Most animals are active in the hour after sunrise and the hour before dark. If you have one dedicated wildlife session, make it early morning.
Drive slowly at night. Wildlife on roads is the main hazard for both animals and drivers in Tasmania, particularly wallabies and wombats. Slow down after dark on any rural road: this is also when you're most likely to spot animals.
Keep your distance. Wombats and wallabies that appear relaxed around people can still react unpredictably. Stay back from devils at all times outside sanctuaries. Do not feed any wildlife.
Be patient near water. Platypus don't surface on demand. Find a calm stretch of river at first light, stay still, and give it 20 minutes.
Pick the right locations. Maria Island, Cradle Mountain, and Bonorong are the three most reliable spots in the state for guaranteed sightings. If you're short on time, prioritise these.
Where to stay For Tasmanian devils and wombats: base yourself at Cradle Mountain. Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge is the best-known option, with wildlife on the doorstep and Devils at Cradle on-site.
→ Browse Cradle Mountain accommodation
For Hobart-based wildlife day trips: Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, Bruny Island Cruise, and the Maria Island ferry are all accessible within a day from the city.
→ Browse Hobart accommodation
Getting around Hiring a car is the best way to access wildlife locations across Tasmania. Most of the island's best spots, including Cradle Mountain, the east coast, and the Huon Valley, are not served by public transport.
→ Self-drive routes
Add wildlife to your itinerary Most Tasmania itineraries include Cradle Mountain, the east coast, and a day from Hobart, which covers the island's main wildlife zones. If wildlife is a priority, add Maria Island as a dedicated day and build in an early morning session at Bonorong.
Not sure how to fit wildlife into your itinerary? Our travel concierge builds custom Tasmania trips around your dates, interests, and where you want to stay, including sanctuary visits, night tours, and the right east or west coast wildlife stops.
