Victoria is the stronghold of Australia's southern koala population, with three standout viewing areas within day-trip range of Melbourne. The Great Otway National Park along the Great Ocean Road — especially Kennett River and the Cape Otway lighthouse area — offers some of the country's most reliable wild sightings in the manna gum forests. The You Yangs Regional Park, just an hour from Melbourne, hosts a long-running research population studied since 2006, with well-marked tracks for self-guided spotting. Raymond Island in Gippsland Lakes is reached by a short ferry ride and has a dedicated 1.2 km koala walk where sightings in eucalyptus trees are near-guaranteed. Spring (September-November) brings peak activity and bellowing males during breeding season.
