Pebbly Beach (NSW): The eastern gray kangaroos, which inhabit Murramarang National Park, 20 minutes south of Ulladulla on the south coast of New South Wales, tend to congregate along this ocean beach and the adjoining dunes.

Montague Island (Narooma, NSW): This little island just offshore from the seaside town of Narooma, on the south coast, is a haven for nesting seabirds, but it's the water around it that's home to the main attractions. Dolphins are common, fairy penguins, too; in whale-watching season, you're sure to spot southern right and humpback whales.

Jervis Bay (NSW): This is probably the closest place to Sydney where you're certain to see kangaroos in the wild and where you can pet them, too. The national park here is home to hundreds of bird species, including black cockatoos, as well as plenty of possums.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary (Brisbane, QLD): Cuddle a koala (and have your photo taken doing it) at this park, the world's first and largest koala sanctuary. Apart from some 130 koalas, lots of other Aussie wildlife -- including wombats, Tasmanian devils, 'roos (which you can hand-feed), and colorful parakeets -- are on show.

Hervey Bay (QLD): The warm waters off Hervey Bay, and in particular the lovely Platypus Bay, on the Queensland coast, are where the humpback whales come each year between June and October in increasing numbers to give birth. The long journey from Antarctica brings them up the coast to frolic with their young for several months before making the return trip. Hervey Bay's many cruises can bring you closer to these gentle giants than you'll ever come elsewhere.

Australian Butterfly Sanctuary (Kuranda, near Cairns, QLD): Walk through the biggest butterfly "aviary" in Australia and see some of Australia's most gorgeous butterflies, including the electric-blue Ulysses. See many species of butterfly feed, lay eggs, and mate, and inspect caterpillars and pupae. Wearing pink, red, or white encourages the butterflies to land on you.

Wait-a-While Rainforest Tours (QLD): Head into the World Heritage-listed Wet Tropics rainforest behind Cairns or Port Douglas with this ecotour operator to spotlight possums, lizards, pythons, even a platypus, so shy that most Aussies have never seen one in the wild. About once a month one group will spot the rare, bizarre Lumholtz's tree kangaroo.

Heron Island (off Gladstone, QLD): There's wonderful wildlife on this "jewel in the reef" any time of year, but the best time to visit is November to March, when the life cycle of giant green loggerhead and hawksbill turtles is in full swing. From November to January, the turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. From late January to March, the hatchlings emerge and head for the water. You can see it all by just strolling down to the beach, or join a university researcher to get the full story. Mon Repos Turtle Rookery, near Bundaberg in Queensland and the Northwest Cape in Western Australia are two other good turtle-watching sites.

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary (The Gold Coast, QLD): Tens of thousands of unbelievably pretty red, blue, green, and yellow rainbow lorikeets have been screeching into this park for generations to be hand-fed by delighted visitors every morning and afternoon. There are 'roos and other Australian animals at the sanctuary, too, but the birds steal the show.

Kakadu National Park (NT): One-third of Australia's bird species live in Kakadu; so do lots of saltwater crocs. A cruise on the Yellow Waters Billabong or aboard the Original Jumping Crocodiles cruise en route to the park, are some of the best places to see them in the wild.

The Northwest Cape (WA): For the thrill of a lifetime, go snorkeling with a whale shark. No one knows where they come from, but these mysterious monsters (up to 18m/60 ft. long) surface in the Outback waters off Western Australia every year from March to early June. A mini-industry takes snorkelers out to swim alongside the sharks as they feed (on plankton, not snorkelers).

Tangalooma (QLD), Bunbury & Monkey Mia (WA): There are several places you can see, hand-feed, or swim with wild dolphins Down Under. At Bunbury, south of Perth, you can swim with them or join cruises to see them (they come right up to the boat). If you want an almost guaranteed dolphin sighting, head to Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort on Moreton Island, off Brisbane, where you can hand-feed them, or to Monkey Mia on the lonely Outback coast, where they cruise past your legs. Even better is a cruise on the Shotover catamaran to see some of the area's 10,000 dugongs (manatees), plus turtles, sea snakes, sharks -- and more.

Kangaroo Island (SA): You're sure to see more native animals here -- including koalas, wallabies, birds, echidnas, reptiles, seals, and sea lions -- than anywhere else in the country, apart from a wildlife park. Another plus: The distances between major points of interest are not great, so you won't spend half the day just getting from place to place.