Rescue and Safety
Distances and Feeding Rules
Keep safe distances from kangaroos, koalas and nesting birds, never feed wild animals, and model calm behaviour that keeps people and wildlife safe.
You see a kangaroo at the edge of a clearing, a koala low in a fork, and a group of coastal birds working the same picnic edge as your family. You will learn how to hold your distance, how to handle food and rubbish, and how to keep your body language calm. The short answer is direct. Give every animal room, keep all food and scents packed away, and keep your group quiet and slow so you and wildlife stay safe.
Why park animals stay unpredictable
NSW national parks are natural environments, and they can be unpredictable. That one fact shapes every meeting with kangaroos, koalas, and birds on the South Coast. An animal that looks relaxed can stand, turn, call, or leave in a few seconds. Wind, heat, other walkers, dogs heard in the distance, and a sudden movement from a child can change what happens next. You cannot control that setting, so you adjust your own position and pace.
Calm viewing starts before you arrive. You should plan your journey for all weather conditions, because heat, rain, and wind alter tracks, visibility, and animal activity. You may not have mobile phone reception if you need help, so do not rely on a call to fix a poor choice of distance. Tell someone where you are going, carry water, and keep your group together from the car park to the lookout and back.
What does safe distance look like when no number is posted?
The NSW National Parks safety page does not publish set metre distances for kangaroos, koalas, and birds. It asks you to keep yourself and wildlife safe by understanding the risks of wildlife encounters. In practice, that means you watch first and let the animal set the space. If it stops feeding, lifts its head, steps away, or changes direction, you are already close enough, and you should pause or step back.
Hold the line you first chose and give the animal a clear exit. Stay on the track, keep children beside you, and keep your voice low. Do not spread out to surround an animal for a photo, and do not follow one that moves away. A steady pause protects you, and it protects the animal from stress that you might not see at first.
Why calm behaviour protects you and wildlife
Fast movement reads as pressure. Slow movement gives kangaroos room to keep grazing, gives a koala time to stay settled, and gives birds space to land and leave without alarm calls. Keep your arms still, keep bags closed, and avoid sudden gestures with hats, jackets, or phones. If you walk with a group, bunch up rather than string out along both sides of the track.
Noise carries far in coastal bush. Talk quietly, wait your turn at a viewing spot, and move on once you have had a good look. That restraint matters because parks can be busy, and one group that presses forward often prompts the next group to do the same. When you model a pause, other visitors tend to pause too.
Why food and scraps put coastal wildlife at risk
Human food changes behaviour around picnic areas, camps, and lookouts. Birds learn to swoop, kangaroos learn to approach, and both lose the caution that keeps them wild. Keep meals contained, eat in one spot, collect crumbs, and store everything in sealed containers inside your pack. Do not hold food out, toss scraps, or leave plates unattended while you take photos. The wildlife encounter guidance frames this as shared safety, where your care keeps the animal from seeking the next group.
Rubbish harms in the same way. NSW national parks are no-smoking areas, and cigarette butts put lives and property at risk, ruining beaches, spoiling the beauty of parks, and endangering wildlife. The same logic applies to wrappers, ties, elastic bands, and leftover bait. Pack it all out, check under tables, and check the ground before you leave so the next animal finds nothing to pick up.
How do kangaroos, koalas, and coastal birds differ on the track?
Each group uses space in a different way, so you read the ground before you read the animal. Kangaroos need an open lane for movement, koalas need the tree left undisturbed, and birds need the edge where sand, grass, and water meet. Learn how kangaroos differ from wallabies before you go, so you do not misread size and spacing on a busy track. If you plan to look for koalas, read identification and viewing tips for koalas and keep your voice down near occupied trees.
Walking and camping habits shape these meetings. If you head out on a walk, hike, or backpack camp, always be prepared, and find out about the Think Before You TREK bush safety initiative. Whether you pitch a tent by the coast, up in the mountains, or in the outback, there are many things to consider when camping. Near water, enjoy your day out safely and help your family and friends to stay safe by keeping food covered and watching where birds gather.
How closures, heat, and cliffs shape encounters
Always check the alerts page for up-to-date information on closed parks and safety alerts. There will be times when parks and reserves need to be closed or have access restricted, and a closure can shift animals and people into the same open areas. Make sure you have the latest bushfire safety information if you plan to visit or drive through a national park, and in outback areas check for road closures before you head off.
Heat and terrain narrow your margin. In summer, temperatures can reach up to 50 degrees Celsius in some places, while food, water and fuel supplies can be scarce. Alpine areas present special safety issues, particularly in winter. Before you hop on a horse, learn how to keep yourself and your riding group safe, and if you ride a bike, read the cycling safety tips. Cliff edges can pose a serious hazard and can be unpredictable and dangerous, and adventure sports like canyoning, climbing, caving, and abseiling carry clear risks, so stay on marked routes and keep well back where animals rest near edges.
What to pack and check before you meet wildlife
Small items prevent most problems. Bring hand wipes, hand soap, face masks, and toilet paper with you, as access to running water and sanitation products cannot be guaranteed in all locations. Check the latest advice from NSW Health on COVID-19 guidelines, keep your first aid kit within reach, and keep your phone charged even where reception drops out. A packed bag lets you stay longer at a good distance instead of moving closer for comfort.
Finish each stop with a quick scan of pockets, benches, and sand. Close every container, shake out towels away from birds, and carry scraps to the next bin rather than stacking them beside a full one. Before you leave home, check the alerts page again, confirm your route with your group, and set a turn-back time that leaves room for slow, quiet viewing.