Where to See Them

Tree-kangaroos are commonly seen around the Malanda Falls at Malanda, Winfield Park at Malanda, Mt Hypipamee National Park (locally known as "the Crater") along the Kennedy Highway between Atherton and Ravenshoe, Wongabel State Forest just outside Atherton, and the Curtain Fig-Tree forest at Yungaburra, all on the Atherton Tablelands. Bennett's Tree-kangaroo is not so easy to find and lucky is the person who sees one when driving the roads north of the Daintree River or walking through the forest up there.
Try looking when the weather is still, first thing in the morning or late afternoon/evening, or by torch/spot-light at night. Be warned - these creatures are extremely cryptic, and may escape your vision even when in a tree directly above you! Lots of patience, good ears and eyes to notice any movement of branches, and binoculars will help. When you are lucky enough to see one, the experience will be unforgettable. They are usually seen up a tree, and occasionally on the ground or hopping across the road.

Please drive carefully through forested areas on the Tablelands and the rest of the Wet Tropics, especially at night and early in the morning!

How to Recognise Them

You will be looking for something the size of a basketball if it is high in a tree, or a small dog if you can see it more closely. Often it is the long pendulous tail that is first sighted in the canopy of a tree. The key characteristics for identifying the Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo include an extremely long tail, a black face mask on an otherwise pale head, and black paws. The underbelly is light in colour, with the back ranging in colour from a rusty colour to dark grey. Bennett's Tree-kangaroo is overall dark brown in colour, light fawn below, an ash grey face, reddish shoulders and a black patch at the base of the tail on the upper side. Bennett's is distinguished from Lumholtz's by the lack of contrasting pale forehead and tail markings.