Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) were thought to be introduced to Kangaroo Island in the early twentieth century. They are a tree-dwelling marsupial. The bushfires in 2019-2020 on Kangaroo Island wiped out thousands of koalas. Today, an estimated 15,000 koalas live on Kangaroo Island, and they are a regular part of island life. This one, a big male, likes to sleep in his favourite tree during the day.

American River is a small township on a harbour located on the western shore of Eastern Cove, Kangaroo Island. The American River harbour is a safe anchorage for fishing and sailing boats. In 1802 Matthew Flinders surveyed this area before American sealers landed in their brig, Union, in 1803. They stayed for four months built their own schooner named Independence form the local timber available.

South of American River, in Eastern Cove, is the spectacular sandy beach of Island Beach, with its turquoise blue waters. A popular holiday destination, Island Beach is safe for swimming and boating. The area is home to Kangaroo Island wildlife, such as wallabies and kangaroos, Roseburg goannas and the endangered Hooded Plover. The area is surrounded by dense bush and scrub.

Nestled comfortably in a eucalyptus tree, this Kangaroo Island koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is almost hidden from view. Marsupials, koalas sleep and rest for up to 18 – 20 hours a day, mostly during daylight hours. The spend a few hours a day eating, mostly at dusk, and the rest of the time socialising, moving, and grooming. They can move quite quickly through the trees and sometimes make noise. The male koalas make loud bellowing sounds during the breeding season. Females make sounds too, high-pitched squeaks. All koalas have very sharp claws and are not a cuddly as they appear.

Map snippet showing Kangaroo Island off Cape Jervis on the Fleurieu Peninsula, mainland South Australia. Backstairs Passage separates Kangaroo Island from the mainland. This straight, approximately 14 kilometres wide at the narrowest point, was formed between 12,000 to 14, 000 years ago at the end of the Pleistocene era, when melting ice and rising seas flooded the land between Kangaroo Island and the mainland. Backstairs Passage is one of the roughest pieces of water surrounding the Australian mainland. Only Bass Straight, which separates Tasmania, Australia’s island state from the Australian mainland, is rougher.

Encounter Bay is located on the Fleurieu Peninsula of South Australia, on the south-central coast, not far east from Kangaroo Island. Captain Matthew Flinders, the English cartographer and explorer, named the bay in April 1802, after his encounter with Captain Nicolas Baudin, the French cartographer and explorer. Both captains were charting the coast of Australia for their countries at the time.

Facing south, towards the Bluff at Encounter Bay, Fleurieu Peninsula.

Fuzz, a black schipperke (or Belgian Barge Dog) was entranced with these Halloween spiders. Fuzz is now 11 years old and the character of Fazy in THE WATCHERS is based on him. The schipperke is an old dog breed, originally thought to come from the Flanders area in Belgium in the 1500s. These intelligent, stocky small to medium sized dogs, with either completely black or cream fur, were used as small watch dogs, ratters, and companions. <br> Fiercely loyal, they guarded businesses and the barges that plied the canals of Belgium, with timber, agricultural produce, and stock. Completing their duties with alacrity and charm over hundreds of years, these small dogs became the favourite of Queen Henrietta of Belgium in 1885. The popularity of their breed spread rapidly across the world and today they are found throughout Europe, Scandinavia, Great Britain, the United States of America, Japan, Korea, Canada, and Australia and South Africa, Brazil and Russia and Czech Republic, plus many other countries.

When travelling in regional and remote areas in Australia by road, Kangaroos are a regular sight. Kangaroo warning signs are a common sight while driving. In 1802, Matthew Flinders, the English Captain, cartographer, scientist, and explorer, moored the HMS Investigator near Kangaroo Head on the north coast of the Dudley Peninsula. Captain Matthew Flinders his crew landed on the island. He named it Kangaroo Island after the subspecies of grey kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus) which was endemic and present in large numbers.

Encounter Bay, facing north towards Granite Island and the causeway, Victor Harbor, Fleurieu Peninsula.

Penington Bay on the western side of Kangaroo Island, is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. With its tall cliffs, white sandy beach and surf rolling in, it is popular with locals and visitors alike. A lovely rockpool to the left of the main beach is safe, quiet and the water warmer in winter.

This map illustrates where the locations are that are featured in THE WATCHERS – American River on the eastern side of the island and Penneshaw, in the south, where the ferries dock. The ferries, carrying passengers, vehicles, trucks and cargo, leave from Cape Jervis on the Fleurieu Peninsula, mainland South Australia. It is shown on the right-hand side of the map.

Close to the main town on the island, Kingscote, is Nepean Bay, located on the north-east of the island. Captain Matthew Flinders named the bay after Sir Evan Nepean in March 1802.