Kangaroo Facts For Kids

Kangaroos are such an iconic Australian animal that they seem to be everywhere you look – Skippy re-runs on TV, staring back at you from a 50 cent piece and even in the sky on the tail of a Qantas plane! In some parts of Australia kangaroos are prolific (bountiful) while in others, they are a dying local species brought about by habitat loss. If your child loves kangaroos, here is a list of fun facts for them to learn all about them.

We have also listed the best places to spot one locally – both in the wild and in Brisbane wildlife sanctuaries and zoos. 

Fun Kangaroo Facts

• Kangaroos are marsupials 
• Kangaroos are the largest marsupials on earth 
• Baby kangaroos are called joeys
• A group of kangaroos is called a mob
• Kangaroos are social animals and can live in mobs of over 50 kangaroos
• Kangaroos can swim
• Kangaroos come in several different varieties and are only found in Australia and New Guinea
• Kangaroos are largely herbivores 
• Kangaroos belong to the Macropodidae family, meaning ‘big foot’ in Latin.
• You will often hear them referred to as macrapods. 
• Kangaroos live for just over 20 years in the wild
• Kangaroos use their big tails to help them balance while jumping

Where to spot kangaroos in the wild near Brisbane

Head out into the sprawling Brisbane suburbs, especially those that are near bush land, and you may be lucky enough to spot a ‘roo in the wild. You are most likely to see one at dawn and dusk, when they are more active and feeding. Here’s a list of suburbs in and around Brisbane where kangaroos have been sighted:

• Wacol
• Rothwell
• Toorbul
• Hays Inlet Parklands, Mango Hill
• Donnybrook
• Kooralbyn
• Jimboomba
• Bunya
• Samford
• Mount Cotton

Brisbane wildlife centres with kangaroos

If you have no luck spotting one in the wild, we’ve compiled a list of wildlife centres in and near Brisbane that house kangaroos. Some even allow you to feed, pat and photograph these beautiful creatures.

Australia Zoo

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

Queensland Zoo at the Big Pineapple

Walkabout Creek

For more fun facts about kangaroos and other marsupials, visit the Queensland Museum’s Find Out About Marsupials page. And for kids that want to draw a kangaroo, check out this easy tutorial on Kids 4 Kangaroos.

Have you spotted a kangaroo in Brisbane? Tell us where!