Bendeela Recreation Area is without doubt one of the best and most guaranteed places to see wombats around Sydney, Australia. Nestled within the picturesque landscape of Kangaroo Valley, lies Bendeela Recreation Area, a campsite and haven for wildlife-lovers and wombats alike. As a pair of wildlife-obsessed zoologists, we completely fell in love with the place and it is now definitely on our list of best wildlife destinations in Australia. If you are planning on visiting Sydney and want to see wombats in the wild, then this is the guide for you!
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What Are Wombats?
Wombats, like the majority of Australia’s mammals, are marsupials; meaning that they give birth to their young at a very early and immature stage of development, where the young are then nurtured within a pouch until they are old enough to venture out into the world.
Wombats are endemic to Australia, meaning they are found nowhere else in the world but Australia and a few surrounding islands, including Tasmania. They are renowned for their extremely adorable appearance and unique loveable behaviour; with their sturdy boulder-like build, short legs, and distinctive waddle, wombats are unmistakable and adored icons of the Australian bush.
Being nocturnal animals, they sleep during the daytime, only becoming active at night. They live underground in burrows, so they will spend their day asleep inside the burrow, only coming out in the late evening as the sun begins to set. Their burrows serve as a shelter from both predators and the harsh Australian climate, forming an essential part of their survival.
There are only 3 species of wombat on the planet: the common (or bare-nosed) wombat (Vombatus ursinus), the Southern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus latifrons), and the critically endangered Northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii). It is the common bare-nosed wombat that you will find at Bendeela, and it is this species that you will find in the cooler climates along the southeast of Australia.
Where to see Wombats In Sydney: Bendeela Recreation Area
Bendeela is located roughly 170km south of Sydney, and can be reached via a scenic drive that takes you through some of the stunning picturesque mountains and landscapes of Kangaroo Valley.
The Bendeela Recreation Area is the ideal setting for wildlife enthusiasts eager to observe wombats in their natural habitat, as it has a large and very relaxed population of wombats, as well as kangaroos and wallabies. The area is actually a camping ground, so if you are interested in camping there, you can book your permit through the official WaterNSW website. We will most definitely be camping there next time we visit!
Bendeela is a beautiful place, full of open grassland, lush forest, tranquil rivers, and a tonne of wildlife! It provides the perfect environment for a variety of native Australian wildlife, including lots and lots of wombats. And it really does offer a peaceful atmosphere that is perfect for all nature lovers seeking a beautiful experience with wildlife without straying too far from the city.
Be Respectful of the Wildlife: Although the animals are very comfortable and used to human presence, they are still very much wild animals, so please keep a respectful distance and do not attempt to feed or touch them!
How to get to Bendeela Recreation Area from Sydney
Bendeela is conveniently located within a comfortable driving distance of Sydney, being around 170km away, making it accessible for day trips or longer getaways. It is definitely easiest to get there by car, due to there being no direct public transport route. However, it is still possible without a car but it will require a train journey followed by a taxi, taking around 2.5 hours in total and potentially costing a fair bit, so you have to be pretty determined to do so. Alternatively, you could sign up for a wombat tour from Sydney, which will include transport to and from Bendeela.
Here’s a summary of the ways to get there:
By Car
The most convenient way to get to Bendeela from Sydney is by car. The journey is roughly 170km and will usually take you around 2.5 hours to get there, depending on traffic and your starting point in Sydney. We were fortunate enough to borrow a car from a family member for our Bendeela trip.
Alternatively, you can hire a rental car for your trip to Bendeela if that works out better for you (we did this for our trip to the Daintree Rainforest from Cairns).
Public Transport
Unfortunately there is no direct public transport route to Bendeela Recreation Area, but you can grab a train from Sydney Central to Moss Vale Station. And then from there, you could then arrange yourself a taxi to take you to Bendeela. The train from Sydney Central to Moss Vale Station will take you around 1hr 40 minutes, and then the taxi to Bendeela another 40 minutes or so. One thing to note though is that the mobile signal at Bendeela can be very poor, so you will definitely want to organise your taxi back beforehand.
Organised Tours
Another option is to join an organised tour that includes transportation to Bendeela Recreation Area. There are several tours running from Sydney that offer wildlife and nature tours to see wombats in Kangaroo Valley, most of them including visits to Bendeela and other nearby attractions.
If you prefer the ease of seeing Bendeela’s wombats as part of a tour, check out this Guided Wild Wombat & Kangaroo Tour from Sydney on GetYourGuide.
More Wildlife in Sydney: If you are interested in seeing more of Australia’s wildlife and want to find out about other wildlife destinations in Sydney, then don’t forget to also check out our guide on where to see flying foxes in Sydney!
How to see Wombats at Bendeela Recreation Area
Realistically, seeing a wombat at Bendeela is pretty straightforward. Arrive an hour or so before dusk, and as the sun begins to set, you should see wombats rummaging around all over the area. However, there are best times and best spots to go to make the most out of your wombat-spotting experience.
There’s a lovely area that we 100% recommend visiting to start with, which is just a short walk along the forest pathway which runs along the river. The scenery is absolutely stunning, but best of all… it is lined with so many wombat burrows!!! (See below for more detail about the exact location including the maps coordinates).
Best Time for Seeing Wombats
Wombats, being primarily nocturnal animals, are mostly sleeping during the day, becoming active at night. Therefore, you really need to be there at least an hour or so before sunset to have the best chances of seeing them. Then over the next hour as the sun begins to set, you will see more and more wombats emerging from their burrows ready for the night.
The same logic applies with dawn, as the wombats will begin heading back into their burrows as the sun rises, so definitely set an alarm to see them again as the light comes up in the morning if you are camping there!
Best Spots to Find Wombats
Once you have arrived at the carpark at Bendeela Recreation Area, you are now right in wombat territory! The wombats can be seen all around the campsite including the carpark, but the best areas are those a little further along past the toilets and out of the parking area.
If you continue to walk and follow the road past the toilet area, you will see a large open field in front of you to your left; this is where you will see many wombats and kangaroos grazing as the sun sets! But first, to your right, there will be a forested area with a footpath running alongside the river – this is where many of the wombat burrows are located!
Because you should have arrived a good hour or so before sunset, you may have to wait a little for the first wombats to emerge. So this is the perfect time to go and explore the stunning river area where you can admire the wombat burrows!
Follow the path through the forested area alongside the river to the right (see the location on Google Maps). This is an absolutely amazing walk to start your evening with, as you will see loads and loads of wombat burrows all the way along here. This really builds the excitement and anticipation knowing that one could emerge at any moment. And not only that, the walk is absolutely stunning, with gorgeous views of the river.
We spent around an hour walking up and down that river area, admiring the views and nature, and being amazed by the size of the burrows (which are enormous compared to the badger burrows we see back home in the UK).
Eventually, though, after watching a beautiful kookaburra sat on its perch, we turned around to see our first wombat! A very sleepy wombat who had just emerged from its burrow and gave a big yawn!
Wildlife at Bendeela
Bendeela Recreation Area is not only a prime location for spotting wombats, but is also home to a rich diversity of other wildlife. So we definitely recommend it as a place for other nature enthusiasts and wildlife photographers to visit.
Here are some of the fascinating species you could encounter during your visit:
- Wombats: As the star attraction of Bendeela, wombats are commonly spotted throughout the area, particularly in the early morning and late evening hours. You should have no trouble spotting these if you are there at the right time!
- Eastern Grey Kangaroos: Another iconic Australian species, Eastern Grey Kangaroos, are also really plentiful at Bendeela. You should be able to see lots of them grazing in the same grassy meadows and open woodlands as the wombats.
- Wallabies: Several species of wallabies also call Bendeela home, including the Swamp Wallaby and the Red-necked Wallaby, but they are a lot more shy.
- Birds: Bendeela Recreation Area is home to many species of birds, with a diverse array of avian species inhabiting its forests, wetlands, and riverside habitats, including the iconic laughing kookaburra.
- Echidnas: These extremely unique egg-laying mammals, are a much rarer and less easily seen resident of Bendeela. They look like a bizarre spiny anteater and you will have to be extremely lucky to spot one.
- Platypus: The elusive platypus is the only other type of egg-laying mammal on earth, and like the echidna, it is extremely rare to see at Bendeela – even rarer in fact. But nonetheless, they are known to live in the Kangaroo River, but you would have to be extremely lucky to spot one here.
Conclusion
If you are a wildlife or nature enthusiast trying to figure out where to see wombats in Sydney, then look no further than Bendeela Recreation Area. Located around 170km or a 2.5 hour drive to the south of Sydney, Bendeela is a nature-lovers delight. As you venture out of the city and into the beautifully picturesque Kangaroo Valley, you will find peace in the incredible landscapes and nature of the area, and that’s before you have even set your eyes on a wombat.
You should aim to get to Bendeela at least an hour before sunset, and once you arrive, you should definitely go and explore some of the beautiful nature. We found the walk along the forested river area to the right to be especially great, because there you can see heaps of wombat burrows, and the landscape is just beautiful.
The best area to see the wombats is the open field area adjacent to the forested walk. We recommend that you enjoy the forest walk and exploring the wombat burrows, but every now and then, have a quick scan of the field to see if any wombats or kangaroos have emerged and are out grazing in the field. Once they do start coming into the field, you will be greeted by more and more wombats and kangaroos, all scattered across the field grazing on the grass.
For anybody with an interest in wildlife, nature or photography, or for anybody just wanting to relax and enjoy the company of one of Australia’s cutest mammals, we totally recommend Bendeela as one of our favourite Australian wildlife destinations! As two nature-obsessed zoologists, it definitely won over our hearts, and getting to experience wild wombats and kangaroos up close, make it just the perfect place to unwind! Plus, if you have the time, you can actually camp there and spend even more time enjoying the wombats. Just make sure you book your permit which is linked above!
Keep exploring and happy travels!
For more Australia wildlife guides, check out our other posts on Australia Wildlife & Travel Destinations, including finding flying foxes in Sydney, how to see koalas on Magnetic Island, how to spot cassowaries in the Daintree Rainforest and the best places to watch humpback whales on the East Coast!
