Wallabies are marsupials which, at first glance, look exactly like small kangaroos. They are found in all states of Australia and in Papua New Guinea.

Like kangaroos, they carry their young ('joeys') in a pouch, have a strong tail and hind legs, and smaller front paws used for foraging. They feed off seeds and grasses. Wallabies are well suited to the bushy highlands of Tasmania, and are very common in some areas. As Tasmania does not have the flat, open spaces of mainland Australia, the kangaroos are nowhere near as plentiful as wallabies.

Wallabies belong to the macropod family and are a smaller version of Kangaroos. They are adapted to cope with the many varying habitats around Australia. Wallabies living in drier areas can exist without drinking water, getting what they need from plants. Island populations of Tammar Wallabies can thrive drinking only sea water.

Although the impact of European settlement and hunting has had little effect on some of the larger macropods, small species living in woodland and open country have suffered from predation and loss of habitat.