Australian Adventure (Saturday, June 22, 2013)

40 Days Down Under (Day 9)

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Today we started the day by driving through the colorful Byron Bay. We stopped at Cape Byron to get a look at Tallows Beach before heading to see the Byron Bay Lighthouse.

Our next stop was the town center of Coolangatta. Coolangatta has a near perfect beach with an incredible backdrop of Brisbane. Many surfers were out, and there were picnic tables and a children's playground.

Brisbane

We wandered around the breakwater in Coolangatta watching surfers and parachuters before heading down the road.





Since it was on the way, we decided to stop at the Brisbane JUCY location to try to get water tank fixed. We gotten air in the line. Michael at the Brisbane office fixed us right up and gave us the part of our hose that was missing.

Never tired of zoos, we next stopped at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.


The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary has the largest collection of koalas of any facility in Australia (which probably means anywhere). They were all very well taken care of.

They had an adorable koala riding on the back of her mother when we got her. She eventually fell off and tried chasing after mom, but I guess she'd had enough. The baby was left to find his or her own branch.

Mom and baby koala

We did witness a few koalas get into a spat while vying for a branch. Not that there weren't plenty. They just both wanted that branch. Goodness! Koalas can be feisty and boy can they growl.

She went in for the bite...

but still lost the fight.  The other one wasn't budging.

It's here where I will say that I always thought it was a bucket list item of mine to cuddle a koala. And, while I'd love to hold a koala who wanted to be held, when presented with the opportunity at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, I passed. The truth is that the koalas don't really want to be passed from person to person to pose for a photo. They want to be eating or sleeping. They don't seem to mind being pet (as they just keep eating or sleeping), but, while a few of them seemed completely content to have the zookeepers hold them, they didn't look comfortable when being placed on people's chests for photographs.


The zoos do it as humanely as possible - making sure that each koala only has to pose for 30 minutes every three days. Regardless, I'm content with having pet a koala.

The kangaroos, in contrast, were extra friendly at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. They know people often buy food to give them at the park, so that definitely attracts them, but some of them just seemed to want a good petting.

This cutie pie just kept staring up at me.

We saw a momma with a tiny roo in the pouch. It was such a cute joey too.

Love the joey peeking out of the pouch!

Some kangaroos can get really tall.


We got a good look at a couple of platypus (platypi? platypuses?) in the platypusery. Unfortunately, it's pretty impossible to get a good photo.

We also got to see a less active Tasmanian Devil. (They are really quick movers and often pace, so it has been tricky getting a good photo.) They are pretty crazy critters. They will hunt if they need to, but they will also clean up anything already dead. They will consume the entire animal - bones and all.

Tasmanian Devil

Lions, tigers, and bears were nowhere to be seen, but we did see birds, wombats, dingoes, reptiles, and more.

Tawny frogmouth

Cute wombat

Kris even got into a staring match with an emu.


I just got confused by the bathroom symbols.


Needing a place to rest, we found the Beachmere Caravan Park. We made it just in time for a lovely sunset on the beach a minutes walk from the park.

Australian Adventure (Friday, June 21, 2013)

40 Days Down Under (Day 8)

Friday, June 21, 2013
I might be getting better at ping pong. I was actually holding my own against Kris this morning.

It wasn't long before we were on the road and arrived at the Trial Bay Gaol ruins. The scenic overlook revealed a whale in the distance!

The black spot in the distance is a whale.

Trial Bay Gaol first functioned as a prison created for a public works program (1886-1903). Back then, people were incarcerated for things like larceny, loitering, assault, and even attempting suicide.


The prisoners were supposed supposed to create a breakwater. It was grueling and difficult work, and they didn't get very far before the project was called off.

Just an observation of mine, but it seems strange to me that the men were all my height or shorter.


After the prison sat empty for a while, it became an internment camp for highly skilled, intelligent male Germans from 1915-1918. The government was concerned that the German Australian citizens were conspiring with Germany during WWI. While at the prison, the 582 interment residents built tennis courts, ran a bakery, put on plays, and did a multitude of other tasks to keep from boredom.


There is a great little explanatory film about Trial Bay Gaol and some old artifacts. You can explore what remains of the old kitchen, cell blocks, watch tower, ablutions block, hospital, solitary confinement, and stage.


Prisoners were able to decorate their cells. Several of them were into stenciling.


Photographing the jail flew out the window for me whenever we saw a wild momma kangaroo complete with joey in pouch. We got to see joey come out and try to get back into the pouch! Another young kangaroo was around too. Such a precious family!








I never have considered myself a bird watcher, but I sure do love the colorful birds in this country!


After further exploring the gaol remains, we headed to Hat Head National park to Captain Cooks Lookout and the Smoky Cape Lighthouse. It was a steep trek, but the views were worth the effort.








We found another Fredo Pies in Nambucca Heads off of the highway and stopped for an awesome lunch. I got the cauliflower, corn, and broccoli pie with a piece of chicken kiev and the final two pinwheels. Kris got an asparagus pasta pie and a hot curry steak pie. All were very tasty.


We spent most of the rest of the day driving, but we did make sure to stop at the Big Banana.


We love trying local flavor, so we split a Violet Crumble candy bar. I must say - we don't have anything like this candy bar in the USA. It was an experience. This is the sort of thing we'd bring home for people as souvenirs if we were allowed. It just sort of shatters in your mouth. So strange.


Our next stop was to stretch our legs. We wound up at the South Grafton Post Office where I picked up a stamp for a card I needed to mail. Postage is expensive here.


Our next stop was the Big Prawn before we headed to our overnight stop, the Lake Ainsworth Caravan Park - Lennox Head.