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Wildlife
- Victoria & South Australia
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| I'd love
to spend more time seeing the remarkable wildlife
of Australia, but we only had 7 days for holiday
tagged on to a business trip. Nevertheless, we saw
some fascinating creatures... |
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| Kangaroos
are a 'must' of course, but I saw none at all during
my first 8 days in Australia. That couldn't be right,
so we mentioned the problem to the landlady at the
first motel we stayed at on the holiday part of
our trip. "Go to the golf course at Bangor",
she said. She was right - they were everywhere and
in several types and sizes. Kangaroos aren't stupid...
the grass on golf courses gets watered! |
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Koalas are another
'must see', and my wife had much better views than
this when she visited a zoo while I was stuck in
a busines conference. It's not the same as seeing
wild life, is it? If you think that's easy,
just give it a try. Koalas are common, but they
intoxicate themselves on Euycalypt leaves, then
sleep all day in the fork of a tree. It takes time
to get your eye in to spot them. We walked for an
hour and a half in a place where people said "you're
sure to see koalas". We didn't, but when we
got back to the car park there were three of them
snoozing in trees around our car! |
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This dingo came very
close when I stopped to take his photo. OK, I'll
admit it, he was behind a chain-link fence and I
was watching from the perimeter footpath round the
outside of a wildlife park near Adelaide. If the
fence hadn't been there, nor would I (and don't
tell me dingoes are just as scared of humans as
we are of them). He's a fine creature, isn't he?
... so long as he keeps his distance. |
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Galahs
- that's what these birds are called. Many Aussies
class them as pests and want to shoot them. Not
having a farm to protect I think they're good lookers.
Grey and pink make a fetching colour combination,
and they look impressive when they fly over in large
flocks. We saw many more parrots - Lorikeets in
smart green attire, Eastern Rosellas in a fine mix
of reds and yellows, Sulphur Crested Cockatoos and
Crimson Rosellas in majestic deep red suits. Impressive. |
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Tower Hill reserve,
near Warrambool, is a large wildlife park set in
the crater of an extinct volcano. Lots of kangaroos,
koalas, parrots and other birds - but especially
emus. These creatures are bold. They grazed happily
as we walked right past them. Close-up pictures
didn't require a zoom lens... just point and shoot. |
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©Derrick
Phillips
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