Day 7: Meeting Koalas and Kangaroos

The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

Today we were flying to Sydney, but before we left, our friends wanted us to meet the local koalas and kangaroos. The easiest place to do this was at  The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary Brisbane’s wildlife refuge which rescues animals, specifically koalas and kangaroos. Our visit exceeded all expectations.

The sanctuary was opened in 1927 by Claude Reid when wild koalas were being culled for their fur. Claude was determined to do everything possible to protect these iconic, Australian little bears. Initially the sanctuary was home to just two koalas, Jack and Jill. It gradually grew, so that by the 1990’s it had opened a wildlife hospital and was inducted into the Guinness World Records as the world’s first and largest koala sanctuary. Today it is home to about 100 koalas and 75 Australian native animals.

The Kookaburra

The first area we stopped in had several native birds. We were excited to see perhaps Australia’s most famous bird, the kookaburra.

Platypus

Next we watched a platypus, darting so rapidly in front of us it was hard to capture a shot. Platypus are quite rare, egg laying mammals known as monotremes. Platypus are carnivorous, living mostly on crayfish, insects, worms, frogs and tadpoles. When hunting, mostly underwater, they use electroreceptors to locate their pray closing their eyes, nose and ears. 

Koalas

As to be expected there were lots of Koalas!

Most of them were happily clinging to the branches of eucalyptus tress and many of were asleep. We learned that they have a gestation period of about 35 days. When they are born they are pink, closely resembling a jellybean and weighing less than a gram. They spend the first 6 months of their lives in their mother’s pouch drinking milk.

Koalas have a life span of about fifteen years. They are herbivores weighing up to 14.9kg and growing up to 82cm long.

Koalas are incredible climbers. They climb using their two opposable thumbs on each hand, their sharp claws and very strong arms. They have a special cartilage plate in their backsides to help them sit comfortably on branches.

Today, Koalas still need our help. Urbanization has caused their habitat to shrink, with a constant threat of them being hit by cars and attacked by dogs. We can help them, and other tree-dependent species, by protecting the trees and using recycled paper products, such as toilet paper, tissues and office paper.

The Australian Lizard and Reptile Center

The Boyd’s Forest Dragon

These creatures are thermo conformers meaning they seek out direct sunlight or heat sources. They adapt their body temperature to match their immediate surroundings which helps them escape animals which might attack them such as pythons, who hunt using heat-sensing labial scales.

A Perentie Lizard

The Perentie Lizard is Australia’s largest lizard.

This lizard was running around the sanctuary, a little imposing but harmless!

The Dingo

Not quite as harmless, but kept safely behind a screen was an Australian dingo.

Kangaroos

Then we met the kangaroos.

Kangaroos are mammals who live until they’re about 22 years old. They are herbivores, weighing up to 90kg, growing up to 180cm tall and able to move as fast as 64km/h.

They were very tame and happy to be fed, with special food provided by the sanctuary.

They were even amenable to a pat and a cuddle.

Wallabies

Happily bouncing around with the kangaroos were their smaller cousins, the wallabies. They are also herbivores, weighing up to 22.5kg, growing up to 85cm tall and typically living to about 13 years of age.

It was hard to leave the kangaroos and koalas but we had a flight to Sydney to catch. We were also sad to say au revoir to our wonderful Aussie friends, whom we’d met so far away, on the cobbled streets of Lourmarin and who’d had given us such an incredible few days. We’d love to come back!

We arrived in Sydney just before dusk driving to the north shore.

Day 8: Wedding Bells

The next morning the sun was shining where we were staying, in another great Airbnb, one we’d highly recommend. 

Named ‘Oceanview Cottage’, for, of course, its beautiful view of the ocean.

The Wedding 

And so to the family wedding which had been the impetus for us arranging our trip.

In the afternoon, along with the other wedding guests, mostly fellow Brits, we gathered on the quay side of Palm Beach, to board the beautiful wedding venue aboard a Zephyr Cruiser .

Every detail was special and inviting.

The wedding flowers were especially stunning.

And the bride and groom, as they should be, the most stunning of all. A million congratulations to the lovely couple! We were delighted to be able to spend the next few days celebrating with them and also exploring a little of Sydney’s north shore.  

Day 9 & 10: Exploring Sydney’s north shore

Our airbnb was in Newport close to the other beach destinations of Avalon and Palm Beach 

Palm Beach

The weather was not quite so good the day after the wedding but none the less we enjoyed a drink by the water in Palm Beach at Barrenjoey Head.

At the furtherest point on the peninsular, the Joey Boatshed  was a great place to eat by the water.

Outside this little guy was waiting by our car.

The next day we drove back towards Sydney to Manly which we’d first visited together 45 years only, we were only babes!! We remember catching the ferry across the water to the city.

The beach was busy but not surprisingly, no-one was in the water!

A few were considering braving it.

Although it was not recommended by the local surf rescue team who were doing a great job of trying to protect everyone.

As we drove back brightly blooming blossoms of the jacaranda trees lined the roads. It was hard to capture their beauty, I did try!

We had a final family wedding BBQ before going our separate ways and leaving for our next destination. The second part of adventure was about to begin!