Kangaroo Island, Parndana Conservation Park or Anissa Falls In Love With Kangaroos

Kangaroos are another animal that is hit by cars on a regular basis. A lot of times, the joey in the pouch is still alive and can be saved if cared for. A lot of these joeys, along with injured kangaroos, are brought to Parndana Conservation Park where they are raised by hand and are thus very friendly. Huge enclosures with many species of Roos are open to walk through and visitors can buy food to feed them, providing for an up-close and personal encounter. I had such a wonderful time, Rion had to drag me away…


I think Rion had just as much fun as I did.


One of the many species of Kangaroos at the park


This little albino was too cute.


An albino adult, which I am sure are rarely, if ever, seen in the wild.

 

Kangaroo Island, Parndana Conservation Park

Parndana Conservation Park is essentially a privately owned zoo that takes in injured and rescued wildlife. Here you can see many of the unique animals from all parts of Australia, including kangaroos, koalas, echidnas, wombats, and a huge collection of parrots, cockatoos, eagles, and other birds.


The most bizarre and most feared bird in Australia is the Casuary. The size of an emu, it has a colorful head with a strange bony protuberance, and has razor sharp claws on each of its’ feet that, when it jumps up into the air, it uses to slash at opponents or the jugular vein of humans who wander into its’ path. This is one bird that you do not want to meet in the bush.


Elvis reincarnated? I’m not sure… maybe he’s just a big fan!


And of course there are Koalas… Unfortunately, koalas are one of the many animals hit by cars on a regular basis.


Some wary geese eyeing us as we wandered around the wetlands

 

Kangaroo Island, South Australia

Kangaroo Island is a fairly large island off the coast of South Australia and is reached by a 45-minute ferry ride. This island habitat is unique in Australia because, except for domesticated dogs and cats, and humans, there are no introduced predators and the wildlife thrives here. Visitors come here to see “true Australia” — beautiful beaches, bush, and an abundance of bizarre creatures found nowhere else on earth.

Sunrise over Emu Bay (and the view from our cottage)


A light storm at Admiral Bay


The sun peaks through the clouds and sheds light on the lighthouse overlooking Admiral Bay


The Remarkable Rocks stand in an isolated part of Flinders Chase National Park. They have been formed through the erosion of the topmost layer of a very large granite formation.

 

The Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia

The Great Ocean Road is billed as one of the Top 10 Must See's Before You Die in Australia. It is a beautiful, rugged limestone coastline not unlike California's coastline between Carmel and Morro Bay. Although, I must say, the roads on this drive were not quite as harrowing.

Lighthouses dot the coastline...


The 12 Apostles are one of the major attractions on this route and probably one of the most photographed spots in Australia. The 12 Apostles are the limestone formations dotting the water here, and as the name suggests, there are supposed to be 12 of them, but a few of them have been lost, quite all at once in dramatic fashion, to the pounding waves. You can see the remains of one in the foreground.


Martyrs Cove looks fairly peaceful, but there have been many, many shipwrecks in this area.


The Granites can be found along a very isolated stretch of coast near the Victoria border in South Australia. This formation of huge granite boulders set into the beach is off the beaten tourist track and we had the whole beach to ourselves at sunset, save for a few rugged campers.

 

Melbourne's Victoria Market

The big city markets have become one of my favorite things to visit. There are always so many wonderful sights and smells and they are a great place to people-watch. At the Victoria Market you can get fresh seafood, fruits and veggies, meat, incredible gourmet deli meats, cheeses, and antipastos, and even a few touristy souvenirs.

The butcher isles are not for the faint of heart… or the vegetarians.

Fresh fruits and vegetables can be found in the outdoor section of the market.

There were so many different varieties of potatoes that I had never heard of.

There is lots of fresh seafood off Australia’s coasts.

The Fitzroy District, Melbourne

We decided to stay in the district of Fitzroy next to downtown Melbourne. It is an area with a funky mix of bohemian culture, trendy designers, art galleries, good cafes and restaurants, and nightlife.

Brunswick Street is the hub around which everything here revolves.


I miss my dogs...


I love the architecture in Sydney and Melbourne - even the small houses have the Victorian touches.


Our favorite street-side flower shop had the most beautiful Proteas.

The Beautiful City of Melbourne

Melbourne is the Capital city of the state of Victoria, Australia, and is about a 2-day drive south from Sydney. It is dubbed as one of the most liveable cities in the world and I believe that the people that live there would agree. It had everything that Rion and I were looking for in a big city experience - art museums, food markets, really good international restaurants, great coffee, and interesting people.

The city sits on the banks of the Yarra River.


Did I mention good coffee?


The nocturnal Bush-Tailed Possum descends from the trees at night in seemingly every park in the city.


The Shrine of Rememberance is one of the most recognized landmarks. It stands as a memorial to those who served and died in the Great War of 1914-1918.

 

Headed for Melbourne

We stayed in Sydney just long enough to take care of some business back in the States and to buy a car. After a few days of hassle with used car salesmen, we decided to buy from a private party and had bought "Betsey" as she was affectionately named by the two German girls we bought her from.

Betsey is a 1992 4-wheel drive Subaru Wagon. We had about 15,000 km total of driving ahead of us in Australia, so we had to have a reliable car.

Reminiscent of New Zealand, Australia has it's own 90-Mile Beach.

Phllip Island, only a couple of hours drive from Melbourne, is an animal lovers' paradise - koalas, wallabies, and penguins galore. We went to the Koala Conservation Center, a nature reserve where they have about 40 adult koalas and they conduct research on population dynamics.

Wallabies also find their way onto the Conservation Center grounds.