"SYDNEY - A koala has caused a stir at an Australian pub, wandering inside during a stormy evening, and taking up a position above the bar before promptly falling asleep. The furry male marsupial stunned drinkers on Saturday night when he entered the Marlin Bar on Queensland's Magnetic Island, approached barman Kevin Martin and ended up climbing up a supporting wooden pole and settling on a beam. 'I asked him for ID and he didn't have any so that's when he got a bit disgruntled and climbed up a pole,' joked Martin on Wednesday." - from an Australia Today news story
Koalas, kangaroos, cockatoos, wombats and other creatures uniquely Australian marked the past three days. We saw very little of Melbourne in the two days that, officially, were our time in that city. The little we saw was of a clean, apparently vibrant, city of attractive architecture and lively lifestyle.
Our time was in fact spent in the surrounding countryside. Day one was spent on the Great Ocean Road, a coastal highway of hairpin turns, breathtaking beauty, and lovely coastal towns. Four of us had hired a driver/guide for the day. Neil turned out to be a gem, explaining all we saw, and taking us on whatever diversions he thought might interest us. Our excitement at seeing a group of kangaroos hopping amongst a copse of trees led him to conclude--rightly--that we were interested in wildlife. That led to a diversion to a golf course (that's right, golf course) to see some 'roos lazing in the sun on the third hole. The golfers simply played around them.
Our next stop was a country lane, where we stopped to look at the beautiful birds: cockatoos, parrots and others whose names escape me now. Once I am able to download photos (probably not until I get home), you will see what I mean. But the highlight here was a couple of koalas in the tree, one of which had her baby in her pouch. (I will admit that, at least on my camera's preview screen, that's my favorite photo of the trip so far). Koalas apparently sleep some 20 hours a day, so it was quite a treat to see one doing something else.
The ocean road itself was a trip of extraordinary beauty. It is somewhat along the lines of the coastal highway in California, but with its own special flavor. The beaches are rugged, and the rock formations off shore were astonishing. Best was the group of rock formations known as the "twelve apostles" (though there are only eight of them, and no one can remember when there were 12). Another highlight was a a gorge where a shipwreck had once claimed the lives of all but 2 on board. That two survived its sheer cliffs and brutal waves was the astounding part.
The second day of Melbourne was also not in Melbourne. This was a trip into the mountains known as the Dandenongs, and a ride on "puffing Billy," an antique steam train, through the eucalyptus and fern forest. This was followed by a winery visit, and then a trip to a wildlife park to see many of the animals native to Australia.
After this, we were back on board our ship, and set sail for Tasmania, where we have been today. What did we do in Tasmania? You guessed it--more critters. After a visit to the charming little town of Richmond, where preparations for Christmas are well underway, we visited a wildlife sanctuary devoted to the rescue and rehab of injured animals. Here we saw, in addition to the koalas, kangaroos, wombats, emus, wallabies, and other Aussie animals, a number of Tasmanian devils. These dog-like animals have some 20 tons of crushing capacity in their mouths, but are scavengers rather than hunters. Nevertheless, we saw no one offering their arms to a devil.
We are now back on the ship and getting ready to sail for New Zealand--a two-day voyage. Australia has been a wonder. My only complaint is that I did not have enough time here. I'll be back.
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