Penguin Parade - Philip Island, Australia

2nd Jan

I was trying to think of what to use my last days hire car for and finally decided on going down to Phillip Island to see the proper penguin parade - if only so I could compare it with what I seen in St Kilda.

Katy and Susie decided to come along so at about 4pm we started driving down to Phillip Island.

Our first stop on the island was the town of Cowes (which is surprise surprise twinned with cowes on the Isle of Wight.) A nice little place. I parked the car and then we all walked to the seafront and to the end of the small pier before having some food at the small cafe beside the pier. On the way back to the car we detoured into the residential area so we could look at all the rich peoples houses (bastards)


Katy and Susie at Cowes


Next stop after Cowes was the nobbies! This is near the penguin parade place and is a couple of smallish islands (rocks!) off the main island. There was a large visitor centre and boardwalks down to viewing platforms. I've seen better places - there were a lot of nesting birds beside the walks - all gulls (I hate gulls!) some of which were slightly worse for wear:


Its pining for the Fjords!


Turn round you stupid gull chick!



Susie and Katy at the nobbies


The nobbies - its just a small island!

After we seen the nobbies (oh arr missus!) it was on to the parade. There was a massive visitor centre thronging with people before you even got to the viewing area. It had one of the largest gift shops I have seen, full of all types of penguin gifts from cuddly toys to fridge magnets. There was even the opportunity to superimpose yourself on=to photographs of penguins including one where you are the same size as the penguins. It was all abit tacky but as long I was sure all the profit went to the maintenance of the colony then I suppose it was worth it.

After Susie got a coffee and Katy browsed the gift shop we went to the viewing area. Once you go out of the visitor centre you are no longer allowed to take any photographs in case you disturb the birds. TO get to the grandstands on the beach you walk through dunes on an elevated boardwalk system. On the way there we seen a wallaby and we thought surely taking a photo of it was ok. How wrong we were - as soon as we took our snaps a warden came over and told us off! I felt like I was a kid being scolded for knocking over a lamp.


A shaky pic of the wallaby

Once we got to the grandstands it became clear just how many people were there that night - thousands and all the seats had been taken. Eventually the two girls managed to squeeze into two seats near the bottom of the steps. That left me to end up sitting at the front of the steps on the beach itself along with lots of other people.

I soon found out that in sitting down on the sand I had inadvertently destroyed a small girls sandcastle. So to appease her I helped her build another one. In fact I helped her build a better one - complete with moat and twig for a flag. Then that sandcastle got destroyed by people walking past - so we did it again. In fact we did it about 3 times. The girls parents seemed extremely happy for me to play with her - in fact her even younger brother who was only really a toddler joined in. I did get a reward for my help in making the castles - some popcorn from the little girl.

Anyway all this kept me from seeing the first of the penguins waddling up the beach. To be honest the parade was away off to either side of the viewing area and you could only really see the penguins in the distance (unless you had binoculars like me).

It was quite funny to watch. A group of penguins would come out of the water and group around some rocks before one of the got the courage to run up the beach then all of them would follow up in a huddle. We watched several groups do this before going back into the dune system.

This was where the real spectacle occurs. In the dune system are all the penguin chicks that have been waiting all day for their parents to return with food. It was getting quite dark now but the boardwalks lit up some areas where you could see the penguins walking up through trying to find their chicks.

I spent some time looking at one chick that was waiting in the middle of one track and every time an adult penguin came walking past it went and hassled it. I started saying what I thought it was saying to each passing adult:

'Are you my mummy? Are you my Daddy?'

Each time the adults ignored him and walked on to find their own chicks. I hope its mummy and daddy found him!

It was all so funny and cute and the girls loved it. We left the place at about 10pm and I drove for about 2 hours to get back to the hostel.

A well worth visit - although I don't think I would have done one of the bus tours who charge over $100 for the trip from Melbourne. Just as well I had a car.

Melbourne Bats, Australia

1st Jan

I sat around the hostel most of New Years Day doing nothing much but eventually I decided to use my hire car for another animal trip - this time for a return to Melbourne Bats.

I drove down to Jarra River at about 7pm and then after a walk down the river to waste some time I headed for the bats roost to wait for them to start flying.

When I got there there were already a good number of people standing around but they all seemed to leave soon after I arrived (must be my deodorant - or lack of it!).

They should have stayed around because once it started getting dark the bats started to fly from their trees - a couple at first then more and more until the night sky seemed to be filled with them. I was totally mesmerised by the sight.

Afterwards I went back to the hostel satisfied that I had at least done something over the New Year.

Darter bird at Yarra River

Bats

Flying bat (as if you could not tell!)

Another flying bat

bat and moon

Bats with kookaburra calling in the background

New Years Eve - Melbourne, Australia

31st Jan

After I got back from Healesville Sanctuary it was time to get down to the real business of partying!

Actually it was time to have another one of Paul's BBQ's before starting to drink. Three things made New Years Eve different from Christmas Day.

1. I managed to take some photos of the BBQ:


The 3 Germans - Lisa is kissing her rum which she is guzzling before going to work in the Tote bar!



Amanda and Fong



Nina, Dave and Diana


There's food to be ate!

2. Some people actually went out of the hostel and watched the fireworks that went on downtown (not me however - I think fireworks are overrated - especially when you can't drink while watching them)

3. You could actually go to a bar - of course it cost you money but after effectively running out of beer, myself and a few others stumped up $30 to go to the tote (the local bar) and celebrate bringing in the new year in style.

OK so we sat outside in their beer garden and completely missed it but it wasn't our fault as the bands they had on just played right through midnight without even doing a countdown! Tossers.

Anyway we were chucked out of the tote at 1am (because it was closing - not because we too drunk!) and had to head back to the hostel where I took some more stupid pics before going to bed.


Thomas in a wig - don't know where he got it from


Xaviar in another wig


More wigs - but what has Katy got in her mouth?

Healesville, Australia

31st Jan

On new years eve I went to another wildlife sanctuary - this time Healesville which is about 60km from the centre of Melbourne.

I arrived just in time to see their parrot bird display which was fun and also managed to see their birds of prey show which was even better.






Info on Corella

Wedge tailed Eagle

And again!

Osprey

As per usual my camera batteries gave out in the middle of the bird of prey display but I am sure you are all fed up with me posting pics of Australian animals.


'Us dingos don't count as Aussi animals - we're just blowins!'

It was a really well set out place with a good enclosures (esp the bird ones) and information. I even got to see a platapus (no pics I am afraid). The only downside to the trip (other than the batteries) was the distance I had to drive to get there and of course the place was full of snivelling little kids.

Rialto Tower - Melbourne, Australia

29th Dec

Our time at the zoo might have been over but our days outing was yet to finish.

Ailish had managed to get some 2 for 1 tickets to the Rialto tower in Melbourne which has 360 degrees view of the city. We persuaded Thomas to come with us and off we went into the city on the tram.

Once there we met up with Amanda - a former hostel resident and it was off to the top of the tower.

Once at the top we walked around taking pics of the skyline:


A view of the Europa tower which is even taller and is supposed to have an even better view than the rialto.

During daylight Melbourne is not exactly a picturesque city from this high up but it does have some interesting views like this funky rooftop:


Or gondolas on the river



View towards St Kilda Beach

Me trying to be arty farty with video of traffic.



We were all hoping to get a great sunset that night but regrettably (I'm sick of saying Unfortunately!) it did not happen so we all sat and waited for darkness to fall while having some food and drink.

Jamie And Ailish

Thomas and Amanda


Then it went dark and all the lights in the city started to come on:


Train Station


View towards big wheel


City Skyline

Once we had had our fill of the city lights we headed back down the lift (elevator):


And went to the waterfront to wait for the fire show. Every evening on the stroke of the hour a large set of gas flame throwers puts on a show for the public. We caught the 10 o'clock display - it was fantastic to see.





Finally it was back to the hostel - but before we got there we took some photos of shops on Johnston street.


Shop window


Shop front

And of course I HAD to take a picture of Mandy the mannequin!



THINGS I HAVE LEARNT
Can also be categorised in the PEOPLE I HAVE MET SLOT.
When you see a guy coming to your tram stop with a bottle in a brown paper bag make sure you ignore him. Do not for gods sake say hi and then find out he is a nutter drunk who starts ranting to you about how he has been thrown out in the streets and how he would be better off in a police cell. I couldn't understand half the stuff he said but just nodded and smiled a couple of times as he ranted on. We were all so grateful when the tram came along only to find that he got on it as well! Luckily he did not get off the same stop as us - phew.

Melbourne Zoo, Australia

29th Dec
Because Chris' car was on its last legs he decided to hire a car for going to Sydney which meant that people could use his Delorean for running around Melbourne if they wished.

So on the 29th Jamie, Ailish and myself decided to use it to go to the zoo zoo zoo how about you you you (etc etc)

We had a fair idea of where to go to find it. A fair idea however was not good enough and before we knew it we were lost and the car started to smell of smoke which turned out to be from the engine.

On opening the bonnet we discovered that oil was leaking out of the dipstick hole and burning on the engine. We did our best to shore up the leak then filled it up with more oil before continuing on our way. After asking for directions and a couple of wrong turns we finally made it to the entrance (well back entrance).


Jamie at the zoos back entrance.

The first enclosure we came to was the collared peccary - thats a type of pig.


'Who you calling a pig ye big jessie!'

Then it was on to the lemurs who were on a small island in a lake full of turtles and ducks.

'I like to Move it! I like to Move it, Move it!'


'SHUT UP! We're bloody sick of you lemurs since you seen Madagascar!'


Then past the Maned wolf to the big cat enclosures.

None of us thought much of the cat enclosures. They had a persian leopard, some snow leopards and a puma but all the animals were still in large cages rather than proper enclosures. It just did not look right.


'I'm Snow Bored!'

The european brown bear enclosure next to the cats at least could be classed as a proper enclosure but again it just did not look all that great. They did have some useful info about moon bear rescues in china where bears are 'farmed' for their bile.


'What the hell do you mean you buried a tractor underneath there!'

After a quick detour back to all the enclosures we had seen (Ailish lost her camera lens cap which we couldn't find) we went to the lions enclosure.


'Oi! you forgot about me!'

Sorry - After the Porcupine we went to the Lions enclosure.

To be fair the lions enclosure was big but yet again you had to peer through wire to see which did not give a good view of them.


'Now everyone hold still - this is going to confuse the shit out of the crosseyed keeper!'

Beside the lion was a very bad wild dog enclosure where you could only see them from above.


'Hey it's worse for us! I've got a bleeding creak in me neck from looking up at you lot!'

Then it was on to the Meercats where we spent ages looking at the wee critters.


'For my next impression I shall do Tommy Cooper'.


'Hey! hurry up with that fez will ya!'

After the meercats we had a well earned break for snacks:


Jamie and Ailish getting their teeth into great big meaty wraps

Then Ailish and Jamie sat down on the grass to have a smoke - which prompted another couple to sit down beside us, light up and complain about the woos of being a smoker. Apparently the whole zoo was to go smoke free after the new year so this sort of practise would soon be non existant anywhere on the grounds. Being a non smoker I couldn't give a toss but the others seemed to take it very personally as another piece of their liberty goes up in smoke (pardon the pun!)

Back to the animals and the reptile house which was pretty cool with a good number of snakes and lizards. They even had some Fijian crested iguanas and Phillipine crocodiles both of which are very endangered and which the zoo is helping to conserve.


'I'm more endangered than you - rasssp!'


'If I get in there you'll be extinct!'

They also had a small frogs enclosure which unusually AIlish thought was brilliant (she thinks frogs are cute!)


'Loooook into my eyes, not around my eyes but into my eyes. After you awake you will think I am gorgeous!'

There was some flowers beside the reptile house which sent Ailish and Jamie into a macro camera shot frenzy - I joined in for the hell of it.


'Look this is all I do OK! Now bog off! I'm trying to attract a bee!'

Next stop was the elephants but on the way way we passed some pelicans. I distinctly remember Ailish saying she didn't want to look at any pelicans but when we got there she was in awe of them and proceeded to spend the next 10 minutes taking photos from all different angles of the birds. I just stuck my nose up and said 'oh I've already taken shots of pelicans in Perth AND Tasmania'. I do admit that they are a great animal to take pics of (but I didn't!)

On to the elephants - another animal I have problems with being kept in zoos. Once again I was pleasantly surprised by a zoos elephant enclosure. It was not just one enclosure but 3 with walkways in between. The set up looked quite good.


'Bugger I've forgotten where I put the car keys again - are you sure I'm an Elephant?'

On to the tiger.


'98, 99, 100'


'Here I come - see if your hiding in the otter enclosure again - I'll kill ya!'


'Oh yeah thats a good scratch, hey hang on - hey Gupta Bengali! get out of our pond!'


Jamie - always putting his head into predators mouths.

Time was starting to get on by this stage and we still had a lot of animals to see. so it was on to the next section - the apes and monkeys.


Spot the ape!


'I don't like to be called an ape - My name is Reginald'

The Gorilla enclosure was large but some of the monkey enclosures were little more than high cages. I felt really sorry for them.


'You feel sorry! How the hell do you think I feel with this haircut!'


'I used to be friends with David Attenbourgh You know - I even picked some fleas of him!'


'Yeah right! and I was in Braveheart!'

The rest of the zoo trip was a bit of a rush job. We just about got to see the giraffes before we had to leave. We did not even see any of the Oz wildlife (our attempt at seeing the platapus resulted in a dark room with nothing in it)

All joking aside I found Melbourne Zoo to have too many old type cages and had too much area set aside for people rather than animals. That said they do do some good conservation work and the kids seemed to love it so it has a good education value. It could do a lot better though.