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Shaking The Tree 2005
Koalas Crocodiles and CRIKEY!
Caroline andI set off for our Thelma and Louise style trip and headed North of Brisbane in our Hyundai Getz. This is a little car the size of Corsa but at the bargain price we managed to cram 2 backpacks and the RM Williams boots Caroline has bought for a friend into the boot.
In typical Aussie style the road up north is called the Bruce Highway! I struggle to call it a motorway or freeway because it really is only a road smaller than the A325!
Caroline wanted to stop and spend some time at the Australia Zoo at Beerwah, yes that really is the name of a place. Despite my Zoo reservations I have to say it was a great day ! Run by Steve Irwin of Crocodile Hunter fame, it's main role is to promote conservation and improve awareness of the native flora and fauna in Australia. If he can market himself his wife,Terri and his children Bindi and Bob in dolls, mugs and any things else that can hold the catchphrase CRIKEY! then all the better too.
We spent an interesting 2 hours in the Crocoseum, a purpose built auditorium watch a snake show, wild bird show, tiger show and finally crocodile feeding.
During the snake show snakes are walked around the audience for you to touch. Brave as a Lion I touched the bright red and black corn snake and was surprised to find it was not at all slimy. It was smooth and dry and beautiful. Myth 1 busted ! 11 of the most deadly snakes in the world live in OZ. 19 of the top 23!!! Lesson 1 learned. I also saw a python that weighes 150Kgs, that is over 23 stone!
The tiger show where the keepers do not put the bengal tigers through a round of circus act but play with the tigers to demonstrate their natural behaviour was fascinating. However, that statistic that in 1901 there were approx 44,000 bengal tigers now there are fewer than 2,000 in the wild. We need to preserve otherwise our children will never see these beautiful animals. Lesson 2 learned !
The wild bird show had macaws and herons flying around the auditorium. Did you know that a macaw has the intelligence of a 5-7 year old child. Therefore they need to be stimulated and taught new things all the time otherwise, just like child, they are distruptive and bored. Lesson 3 learned.
Then onto the crocodile feeding - he was huge and a little sluggish as in the Queensland winter it is a little difficult for them to warm their blood to be too enthusiastic. They got the crocodile to come into the purpose built pool in the crocoseum by banging a white bucket on the surface of the water. Crocodiles are so territorial that they will follow the bucket anywhere. They sense prey by vibrations so they will feel you in the water or on the banks of a billabong long before they can see you.
They can only strike half their body weight from the waters edge, so as the largest croc is about 7 meters never get closer than 4 metres and 'You'll be right!'
They also can't move very fast on land, therefore if you are more than 4 metres from the shore you will have plenty of time to get out of their way.
However, they can propel themselves directly upwards using their tails so don't climb a tree and sit on the first branch as they might just eat you for brunch.
Of the 20 crocodile attacks per year in Australia, 17 of them will be alcohol related!
They are amazing creatures and we should respect them and in return they will leave us alone.
The cuddly koalas were up the trees and sleeping for most of the time. As I have said before these "cute" animals smell of eucalyptus wee and sleep most of the day. However, as we were at one of the enclosures when they changed the euclyptus leaves we saw them move. One called Molly was a paraplegic, after being bitten by a dog when she was younger. She had minimal use of her back legs, but was being encouraged to use them, and I have to say she shifted quite quickly when new fresh leaves were rustled in front of her!
We saw kangaroos with Joeys in their pouches and feed them kangaroo pellets.
All in all it was a full, exciting and educational day!
We then headed to Noosa - see the next page for the backpackers from hell story....
Love
Lynne
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