Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park Parndana, Kangaroo Island, Australia December 3, 2023 Today was the day I dreamed of my whole life…. ….to hold a koala & bottle feed a baby joey! Both of which I was lucky enough to experience at this amazing little sanctuary on Kangaroo Island called KI Wildlife Park. It’s been in...
Cape Willoughby Conservation Park & Lighthouse Kangaroo Island, South Australia December 2, 2023 We drove out to the far east side of Kangaroo Island on the Dudley Peninsula to Cape Willoughby Conservation Park & Lighthouse. The lighthouse is remarkable in that it was the 1st lighthouse in South Australia and a major...
Point Cartwright Lighthouse & Reserve, Kawana Beach Buddina, Queensland, Australia November 26, 2023 Today was a day to explore and discover! We took the bus out as far as we could and then hiked the rest of the way to the Point Cartwright Lighthouse and Reserve/Beach areas. The lighthouse is a sleek, pentagonal shape...
The Ginger Factory & The Big Pineapple Yandina & Woombye, Queensland, Australia November 24, 2023 Maybe you can catch the Gingerbread Man! We took a side trip out to Yandina to visit the iconic Buderim Ginger Factory, the worlds largest factory. We learned how the ginger is grown, harvested and turned into delicious...
Noosa National Park Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia November 22, 2023 Noosa National Park Coastal Hike Noosa is born from the aboriginal word "Noothera" or "Gnuthuru", in the Kabi Kabi language meaning shadow. Hike Details: Approx 9km, roundtrip Approx 3-4 hours Grade 4 We did the Coastal Walk hike in...
Crikey! It Was Amazing! On November 18, 2023 we ticked off a Bucket List item and a dream came true…we visited the Australian Zoo, the legacy and heritage of the one and only, Steve Irwin: The Crocodile Hunter! Some fun facts we learned: #1: The wildlife park was not as it is today, it originally was founded as a...
We took the bus out to Cornwall Park, mainly to walk up to One Tree Hill (Maungakiekie), a high point (yes, another old volcano) south of Auckland city center. It's a paved path, so the walk is fairly easy. A large obelisk sits atop the hill - a memorial to Maori. The walk up is kinda cool because the lower trail...
Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne….Takahe to Me Baby! Karori, Wellington, New Zealand September 8, 2023 Did you know… Prior to the arrival of humans, Aotearoa (New Zealand) was isolated and unique. Without any mammalian predators, this ecosystem was home to some of the most remarkable flora and fauna that had ever evolved. Many...
New Zealand: Owhiro Bay/Pariwhero Red Rocks & Fur Seals We walked one of the wildest parts of Wellington's southern coast at the Te Kopahou Reserve in Owhiro Bay out to Pariwhero/Red Rocks, passing through Devils Gate and ending at Sinclair Head to see the fur seals. This coastal walk is breathtaking, taking us over...
Springtime Christchurch, New Zealand September 2023 Cherry Blossoms and Daffodils in Hagley Park North We just happened to hit the peak season for the beautiful cherry blossoms that line Hagley Park in Christchurch. The trees are the very popular hybrid, Yoshino Cherry, from Japan. Some of the 1st trees were planted in...