kangaroos anyone

2-21-13  Kangaroo Island, Australia

Our next stop in Australia found us at Penneshaw.  This is the town where the ferries arrive from mainland Australia.  The island is fairly large, the size of Ireland.  The island was named Kangaroo because this is the first thing Matthew Flinders saw when he discovered the island.

 

This day we decided to just take the 2 different free shuttles they were providing to see around the towns.  The tour operations were very expensive here and a relaxing day of wandering sounded perfect.

“C” and I took the shuttle around town while dad waited for mom to take the tender to shore.  Our driver was born and raised on the island. His surname was Buick.  His Great uncle was the Buick who started the car company in Michigan.  He showed us the hospital where he was born-now a residence, the museum that was the one room schoolhouse he attended.  He drove us out to a artist shop in a community outside town.

matthew baudin statue

This community is run in a communal fashion with everyone helping out to do all the necessities.  They run the art shop for the local artists in exchange for assistance from them.  This location also had 2 monuments to people of significance to the island.  The one was for the French explorer,Baudin, who sailed here and spent time recovering from an illness.  The other was a tribute to the local woman (an ex -convict) who helped him to recover.  Unfortunately he did not make it back to France before his illness killed him.

penguin crossing for march when they come ashore



 

After we headed back to town we hopped on the other tour bus to join mom and dad for a drive to Kingscote, a major town on the island.  We had a nice wander around town and “C” and I stopped for a bite to eat at a pizza restaurant. 

kingscote

giant pelican

After lunch, we headed to the beach for a peek at the huge pelicans and black swans that were swimming there.  They were really amazing to see in the wild.  On the bus ride back to Penneshaw we saw some more wildlife- kangaroos in the fields.  They are quiet during the heat of the  day, but at dusk I guess they come out of everywhere.   It seems similar to deer in the US.



black swan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The highlight of the day was probably when we headed back to the art gallery.  They had told us that there were 2 joeys there.  “C” was very excited to see them, they were both orphaned when their mothers were hit by cars.  The  boy smelled like curry and the girl like eucalyptus.  They were both barely the age that joeys leave their mothers’ pouch.  For this reason, they still enjoy being carried around in a pillowcase.  “C” got to help get them from the backyard and to snuggle up close to them.  The lady explained the vets provide formula for all the orphaned animals since they are unable to process the cow’s milk that humans generally drink.  On the return drive to town we saw more kangaroos in the wild.

meeting a joey

 

In town, I purchased some honey.  The island is known for their honey because they have a type of bees that are the only remaining pure strain from Italy.  In fact, no honey is allowed to come into the island for fear of cross contamination.  They are also sending bees back to Italy to try to reintroduce them there. 

view of ship from bluff through smoke from bush fires on mainland

All in all another wonderful day in the land of Oz.