By popular demand, we bring you a day at the Cooberrie Animal Sanctuary. Highly recommended by locals and receiving a brief mention with a "but it's nothing fancy" attachment by the tourist information people, we knew it was the place for us.
All of the animals here had been rescued, some get rehabilitated and re-released into the wild or if necessary are able to permanently reside in the sanctuary. Each animal had a name and a story posted by their homes making the whole day welcoming and personal. When F called from across the clearing, "It's hot and fuzzy inside Gloria's (the kangaroo) pouch!", we knew just what was going on and with which animal friend.
We must also mention the important (but slightly weird) fact that there was a swimming pool- right smack dab in the middle of kangaroo land. (At this point in the trip we were keenly aware that wet kids are happy kids, making their parents lives much much easier after a daily dip.)
We've seen skinks in books (and a few days later on a hike), but to see and hold one was really cool. They are fat- like a snake, but with four tiny legs- like a lizard and skinks have a blue tongue. Look closely and you can see Bill's blue tongue in the picture.
We could never get enough of the koalas. I personally wanted to climb into each koala habitat cuddle up, have a nap too. Getting to spend a few minutes cheek-to-cheek with Teddy was the best!
Koala facts we learned:
They sleep 18-22 hours a day, eat only eucalyptus leaves (which make them sleepy) and are solitary animals (no BFF needed near my tree- thank you. P.S. touch my tree and I might beat you up...). Koalas are designed for hot weather. The day we were there was about 85 degrees and overcast, quite cold to a koala. So, Teddy preferred to be in someone's arms and not the tree.
Another fun fact we learned- there are over 700 different types of eucalyptus trees. It's like not having to eat just M&M's your whole life but 700 different kinds of candy... not so bad eh?
By the way koalas are not 'bears', like they were first called when the white people set foot on the Australian continent. They are marsupials, like the kangaroo, wombat, tasmanian devil and most of the mammals in Australia. So wipe that word 'bear' right off your lips...
Pete the Python was constantly on the move, wrapping himself around your warm body when ever he got the chance.
Two little cuties, I just want to cuddle, pet, tickle and pinch cheeks all around.
Click on any picture to make it bigger.
For more photos of the day
look here.
We stopped off at Joe Bennion's pottery shop, Horseshoe Mountain Pottery in Spring City this week, on our way to pick up our Birch Creek Ranch camper.
Lots of pots to choose from- in the end we picked out a cereal bowl (we tend to be a little hard on those at our house). I wanted a medium-sized mug, for sipping tea, but there were only small and XL ones available (hint there, Country Joe).
I have always been a big fan of this stained glass window in the shop, I don't know who made it, (friend of the Bennions?) but it intrigues me.
Love the wild nature of the front flower beds.
We got stuck behind a sheep drive heading out of town. We were taking it easy, hanging back to keep the cowboys and the animals happy, when two trucks manned by locals went busting through- scattering sheep here and there. Man and beast drove on, so we did too.
I kept daring the kids to get out of the car, run along with the sheep, get some hands-on interaction, but no one would take me up on it. Cute little wooly fellers.
