Phillip Island

We flew to Melbourne and had a rental car to head off to Phillip Island where we spent two nights but just had one day and a lot to see. We started off by going to see the pelicans being fed at San Remo, where you take the bridge over to the island. Then we went on to the Koala Sanctuary. Koalas are in danger because so much of their habitat has been lost to farmland and cities. It was a good chance to see them up close as you walk along raised boardwalks in their enclosures. They sleep for 20 hours a day, way up in eucalyptus trees. We were lucky enough to see one feeding as well as the sleeping ones. They are just as cute as advertised. In this sanctuary area we also saw wallabies and some extremely pretty birds. We saw the Kookaburra and Galah and a Rosella, a member of the parrot family. We also visited a pioneer farm where we saw bullwhipping, sheep herding and sheering and buildings from the 1800's.
After a dinner of locally caught duckfish and chips, we were off to the Penguin Parade, our main reason for coming here. A huge crowd gathers on bleachers on the beach before sunset to watch the Little Penguins come out of the sea to their burrows. They wait until dark because the birds of prey are gone then. At first, a few run out of the water and turn around and run back in...too early. When they feel safe they start coming out in groups of 15 or 20 and scurry up the beach. The tide was out quite a way, so they usually took cover in some rocks before heading off again. Once they get up opposite the stands, there is some lighting, so you get a better look, and when you walk back along the boardwalk, they are trucking up beside you but on the sand. Their burrows are in bushes all along the way and some have a lot of walking to do. You see them stop for a minute or two and sit down for a rest before heading on. It is nesting season, so one of the adults has stayed behind to look after the eggs/babies. They make quite a chatter when they greet their mate coming home. Can't tell if they are saying "Honey, how was your day?" or "Where the heck have you been? You said you were going fishing three days ago." No cameras are allowed at the event, but it is such a great thing to see.
It was very chilly out on the beach at 8:00 pm. The owner of the motel we were staying at loaned us big coats to wear, or we would have been freezing. We have met some great people in the places we have stayed. This particular lady gave us TimTam cookies to taste, and some Vegemite, a traditional toast topping with quite a salty taste.
Pics are of penguin feeding, koalas, a galah, and a shot taken of a postcard with the penguins.Read more