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- Jan 17, 2025, 12:51 PM
- ☁️ 68 °F
- Altitude: 14 m
- AustraliaVictoriaBaysideBrighton BeachBonnet Rock37°55’3” S 144°59’11” E
Koalas & penguins 🐧
January 17 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F
Today we signed up for a tour that would take us to a few stops along the coast and then down to Philips Island to see the little penguin parade. We met our guide Woody and set off in a little van. He was very endearing and Australian and had his two teen daughters with him which was cute. First stop was Brighton beach, with the bathing huts. I was excited because I had been wanting to go recreate a photo from when I was here as a student ten years ago.
Then we headed to Moonlit Sanctuary, a small reserve. There was a bit of chaos because Woody said we could elect to do the koala interaction experience, but when we arrived there was only three spots left. Henry and I got two because we were at the front of the line which was just lucky. We were able to meet Victor the koala and pet him (Henry’s first time touching a koala). We also fed some wallabies but they weren’t that hungry really.
We stopped off at cape Woolamai beach which had some big waves and brave surfers. Then was the Nobbies, with beautiful coastal views. It was still only 6pm and the penguin parade doesn’t start until sunset, around 9pm. So we had a dinner stop— Henry and I brought leftovers and then got some of the best gelato we’ve ever had.
Finally it was penguin time! There were hoards of people. Woody said it sells out at about 2,000 tickets. They had a nice visitor center with some info about different species of penguins. Then we all sat on benches at a beach auditorium and waited for the penguins to come out of the ocean and cross the sand to their burrows. They were kinda hard to see, but once they had mostly come up we went up to the boardwalk and watched as they waddled through the burrows. They’re only about one foot tall, the smallest penguin species in the world. Their whole body wiggles as they walk up the hills. It was very cute. We couldn’t take pictures because the phone light distracts them (which unfortunately did not stop most visitors) so I included photos we were given to download. Then it was back to the bus and home at about 1am!Read more
Traveler Can’t relate to this not-hungry wallaby. If I was a wallaby I’d always be hungry
Traveler You know when it’s really hot out and you don’t wanna eat anything, just ice cream. I reckon it feels like that for them. Too hot to eat
Traveler Well darn, get that wallaby some ice cream!
Traveler Paige having the wallaby’s back👏