To celebrate R's, Mother's and Little M's birthdays most of the family gathered at Moonlit Sanctuary for a sausage sizzle and birthday cake. A wheelchair was booked for Mother and we booked the barbeque. The weather was warmer than expected, jackets off and it was a really nice day. There were also sandwiches and lots of nibbles.
Sister pushed Mother around to see the animals. One child hurt herself when she fell backwards and Mother got stuck when she swung one leg over a bench seat at a table and could not swing it back again. Here are some photos.
Keep your puppies and kittens close to you.
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While very dog like, Australian dingoes are quite different to dogs. They don't bark but howl, they kill for sport or practice and generally can't be trusted as pets. Nevertheless they are a fascinating creatures and I can recommend a book I read in my teen years, The Way of the Dingo.
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Apparently they are trustworthy enough at the sanctuary to be taken for a walk by guests who pay.
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I believe this is a wallaby, kind of like a kangaroo but I know it as a pademelon. This was our third visit to the sanctuary, the first at night time and we had pademelons moving around and over our feet in the dark as owls swooped past our heads mere centimetres away. The night experience was terrific.
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They are seriously long and thin legs.
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Ditto a Tasmanian devil.
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This is a water dragon, a lizard of sorts. It likes to be near water and is a good swimmer.
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Another tortoise purposefully made its way from a few a metres away to assist its friend against the water dragon's attention. It was so funny to watch and the kiddies were entranced, as I was.
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There is nothing better than a sizzling sausage
ReplyDeleteIndeed, John Gray of Wales.
DeleteI find Australian wildlife fascinating. Much of it is totally unique, not to be found elsewhere in the World and often quite lethal!
ReplyDeleteJayCee, it is always of interest ot locals too. It is a wonder anyone survives here with all the lethal creatures.
DeleteIt looks like a wonderful day. I find the water dragons fascinating and will always stop to watch them (and try and take photos). The youngest of my brothers who volunteers at our local zoo often has as one of his 'jobs' taking the dingoes for walkies. Ditto the cheetahs. And yes, I am jealous.
ReplyDeleteEC, I saw my first not captive water dragon in the Blue Mountains. I was entranced. I had forgotten about your bro dingo walking. Cheetahs would be fun to walk... I think.
DeleteLooks like a relaxing day at the sanctuary. I used to do that a bit
ReplyDeleteRoentare, it was a very pleasant day. Get back to it when you have time.
DeleteGreat day out :) What is the bird with the long, thin legs? Its beak is so long and narrow, how does food reach its body?
ReplyDeleteI've looked it up Hels, just for you. It is pied stilt, rather appropriate.
DeleteJust up the road from us and I still haven't been.
ReplyDeleteDingos are fascinating. Apparently they came across the land bridge eons ago which is why they are as close to original as you can get.
You'd better hurry up Caro, before you move away. I've hear about them coming across the land bridge. My step mother used to breed Shiba Inu dogs, a Japanese dog and you would swear they are like miniature dingoes.
DeleteAt the end, I suspect that you thought you were watching a sex show between species. A bit like a certain Melbourne man having sex with a penguin. Remember?
ReplyDeleteYP, I know we have a pair of gay penguins at our aquarium, but I don't remember about a man having sex with a penguin.
DeleteNo coat for me today. A long sleeve shirt. It got up to upper 50 (15) I find Australia animals and plants interesting.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe.
Dora, it must be nice to warm.
DeleteSounds like a lovely day out. Did you send me a slice of birthday cake? I'll watch out for it in the mail, shall I? Ha Ha. I would never walk a dingo. When my eldest was a toddler, next door's pet dingo jumped the fence and ate her kitten!
ReplyDeleteYes, keep an eye out for cake in an envelope but I only used one of R's pensioner stamps, so it may take some time to arrive. Yes, dingoes are really not pet material. Nowadays you could probably sue them, if they had money.
DeleteSounds a nice day out with some of the family.
ReplyDeleteThat devil, they are an ugly creature, but they are not here for their looks.
Margaret, you are home. Yay. Devils are important creatures but yes, they are ugly, they fight and bite, not nice at all, and certainly not pet material.
DeleteSo the visit was in the evening..? better than at the hottest time of day when many animals are not active..and the human animal shouldn't be!
ReplyDeleteGZ, not this time but we have done the nighttime experience. The creatures were certainly active. Our kangaroos, wallabies and koalas are pretty sleepy during the middle of the day.
DeleteYour evening walk sounds fabulous.
ReplyDeleteJabBlog, it was about fifteen years ago, and it was brilliant. But the day about three weeks ago was pretty good too.
DeleteI hope everyone had a fun time.
ReplyDeleteOh yes TP, we did.
DeleteSounds like you all had a geat day. I should check out Moonlit Sanctuary next time I am in Melbourne.
ReplyDeletePradeep, it is good but perhaps not the best place for overseas people to see our wildlife.
DeleteThat sounds interesting, to be there at night.
ReplyDeleteStrayer, it was indeed.
DeleteWhen we were in Australia, I was totally mesmerized by the Tasmanian devils. I watched one for ages, LOL.
ReplyDeleteJackie, watching two is more entertaining as they constantly bicker and fight.
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