Kangaroo Island Part 1

Our day started early by catching a bus at 7:00 that would take us to the ferry.

A very winding road lead us to the ferry that took us through a variety of different landscapes, and we finally saw kangaroos on the hillsides. Until then, we had only seen them in sanctuaries and zoos. It is so cool to see them in the same fields as sheep or cattle. After a 50-minute ferry ride, we arrived at Kangaroo Island, a lightly populated island with some very special sights. Our first stop was at an emu and eucaluptus oil plant, but we did not have much time there, as some road work held us up. We proceeded then to Seal Bay where the sea lions were bathing in the sun with their pups. Although it looks like a lazy life, the seals spend a major amount of time hunting, and therefore, they spend a lot time sleeping.

As we drove, we were told about the 2020 bushfires that destroyed much of the island. Signs of the fire would appear now and then, but much of the island has already begun to grow back. The eucalyptus trees, though not very tall, are numerous, and going to make good vegetation for the animals.

A trip to the Remarkable Rocks was next. An intrusion of granite into the surrounding rock has created gorgeous “sculptures.” That we were allowed to walk on it surprised us, and one area is marked dangerous, as it becomes very slippery and people have fallen off, never to be see again. Yikes!

While walking away from the Remarkable Rocks, I saw this Goanna, which is a very interesting lizard. The mother finds a termite next and lays her eggs on top of the nest. The termites bring up sand around it to create a large mound. The dirt keeps the eggs warm until they hatch, and the baby goannas eat the termites on the way out of the mound. Once we knew what they were, we loved looking for the mounds. Unfortunately, the only one we could get a picture of had a happy face painted on it!