St Augustin

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.
Who lives sees much, who travels sees more.



Showing posts with label kangaroos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kangaroos. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

A - Z Challenge - K is for Kangaroo Island



It's time I took you back to Australia. Let's take a trip to Kangaroo Island, off Adelaide in South Australia. Every season it changes. What season would you like to visit?

While some things never change - friendly people, cool breezes, uncrowded beaches and geological wonders - each season brings new life and spectacular changes in landscape colours of Kangaroo Island.

No matter what season you visit, you'll see kangaroos

Summer: December - February

As the summer approaches, wildlife retreat to bushland habitat to shelter during the heat of the day. The land is a contrast of golden pastures against summer wild flowers and the new growth of native trees.

•Kangaroos and Tammar wallabies are seen predominantly at dawn and dusk.

•Little penguins moult all their feathers at the end of the breeding season and can lose up to half their body weight.


•New Zealand Fur seals give birth to chocolate-brown pups.

•The Australian Sea-lion breeding season begins with pups born from January to June 2006.

•Heath goannas lay 10-17 eggs in the warm, stable, humid atmosphere of termite mounds, the perfect incubator.

•Koalas, wallabies and kangaroos give birth to tiny young, which are naked and blind.

Autumn: March - May

Pastures begin to green and waterways and catchments begin to flow. Autumn is a time of transition, with some rainfall gradually providing the wildlife with fresh growth to feed on.

•Glossy Black cockatoos and Little Penguins begin nesting.

•Black swans begin their courtship behaviour of wing-raising, neck-stretching and loud trumpeting.

•Fungi start to appear on damp ground and rotting wood.

Winter: June - August

Winter is spectacular with lush green countryside, flowing rivers and abundant wildlife: it's Kangaroo Island at its most appealing. Land mammals, predominantly night, dawn and dusk feeders for most of the year, frequently come out by day.

•Koalas emerge from the mother's pouch and begin to ride on her back.

•Kangaroo and wallaby joeys start to emerge from the mother's pouch and feed by her side.

•Echidnas form 'mating trains' where up to eight males will follow a female for around four weeks.

•Waders, on their migration from Siberia, begin to arrive.

•Ospreys show off to their mates in spectacular courtship fights.

•Southern right whales pass the shores on their migration from Antarctic waters to the Great Australian Bight to calve.

Spring: September - November

Spring is the season of rebirth. It is a wonderful time to see the spectacular array of wild flowers, birds and mammals.

•Wildflowers are in abundance. There are approximately 40 endemic floral species found on Kangaroo Island.

•Eucalyptus oil is in peak production. One tonne of leaf can produce up to 30 litres of oil.

•Cape Barren geese nest on top of the native iris grasses to incubate their eggs.

•Platypuses lay two eggs in a burrow up to 20 metres long.



Isn't this a beautiful place! The government has just stopped commercial fishing on the island in their effort to keep it pristine. I'm not sure if that's fair to the fishermen as they have been very careful of the environment.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

All your questions about Australia answered (with thanks to Tourism Australia)

I am re-posting this as I've just re-opened my travel site and this post cracks me up. If you need a laugh, here's a bit of Aussie humour. Don't we all have bags of misconceptions about other countries? This may be a bit exaggerated, but it is a hoot...well, if you know any Aussies, you'll know it's not really THAT exaggerated, lol! It actually comes from REAL questions sent to the Tourism Australia website.

THIS IS A DROP BEAR. CAREFUL OR HE MIGHT DROP OUT OF THE GUM TREE!

Q: Does it ever get windy  in Australia ? I have never seen it  rain on TV, how do the plants grow? ( UK ).

A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around  watching them die.

Q: Will I be able to see kangaroos in the street? ( USA )


A: Depends how much you've been drinking.

Q:I want to walk  from Perth to Sydney - can  I follow the  railroad tracks? ( Sweden)

A: Sure, it's only three thousand miles, take lots of water.

Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in Australia ? Can you  send me a list of them in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville and Hervey Bay ? ( UK)

 A: What did your last slave die of?

Q:Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia? ( USA )

A: A-Fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe. Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the Pacific which does not ... Oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Kings Cross. Come naked.

Q:Which direction is North in Australia ? (USA )

A: Face south and then turn 180 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we'll send the rest of the directions.

Q: Can I bring cutlery into Australia ? ( UK )

A:Why? Just use your fingers like we do...

Q:Can you send me the Vienna Boys' Choir schedule? ( USA )

A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is Oh forget it. Sure,  the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Kings Cross, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.

Q: Can I wear high heels in Australia ? ( UK )

A: You are a British politician, right?

Q:Are there supermarkets in Sydney and is milk available all year round? ( Germany )

 A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegan hunter/gatherers. Milk is illegal.

Q:Please send a list of all doctors in Australia who can dispense rattlesnake serum. ( USA )

A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca which is where YOU come from. All Australian snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets.

Q:I have a question about a famous animal in Australia , but I  forget its name. It's a kind of bear and lives in trees. ( USA )

A: It's called a Drop Bear. They are so called because they drop out of Gum trees and eat the brains of anyone walking underneath them. You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.

Q:I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in Australia ? (USA)

A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather

Q:Do you celebrate Christmas in Australia ? ( France )

A: Only at Christmas.

Q: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? ( USA )

A: Yes, but you'll have to learn it first