North Stradbroke Island

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Today probably wasn't the best day for a trip to North Stradbroke Island but when you're travelling you have to take the weather that's handed out to you. Let's just say that the day was basically rain interspersed with squalls. As may be expected I suppose, the weather cleared up a bit right at the end of the day when I was leaving back to the mainland again. Because that's just the way things go.

On a fine day North Stradbroke Island would be fantastic, on a bad day its just sort of all right. Today was supposed to be a mammal day. There are various species of dolphins that can be seen from the ferry as you head across Moreton Bay - except when the rain obscures the sea. There are also lots of dugongs in there too, but they were even less possible to see. On the island is a southern population of agile wallabies, and also a mutant race of "golden" wallabies, but they were all hiding from the rain. In fact it seemed like the mammal "highlight" of the day was going to be being attacked by dogs. I've never had a problem with dogs in Australia before . To be sure, I don't like dogs overly much, especially when they're running at you with foaming mouths. But maybe the dog control laws are less strict on North Stradbroke. I had two different dogs have a go at me today. The first was while I was on a walk to Brown Lake. There is a private bus on the island but it goes to only one place and Brown Lake isn't it. Not that Brown Lake is probably the most scenic of the island's sights but its nice enough and has lots of bush around it in which agile wallabies were hiding. I saw a few birds during the rare breaks in the rain but nothing exciting. On the way back into town I sidetracked to avoid having to deal with that dog again, and instead ended up having to deal with another dog. Still, every dog has a silver lining. Whilst making a rapid detour in the opposite direction I came across a colony of hundreds of black flying foxes in the trees lining the roadside by the primary school. And at the end of the colony was a koala!

Oh, and I also found a beach with lots of birds on it. But yay, I saw a koala!!

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Photos

a koala
this one is at Brisbane's Alma Park Zoo, but its what the photo would have looked like from North Stradbroke if it hadn't been raining and the koala had been closer...

Comments

[esther]

yay a koala
YAY Israel you saw a Koala!! Am I jealous??? YES I AM!!!!!!!!! bring one home!! he could display nicely with the kiwi. have fun...