Friday, 14 November 2014

Australia Zoo (Steve Irwin Zoo)


Mon 10th Nov

Today I take the early bus from Noosa to Australia Zoo (Steve Irwin). On arrival I leave my bags in a locker for the day. I have booked up the cuddle koala experience for 11am so I check in for this and then explore the first part of the zoo. At 10am I watch the Tortoises Live feeding and informative talk about the zoo's two great Aldabran Land Tortoises. 

After this I have a wander around the Alligator and Rhinoceros Iguanas sections on route to see the morning Otters live. .where I see the zoo's two Asian small clawed otters being fed and again an informative talk is given. 











Soon it is time to head back to the info centre ready for my koala experience. There are 3 of us booked up.. at most there would be 4. We are taken on a short walk to a grassy area where we are introduced to our koala by the zoo keeper. One by one we hold the koala and the staff member from the info centre takes pictures of us.. she then heads off to process these pics. We then get a second chance to hold the koala and have pictures taken with our own cameras. During this we are given an interesting talk about Koalas both in the wild,  in the zoo and in the zoo hospital.  A great experience...and a truly Aussie experience!

It is close to midday after returning to the info centre and eating lunch, so I make the short walk to the Crocoseum in preparation to watch the Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors Show. I see an array of snakes, birds and crocodiles.








Prior to my visit to the zoo I have been told that I should pay the extra 2 dollars and take the time to see the animal hospital. I decide after the Wildlife Warriors Show to head out of the zoo, across the car park to the hospital.  It is an insightful visit.. you are able to see through to the surgery rooms where we see a koala undergoing a check up. 














Back in the zoo and I spend the rest of the afternoon walking around each section of the zoo seeing a wide range of wildlife.. including some up close pictures with kangaroos. 

In the South East Asia section I catch the end of the tiger show... wow..  truly amazing sight. The active tigers are jumping/climbing trees to get food.. this is a world apart from the unfortunate drugged tigers found as an attraction in Thailand. An uplifting sight. This is a zoo where it is clear to see throughout the whole place that the animals care and needs are put first.. as started by Steve Irwins parents, continued by him and now his children are following in his foot steps.






























































What a great zoo this is.. there has been so much to see, a fully packed day.. 

At 5pm I board the Greyhound bus arriving an hour later in Brisbane.. my first big Oz city.. 

2 comments:

  1. Hi Adam, I have been catching up with your Blog and my goodness have you been busy? It looks as if you are having the time of your life and your photos are fantastic. Loving all your wildlife photos in particular.
    I have just come back from a tour of the Holy Land in Israel which was very cultural/religious/political - a very different experience to yours! I think I need a bit of what you are having now - sun, sea and fun!
    Enjoy the rest of your time in Australia. Lynn xx

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  2. Hi Lynn. . Thanks for your message. Yes it is indeed the time of my life.. it has been a non stop adventure! Somebody pinch me. I have now fallen a few weeks behind with a lot to update on. I have just arrived in Melbourne for my final few days in Oz before flying to my next destination. . New Zealand! Best, Adam x

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