Jim and Lea: October 2006

Hall's Gap, Victoria

Visiting the Grampian Mountains in early October, we encountered a dramatic blackened landscape burnt by the January 2006 wildfire. Spring time is bringing new growth back to the forests. The green shoots on the eucalyptus trees made the woods look all fuzzy.

Hall's Gap is a vacation spot at the foot of the Wonderland range....a pretty little village...Population of 300...We loved our visit to Brambuk, the National Park and Cultural Centre - a red roofed building shaped like a cockatoo displaying Aboriginal art and artifacts. Aborigines have a 5,000 year history in this sacred place. Wandering around the interesting and spectacular rock formations, canyons, mountains, and viewpoints we felt captivated, enchanted, & awed. Visit www.visithallsgap.com.au if you want more info.

I am trying to upload photos and will keep trying.......

Halloween in Australia

Halloween is not a big thing in Australia. Few people have parties and celebrate. They do not carve pumpkins. In fact, what we call squash they call "pumpkin". Our friend told us that she saw a real pumpkin at the market. Jim had to have it! Some people have never seen a Jack-o-lantern. So, Jim carved a nice pumpkin with kids at work. We took it home to our brick courtyard. A large huntsman spider greeted us as we entered the gate. What a spooky start to our Halloween evening! We lit the pumpkin, poured a glass of South Australian chardonnay, and listened to the noises of the night. The cathedral near us was ringing the church bells! We enjoyed the tintinabulation of the bells as the blue hour turned into darkness. No "trick-or-treaters" came to our door. We walked to a nearby cafe, Vagabondo's, shared a delicious squid dinner and split one piece of tiramisu chocolate with our 'flat white" coffees.

Cleland Wildlife Park Adelaide, SA

Here we are interacting with some of the wildlife at Cleland Park in Adelaide. The roos were very friendly and very sleepy, but they still ate the food we offered right out of our hands.

Priscilla the Koala munching on tender eucalyptus leaves! There are hundreds of varieties of eucalyptus trees, but the Koalas eat leaves from only a few types. Their habitat has been endangered in many places.

We became instant friends with Priscilla. She was orphaned as a baby and now lives at Cleland with about ten other koalas. Wild Koalas join them from time to time so the wildlife managers have to count them everyday.

Wallabies are a type of small kangaroo. This mom and joey have different ideas about where to hop next.

Sad, but true, we have seen koalas, echidnas, and kangagroos who have met their fate on the roads at night.

Split Point Lighthouse, Aireys Inlet

Split Point Lighthouse.

Can you spot the Crimson Rosella?

A Honeyeater poses on a branch.

A view of the "split point".

A dark sky...storm is coming.

Boys playing on the beach - lighhouse beyond them.

A Sulfur Crested Cockatoo perched near us.

Apollo Bay

See Lea with 3 other "Speechies" who happened to be staying at the youth hostel. That's what Speech-Language Pathologists are called in Australia.

Jim enjoyed morning coffee on the rooftop.