Australia Zoo

Tuesday, 24 June 2014

 

Today was a family day out at Australia Zoo; unfortunately, the Weather Bureau seemed to over-estimate their forecast temperature.  Being midweek and not school holidays, there weren’t crowds of people of attendance.

The crocodile experience commenced as soon as we walked through the entrance, with a small crocodile waiting for photo opportunities.  Our first stop was to see the giant tortoises being fed – and actually moving!  Then Aidan spotted the merry-go-round so both little and big kids climbed on board for a spin, before heading off to look at the big crocodiles.  We spent some time in the children’s zoo, with the two boys thoroughly enjoying the experience of handfeeding goats and sheep.  We moved on to the kangaroos and fed them as well.  (It is amazing how these zoos manage to get patrons to pay extra for food to feed the animals!)  After patting a koala (asleep, of course) and oohing at the many snakes, we headed to the crocoseum for the midday show.  We were treated to displays of macaws, cockatoos and parrots, snakes, dingos and a couple of crocodiles.

Following lunch, it was time to head to Tigerland (no, not Richmond!!!) and Aidan’s much loved tigers.  We were just in time for an unadvertised tiger show – much to the delight of Aidan.  The day then became even better for him– a camel ride with his brother and father.  “Africa” was also in this section of the zoo, with a large grassy plain for the giraffes, zebras and rhinos.  A ride on the shuttle train took as back to our final show of the day – the otter feeding.

Goodbyes were said in the carpark, as we will be moving northwards towards Cairns on Thursday, David and his family will be returning home and we will not see Shan’s parents until next January.